News from January 2018
Former landscapers for Brandolini Cos. allege they are owed unpaid wages
PHILADELPHIA – Former employees of a Berwyn company allege they were not paid minimum or overtime wages during their employment.
Resource I Construction Services alleged to owe contributions to fund
PHILADELPHIA – The board of trustees of a pension fund allege that an Elkins Park employer has failed to remit contributions.
Lawmaker: Freeing nurse practitioners of work constraints will help health care across state; FTC also on board
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Jesse Topper (R-78) believes a bill he introduced that would allow nurse practitioners to bring their services to more “underserved areas” in Pennsylvania is “the right thing for the people of Pennsylvania, the right thing for health care across the state.”
Consumer claims Niagara Bottling, other companies falsely advertise spring water
PHILADELPHIA – Four Pennsylvania companies are alleged to have falsely marketed their bottled water as spring water.
Overland & Associates Inc. alleged to have failed to pay contributions to benefit plan
PHILADELPHIA – A multiemployer employee benefit plan headquartered in Newton Square allege that a Texas company failed to remit employee contributions.
ABF Pizza Inc. alleges Philadelphia is unlawfully using Santucci's mark
PHILADELPHIA – Two Philadelphia entities allege a couple residing in the city is unlawfully using their mark for their restaurant.
Three Pennsylvania restaurants cited by labor secretary for alleged FLSA violations
PHILADELPHIA – Three restaurants and their owners are alleged to have failed to pay employees a minimum wage or overtime premiums.
Consumer claims Interstate Credit and Collection Inc. failed to identify creditor in letter
PHILADELPHIA – A Philadelphia consumer alleges a debt collector sent her an incomplete collection letter.
Goddard Systems Inc. alleges former franchisee is unlawfully continuing to use mark
PHILADELPHIA – A King of Prussia corporation alleges two individuals and a center in Texas are unlawfully continuing to use the Goddard School mark after their franchise agreement was terminated.
Individuals file suit against Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency over student loans
PHILADELPHIA – Three individuals have filed a class-action lawsuit against Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency over the handling of their education loans.
Philly judge voids third-party funding in NFL concussion litigation, but company hopes N.Y. colleague disagrees
PHILADELPHIA – A Philadelphia federal judge says agreements in which RD Legal Funding advanced money to plaintiffs in the pending NFL concussion litigation are void, but the attorney representing RD Legal has asked a judge in New York to ignore that finding.
F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts files for summary judgment in ERISA case
SCRANTON – The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts has filed a motion for summary judgment in a case filed by a former employee who alleged it had violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
Lancaster to address sewage discharge into Conestoga River after settlement with state, feds
READING – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) have reached a settlement with the city of Lancaster to take action in ending sewage discharge into local waterways from storm and sewage systems.
Med-mal plaintiffs get another shot to prove lawyer botched their claim
HARRISBURG – An appeal in a 12-year-old legal malpractice lawsuit has gone the way of two plaintiffs who blame their attorney for the dismissal of their medical malpractice case.
Prince Law Offices' challenge of fee allocation arbitration award unsuccessful
HARRISBURG – Prince Law Offices has lost its challenge of an arbitration award that allocated legal fees to three other firms that participated in a trial under an independent contractor fee-sharing agreement with Prince, according to a Dec. 18 Superior Court opinion.
Judge reverses plaintiffs' $27.8M Xarelto jury verdict in Philadelphia court
PHILADELPHIA – Late Tuesday, a state court judge reversed a near-$28 million jury verdict in product liability litigation surrounding the blood thinner Xarelto, a decision that overturned what had been the first win nationally for plaintiffs and included a landmark punitive damages award.
Lawsuit: Kitchen design business accepted money for construction job and never began or completed it
PITTSBURGH – A local couple are seeking to recover tens of thousands of damages from a kitchen designer whom they allege breached their contract and did not finish work it agreed to complete.
Injured sub-contractor says flooring company owner left stair system disabled on construction site
PITTSBURGH – A flooring company’s owner alleged negligence in handling a floating stair system caused a plaintiff’s severe bodily injuries on a local construction site, a newly-filed lawsuit states.
Former U.S. Steel pipefitter says benzene exposure at plant caused his leukemia
PITTSBURGH – A plaintiff who worked as a pipefitter at the U.S. Steel-owned Clairton Works for 12 years, claims his leukemia was caused by routine exposure to benzene and benzene-containing products at the facility.
Former Aria Health employee alleges she was terminated for taking medical leave
PHILADELPHIA – A Fairless Hills woman claims that her Levittown employer terminated her in retaliation for taking a medical leave.