Flooding Suits in New Jersey Finally Settled | | A New Jersey judge has approved the final phase of an $11.74 million settlement in a series of lawsuits over flooding in Burlington County. The lawsuit was filed against local dam owners, operators and engineers after 21 dams failed in 2004, causing damage to hundreds of local homes and businesses. Jim Cook Jr., NJ.com 07/25/2013 | Read Article: NJ.com | Virginia For-Profit College Settles $5 Million Lawsuit | | A for-profit college in Virginia will settle a $5 million class-action suit filed by eight former students who claim their education was a sham. The suit claimed that Chester Career College "targeted minorities for enrollment and did not provide them an adequate education." The college allegedly advertised in areas and on television programs that reached predominantly African-American audiences, encouraging students to take out loans but failing to provide them with proper education and training. Mary Beth Marklein, USA Today 07/26/2013 | Read Article: USA Today | Toxic Plume Spreads, PG&E Faces 2nd Hinkley Suit | | Years ago, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. promised to clean up the groundwater beneath Hinkley, a small Mojave Desert town crossed by one of the company's natural gas pipelines. A toxic form of chromium used by PG&E had seeped into the water, in a place where every home needs a well. But 17 years later, the chromium remains. And despite PG&E's efforts, the plume of tainted water appears to be spreading, with the chemical showing up in more wells than before. Now, Hinkley residents who weren't part of the original court case have filed a new lawsuit against the company, saying PG&E has rendered their homes virtually worthless. David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle 07/29/2013 | Read Article: San Francisco Chronicle | After 3 Months, TX Health Dept Hasn’t Collected Details on West Explosion Injuries | | More than three months after the West disaster, the state health department has yet to start collecting details on deaths or injuries. In fact, the Texas Department of State Health Services still cannot say how many people were hurt in the West blast. “There is not a public health necessity to having that number now,” Chris Van Deusen, an agency spokesman, said Friday. An unofficial but incomplete accounting of injuries puts the figure at more than 300. Dr. David Lakey, State Health Services commissioner, refused repeated requests from The Dallas Morning News to discuss the reasons for the delay. A departmental spokesman said the agency could have begun a study soon after the West explosion, but it was waiting for an invitation from local authorities. SUE AMBROSE , The Dallas Morning News 07/29/2013 | Read Article: The Dallas Morning News | DNA Company Settles $115M Patent Lawsuit | | DNA sequencing company Illumina will pay $115.1 million to a Washington-based company to settle a patent infringement lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by Syntrix Biosystems, accused Illumina of violating patent technology the company uses to pick up specific DNA sequences. As part of the settlement, Illumina will also pay an eight percent royalty on all infringing sales. Bradley J. Fikes, San Diego Union Tribune 07/19/2013 | Read Article: San Diego Union Tribune | Suit Filed over Death at Houston Daycare | | The death of a young Houston girl at a daycare in February has prompted a lawsuit against the care center by the girl's parents. According to the suit, the girl, who suffered from severe asthma, was left alone in a bathroom at the daycare center where she had an attack and died. The lawsuit accuses the daycare center of neglect and is seeking unspecified damages. Rucks Russell, KHOU-TV 07/26/2013 | Read Article: KHOU-TV | Suit: Woman Killed by Contaminated Fruit from Walmart | | A Wyoming man has filed a lawsuit against retail giant Walmart, claiming his wife died after eating a contaminated cantaloupe purchased from the store. The Food and Drug Administration identified the cantaloupe to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The suit said Walmart removed the contaminated products from its shelves, but failed to warn consumers who may have already purchased the cantaloupes. Wire Report, Missoulian 07/28/2013 | Read Article: Missoulian | | |