News from August 2011
Feinberg urges Barbier to reject call for special master
Feinberg Paying oil spill claims on an honor basis sounds generous to a fault, but Gulf Coast Claims Facility administrator Kenneth Feinberg plans to keep doing it.
Alaskan litigants must join BP shareholder suit in Houston
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – BP shareholders seeking derivative damages from directors and officers in Alaska state court must join national litigation in Houston, Superior Court Judge Sharon Gleason decided on Aug. 15.
Judge recuses from litigation over control of popular New Orleans Catholic high school
Orleans Parish Judge Kern Reese recused himself from overseeing litigation over the control of New Orleans' historic St. Augustine High School, according to an order signed today in Orleans Parish Civil District Court.
Saleswoman sues employer alleging FMLA violations
Allweiss A saleswoman has filed a lawsuit against her employer that claims she was harassed for taking leave to care for sick mother.
Wal-Mart store sued by shopper who slipped in water from ice cooler
A Wal-Mart shopper has filed a lawsuit against the Ponchatoula store after she slipped in water that was leaking from the store's ice cooler.
Offshore worker seeks $1.35 million claiming stress from platform fire hinders work ability
Creed An offshore worker, who was forced to abandon an oil platform when a fire erupted, has filed a lawsuit that claims he can no longer worker in an offshore environment due to stress.
African-American worker files discrimination lawsuit after getting passed on promotion
Arruebarrena An African-American construction worker has filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against his former employer after he did not receive the promotion he wanted.
Cracker Barrel sued after patron trips over uneven concrete
A Hammond restaurant is being sued after a Tangipahoa resident tripped and fell over uneven concrete breaking his ankle.
NFL claims Who Dat Inc. has avoided litigation discovery
Wittmann The National Football League (NFL) claims that Who Dat Inc. has repeatedly avoided and put off its discovery obligations in the federal litigation determining the owner of the phrase "Who Dat?" most commonly associated with the New Orleans Saints.
Second round of cement testing possible in oil spill MDL
Barbier U.S. Attorney Steve Overholt announced that the federal government is considering a second round of tests on the drilling cement used on the Deepwater Horizon oilrig, which exploded and sank in April 2010.
Mississippi AG and Feinberg spar in state court
Hood Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and Golf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF) Administrator are sparring in Mississippi state court, according to an Associated Press report.
Lloyd's and others resist BP's bid for coverage
Dicharry NEW ORLEANS – Insurers who covered pollution claims against Deepwater Horizon owner Transocean insist they didn't cover pollution claims against rig operator BP.
Becnel sticks up for Feinberg in oil spill litigation
Feinberg NEW ORLEANS – Gulf Coast Claims Facility administrator Kenneth Feinberg doesn't need to defend himself from attacks as long as Louisiana lawyer Danny Becnel can do it.
BP attorney criticizes plaintiff attorneys' mode of questioning in oil spill depositions
Langan BP attorney Andrew Langan called plaintiff attorney questions have been "repetitive, irrelevant, and sometimes harassing" during depositions of BP witnesses.
Pharmaceutical sales rep sues employer for discriminating against her depression disability
Farrugia After losing her job, a pharmaceutical sales representative has filed a lawsuit against her employer that claims she was discriminated against because of her depression.
Metairie restaurant sued for $300,000 after woman slips and breaks her arm
A Metairie restaurant is being sued for $300,000 after a woman slipped in rainwater and broke her arm.
BP sued over seaman's crushed finger
After his finger was crushed by a falling engine, a seaman has filed a lawsuit against his employer for allegedly not providing the proper equipment to hold up the engine.
Barbier describes rough outline of BP oil spill liability trial
Barbier U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier today gave an idea of the structure for the first liability trial in the BP oil spill multidistrict litigation (MDL) set to take place in February 2012.
Worker sues owner of offshore platform for not placing non-skid surface on deck
After slipping and falling outside of his living quarters, a worker has filed a lawsuit against the owner of an offshore platform for failing to place non-skid or other slip prevention measurements on the deck of the platform.
Sunbeam and Walgreens sued over child's burns in house fire
The parents of a child who suffered burns in a house fire have filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of a heating pad, claiming that the heating pad was defective and caused the fire.