News from August 2010
New manager at America's Best Contacts called a 'redneck,' suit claims
Arruebarrena An assistant store manager at America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses in Slidell claims she was subjected to race and sex discrimination after a new store manager introduced himself as a "redneck."
Seaman sues after cable propels him
A seaman has filed a lawsuit against his employer after he was allegedly injured due to being propelled while holding a cable.
Southern Fidelity accused of failing to pay Gustav claim
Bruno New Orleans property owners are accusing an insurance company of failing to pay claims they filed after Hurricane Gustav.
Jefferson Parish homeowner sues over Chinese drywall in Orleans Parish
Irpino A Jefferson Parish homeowner is suing the Orleans Parish companies he says knowingly allowed defective and dangerous drywall to be installed throughout his house.
BP judge to speak at trial lawyer conference
Barbier Judge Carl Barbier of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana is scheduled to speak at a conference sponsored by the Louisiana Association for Justice (LAJ), formerly the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association (LTLA), on Friday at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans.
Product liability suit against Ford settles
A 12-year-old suit involving Ford Motor Co. has settled in Orleans Parish Civil District Court.
Tobacco settlement survives another challenge, appeal coming
Bader A federal appeals court decided Tuesday that 1998's Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement is constitutional, ruling against a challenge by the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
Former Kmart manager claims racial and gender discrimination
A Kmart store manager has filed a discrimination lawsuit after she was terminated for alleged misappropriation of company property.
Mud Lake environmental workers sue after being covered in oil
Two workers helping with environmental response teams at the scene of an oil spill near Mud Lake have filed personal injury suits.
Louisiana senator criticized by Ethics Board over role in suit against LSU
Marionneaux The Louisiana Board of Ethics announced Friday that state senator Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, violated ethics codes in regards to his legal representation of Bernhard Mechanical Contractors.
MDL judges pick New Orleans as venue for BP suits
Barbier After a tug-of-war between plaintiff and defense attorneys, a panel of judges has decided the hundreds of lawsuits against BP over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be consolidated and heard in federal court in New Orleans.
Fishermen-turned-skimmers deal with complexities of oil spill cleanup and claims forms
A sign at the Bridgeside Marina on Grand Isle advertises the catch of the day. With news that BP was sealing its Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico, conflicting reports have come out of Grand Isle about the oil company's efforts to scale down cleanup.
United passenger sues after getting ejected from flight
A Louisiana mother is suing United Airlines after she and her son were allegedly removed from a flight due to her son's yelling after he was told to turn off his DVD player.
Pest controllers sue after gangway breaks and dumps them onto concrete
Three Louisiana men, who were in the process of fumigating a vessel for pests, have filed a lawsuit after the vessel's gangway railing allegedly broke, throwing them onto concrete below.
Mechanic sues Shell over benzene exposure
A mechanic has filed a Jones Act lawsuit against his previous employers for allowing their vessels to be saturated with benzene-contaminated air and for not warning him of the risks of contamination.
Paxil used during pregnancy caused defects, woman claims in suit
Centola A Louisiana woman is suing the manufacturer of the antidepressant drug Paxil after discovering it could be the cause of her child's birth defects.
Laid off employees sue over Jindal's layoff rule changes
Jindal After being laid off, several Louisiana state employees have filed suit over Governor Jindal's changes to the Louisiana Civil Service Commission's layoff rules.
Suit filed over garbage truck and motorcycle collision
Phares The family of a deceased motorcycle rider has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the employer of the garbage truck driver who allegedly caused the fatal crash.
Wal-Mart shopper claims tendonitis after deli shelf falls on foot
A St. Charles Parish resident has filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart after a store shelf allegedly fell on her foot.
Rand's asbestos report shows lucrative outcome for lawyer trust fund managers
Budd Giants of asbestos litigation hold half the power in seven trust funds that paid $2.4 billion in claims in 2008, according to tables in a new Rand Corporation report.