John O'Brien News
Pa. SC protects retailers from new consumer protection theory
PITTSBURGH - Collecting sales tax does not open retailers to lawsuits under Pennsylvania's consumer protection law, the state Supreme Court has held in a proposed class action against companies like Kohl's and J. Crew.
Lawyers' tobacco playbook hits Big Food; How big can litigation get?
PHILADELPHIA - It's no secret that plaintiff lawyers often try to emulate the successes they had in the 1990s suing tobacco companies, when they teamed with government officials to score billions of dollars in fees from massive settlements.
5 new cases to know: Where should the Amish use the bathroom?
In recent cases of note filed in Pennsylvania courts, America is fighting for the rights of Old Order Amish persons to use outhouses, while a woman is suing the maker of a candle that set her hair on fire.
Appeal filed after Philadelphia wins wrongful death case over police shooting
PHILADELPHIA - The estate of a man shot to death by Philadelphia police is appealing the loss of its wrongful death lawsuit that claimed officers should have tasered him instead.
Amputee fired for calling manager 'scumbag' on Facebook loses discrimination case
HARRISBURG - A Pennsylvania Department of Transportation worker fired over a Facebook post complaining about his manager has lost his discrimination lawsuit.
Changes from 2023 didn't take Roundup plaintiffs' 'shaky' causation experts
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Experts once called "shaky" by the federal judge hearing thousands of Roundup cases can continue to testify, as the latest wave of plaintiffs make their way through a multidistrict litigation proceeding.
Wrongful death case against Philadelphia survives dismissal motion
PHILADELPHIA - The City of Philadelphia has lost its attempt to toss out of court a lawsuit that alleges police left a one-legged man to die in jail.
Skier struck by snowboard loses lawsuit against Blue Mountain
PHILADELPHIA - For the second time in a month, a Pennsylvania federal judge has ruled for a ski resort sued by an injured customer, citing a state law that "for better or worse," protects defendants.
Settlement reached in case of man left dying on Greyhound bus
PHILADELPHIA - It's an $85,000 settlement in a lawsuit brought over a man who suffered cardiac arrest on a Greyhound bus and later died.
Pa. court sides with med-mal lawyers, draws line on if doctor picked surgery for patient
HARRISBURG - A state appeals court has revived a medical malpractice lawsuit against Geisinger Medical Center, in a win for Pennsylvania's plaintiff lawyers.
Roofers, check your ladders; Court rules against worker who fell off one placed on a block
PITTSBURGH - A roofer should have known better, a Pennsylvania appeals court has ruled, finding that a ladder placed on a wooden block is an obviously dangerous condition.
Domino's decision a win for Pa. plaintiff lawyers, though other states have reached the opposite conclusion
PHILADELPHIA - A recent decision by a Pennsylvania appellate judges not only goes against an earlier ruling by their own court but also at least six others.
Domino's too controlling over franchisee, must pay for its $2.3M mistake
PHILADELPHIA - Domino's Pizza has lost its effort to avoid paying its slice of a $2.3 million verdict to a man whose leg was amputated after a traffic accident involving a pizza deliveryman.
Lawyers supporting J&J's $9B talc settlement seek protection from rival firms
HOUSTON - Law firms that want Johnson & Johnson's massive talc bankruptcy plan approved object to the nature of a probe by lawyers who want it rejected, as the fight for votes continues ahead of a key hearing.
Pa. company loses $7M appeal for not paying travel time
PHILADELPHIA - A Pennsylvania home health care company has lost its appeal of a $7 million ruling that found it should have paid its employees for the time they spent driving to clients' homes.
Greene County PD shows little fight in abuse-of-power lawsuit
PITTSBURGH - Arrested 911 employees in Greene County will get to advance their claims in court against a police department that didn't even fill up two pages in its own defense.
Judge: No racism in firing reckless driver
PITTSBURGH - A Black truck driver has lost his racism claim against the company that fired him over reports he was speeding with unsecured items on his trailer.
Hey PA: 5 new cases to know, including gender issues in high school sports
A high-school girl complains she was forced to race against a biological male, a conspiracy lawsuit against the food industry and an NFC championship celebration goes wrong are among five new cases of interest in Pennsylvania.
Value of Dwayne Haskins wrongful death case discovered; Family and widow continue legal war
PITTSBURGH - With the wrongful death lawsuit brought on behalf of former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins coming to a close, a federal judge has refused to silence any concerns his widow has with a documentary planned by his parents.
Feds, lawyers and insurers among critics of J&J's massive talc settlement
HOUSTON - Some insurers and personal injury lawyers have found themselves in a rare position - allied in court.