| | | | | Announcements | | | 2012 'Reel Justice' Fishing Tournament & Blast from the Past CLE | | Join the TTLA Advocates for our 2nd Annual 'Reel Justice' Fishing Tournament, and see who gets bragging rights as TTLA's fishing champion! This year, we've added a great CLE program, making it a 2-day TTLA coastal adventure! The CLE begins on Friday from 1:00 - 5:00. Tournament festivities begin at 6:30 with a classic TTLA Summer party, and Saturday at first light, it's ON! Click on the headline to learn more. | Laws/Cases | | | Dugard Files Tampering Suit Against Federal Officials | | Jaycee Dugard, who was kidnapped and held in captivity for nearly two decades, has filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department, claiming they convinced a crucial witness to withdraw support from her case against federal agents. Dugard was relying on the testimony of a former chairwoman of the U.S. Parole Commission to prove that the federal agents failed to searcher abductees home and report drug use that would have violated his parole. In addition to contacting the witness, the government is seeking a court order “barring the plaintiffs from contacting any former government employees, a move that would dry up the pool of potential expert witnesses.” Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle 08/06/2012 | Read Article: San Francisco Chronicle | Woman Sues Massage Envy, Employee After Alleged Sex Assault | | Cody Wayne Lewis, 40, was indicted last month for sexual assault at a Spring Massage Envy back in January. But just one year before that, Lewis faced similar accusations at another Massage Envy location. The woman who says she was attacked by that same massage therapist back in May 2011 says this second case could have been prevented. When Kellie Armstrong walked into a Massage Envy in Magnolia, she expected a relaxing experience. Instead she says she was sexually assaulted by her massage therapist. Armstrong is now suing the Magnolia Massage Envy and her alleged attacker in civil court. Katie McCall , KTRK-TV 08/08/2012 | Read Article: KTRK-TV | Money for Fair Victims Came with Frovision Guarding Ind. From Stage Owner’s Suit | | Indiana lawmakers presented their decision to offer an additional $6 million to victims of a deadly stage collapse at last year’s state fair as a way to help those who weren’t adequately compensated by its first settlement. But buried in the legislation was a clause protecting the state from having to pay even more. The clause sought by Attorney General Greg Zoeller enabled him to tie the state money to a settlement with the company that owned the stage, and thrust the state into the role of negotiator as lawsuits swirled over the Aug. 13, 2011, stage collapse at a show by country duo Sugarland. Associated Press, The Washington Post 08/08/2012 | Read Article: The Washington Post | Pfizer Pays $60M to Settle Bribery Charges | | Pfizer has agreed to pay the federal government $60 million to settle allegations that its employees bribed doctors and other foreign officials in Europe and Asia to win business and boost sales. The SEC said that Pfizer's overseas subsidiaries made illegal payments to health care workers in China, Italy, Russia, Croatia and other Eastern European countries. As early as 2001, Pfizer sales representatives tried to conceal the bribes by recording them as legitimate business expenses for travel, entertainment and marketing purposes, the agency said. MATTHEW PERRONE, AP, Yahoo News 08/08/2012 | Read Article: Yahoo News | Products | | | GAO Criticizes FCC’s Standards for Cellphone Radiation | | The GAO called on federal regulators to revamp standards that measure the impact of radiation from cellphones. The year-long review by the GAO, which was done at the urging of lawmakers, did not suggest that cellphone use causes cancer. But the GAO was critical of the way the FCC has managed its standards, noting that the rules, which had not changed since 1996, lagged behind those of the international community. Hayley Tsukayama, The Washington Post 08/08/2012 | Read Article: The Washington Post | Issues | | | Chevron Refinery Sends Hundreds to Hospitals | | A major fire at one of America's biggest oil refineries that sent hundreds of people to hospitals with complaints of breathing problems. The fire, which sent plumes of black smoke over the San Francisco Bay area, erupted Monday evening in the massive Chevron refinery about 10 miles northeast of San Francisco. It was out early Tuesday. Associated Press, KHOU-TV 08/08/2012 | Read Article: KHOU-TV | Labor/Employment | | | Age Discrimination Suit Against State Department to Proceed | | A court of appeals has rejected the State Department’s argument for exemption in a lawsuit brought against them by a former employee who was fired when he turned 65. The safety inspector was dismissed while working in Paris, but the court ruled he should be protected by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act because he is a U.S. citizen. Frederic J. Frommer, Lexington Herald-Leader 08/07/2012 | Read Article: Lexington Herald-Leader | Class Action | | | Spirit Airlines Faces Class Action Suit Over “Usage Fees” | | A class action lawsuit has been filed against Spirit Airlines over their “passenger usage fees” which can be as high as $16.99 each way. The suit claims the company advertises low base fares and then implies the fees are imposed by the government, but in reality have no merit or specific purpose. Debra Cassens Weiss, American Bar Association Journal 08/08/2012 | Read Article: American Bar Association Journal | Wrongful Death | | | $400 Million Suit Filed over Concordia Disaster Death | | A $400 million wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by a New York law firm against cruise companies over the death of a Hungarian violinist in the Concordia tragedy this past January. The suit seeks damages for gross negligence as well as punitive damages and claims the companies could have prevented the musician’s death by properly training the crew on how to handle an emergency situation. Ronai & Ronai, LLP, PR Newswire 08/08/2012 | Read Article: PR Newswire | | | | | | Published by TRIALSMITH, Litigation Tools for Trial Lawyers 5113 Southwest Parkway, Suite 285, Austin, TX 78735 You received this email because you are subscribed to this service from your trial lawyers association. • Unsubscribe • Search National Litigation Bank • 800-443-1757 | |