In 1951, a 30-year-old Black woman by the name of Henrietta Lacks walked into Johns Hopkins Hospital for a diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer. Today, Lacks’ estate is suing a biotech company for allegedly selling and profiting off of Lacks’ cells that were originally collected at that hospital. Lack’s... Read More »
The husband of a wife who sued an Ohio hospital for not administering the drug Ivermectin has died. The family’s attorney confirmed that Jeffrey Smith, 51, passed away on September 25 after losing his battle to COVID-19. Smith contracted the virus on July 9, and his condition continued to worsen... Read More »
As the chances for passage of pharmaceutical pricing and oversight bills fade in Congress and the White House, there is a bit of good news on that front from the Department of Justice (DOJ). Three generic drug makers have agreed to pay $447.2 million to resolve price-fixing allegations related to... Read More »
On August 30, 2021, the California legislature passed the Silenced No More Act, which allows employees who have experienced harassment or discrimination in the workplace to speak out even if they have reached a settlement with their employer concerning their allegations. Governor Newsom signed the bill into law late last... Read More »
Over a dozen former basketball players have been accused of health care fraud as it relates to the National Basketball Association’s health care fund. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Audrey Strauss, announced the charges Thursday against 18 former basketball players and the spouse of a... Read More »
A California man has been arraigned for alleged insurance fraud and perjury after he claimed to have received cumulative trauma received on the job. Frank Simplicio, 45, of Porter Ranch is accused of collecting workers’ compensation disability benefits after he claimed he was unable to continue his work as a... Read More »
A Facebook former product manager, Frances Haugen, an insider-turned whistleblower, spoke at the Senate hearing created to “protect kids online.” The discussion focused on social media and its impact upon everyday teenagers, who have been exposed to hateful posts and misinformation on numerous platforms, on Facebook, Instagram, and more. Haugen... Read More »
Pacific Gas & Electric, the nation’s largest utility, is facing 31 charges including 11 felonies and manslaughter after their equipment sparked a wildfire in Northern California last year. The wildfire claimed the lives of four victims as they tried to escape the blaze. The victims ranged in ages from eight... Read More »
Dressed in wedding gowns and chains, and carrying bouquets and signs, a group of protesters gathered at the Massachusetts State House last month to protest laws that allow girls in the Commonwealth to marry when they are just 12 years old if their parents give permission. Anti-child marriage activists believe... Read More »
The Unruh Civil Rights Act (UCRA) became law in California in 1959. Along with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it prohibits access discrimination, prohibits discriminatory conduct by businesses against people with disabilities, and gives them the same rights and opportunities as those who are lucky enough to participate... Read More »
Three black defendants, two brothers and their cousin, were convicted of murdering two persons of the same race in a gang-related confrontation about allegedly stolen guns in 2012. Now, they will get a new trial because one of their potential jurors was improperly excluded from service after expressing support for... Read More »
The “statute of limitations” is the time limit within which a legal claim must be filed. Nearly every type of legal claim, both civil and criminal, has a statute of limitations. The specific time frame varies by type of claim, the nature of the parties, and the state in which... Read More »
An Orlando cardiologist has been ordered to pay $6.75 million to resolve allegations that he knowingly performed unnecessary medical procedures. Dr. Ashish Pal was accused of violating the False Claims Act after he knowingly submitted false claims to federal health care programs for medically unnecessary ablations and vein stent procedures,... Read More »
Student debt trails mortgages as the biggest type of debt a consumer can take on in their life. As a nation, borrowers owe a collective $1.57 trillion in student loan debt, with the average borrower owing roughly $38,000. While the student debt crisis has crippled many, there has been a... Read More »
Three men in different states have been indicted for a nationwide copyrighted media theft scheme that lined their pockets with a combined $30 million. Authorities named Bill Omar Carrasquillo, 35, of New Jersey, Jesse Gonzales, 42, of California, and Michael Barone, 36, New York, as the men behind the cable... Read More »
