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Texas Trial Lawyers Association


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  September 12, 2013

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Upcoming Online CLE

17
Sep

Social Media: Identifying the Ethical Pitfalls of the Communications Revolution

19
Sep

High Stakes Jury Selection: The art of jury selection in tough liability, big damages cases.

24
Sep

Voir Dire

25
Sep

Defeating Discovery Abuse in Federal Courts

26
Sep

Trial Programs for the iPad

Announcements


 

 

2013 Making a Difference Award

TTLA is now accepting nominations for the Making a Difference Award which is periodically awarded at the discretion of the TTLA Executive Committee and recognizes a client (past or present) of a TTLA member whose actions demonstrates the critical role of the civil justice system in protecting the rights of Texas families. Nominees should demonstrate a desire to promote the public good through the civil justice system and best exemplify the attributes of a true advocate. Nomination deadline is November 1, 2013. Click on the headline to download the nomination form.  

 

2013 Legends CLE: "Tales From the Crypt" October 30 - 31 in Austin

Back by popular demand, our Second Annual Legends Seminar brings you "Tales From the Crypt," October 30 - 31, 2013 in Austin at the Four Seasons Hotel. This year's underwriters - Fibich, Hampton, Leebron, Briggs & Josephson; The Gallagher Law Firm; Payne Mitchell Law Group and Watts Guerra - dug deep to bring you the power of over 800 years of legal experience to add to your cauldron of trial strategies. Click on the headline to learn more and register.  

 

Laws/Cases


 

 

Natural Gas Company Settles Class-Action Suit

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A Pennsylvania natural gas operator has reached a settlement in the class-action suit filed against them by landowners claiming the company deducted huge percentages from their royalty checks. This year, the natural gas operator began making huge deductions in royalties paid to landowners to help pay to gather, compress, market and transport natural gas. The lawsuit filed on Aug. 30 was settled within hours of its filing in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The settlement includes reimbursing landowners and will prevent the corporation from deducting certain percentages of royalty checks in the future.
Ernest Scheyder, Reuters 09/11/2013   Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn Icon

Read Article: Reuters    

 

Family of Seriously Injured Fort Worth Teen Sues Over Crash

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The family of a teenager critically injured in a fatal car wreck near Burleson in June has sued the 16-year-old driver (Ethan Couch) and his parents. The parents of Sergio E. Molina are suing for damages up to $20 million, according to the petition. Molina, who is in a coma, suffered traumatic brain injury and a fractured skull, the suit says. The lawsuit alleges that Couch acted with negligence, carelessness and recklessness, which caused Molina™s injury. It also says Couch™s parents, Fred and Tonya Couch, failed to properly supervise their son, who was cited for possessing and consuming alcohol as a minor four months earlier in Lake Worth.
Sarah Bahari, Star Telegram 09/07/2013   Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn Icon

Read Article: Star Telegram    

 

Defamation Suit Filed over Post on Website

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Four current and former officials in Germantown Hills, Illinois filed a defamation lawsuit on Monday in Woodford County Circuit Court against a woman who posted allegedly malicious comments on a newspaper website. In a comment posted under a pseudonym on the newspaper website, the woman "alleged the plaintiffs and former Village Attorney Greg Bell profited financially from board decisions regarding sewer-connection fees for a Germantown Hills subdivision." The defendant later posted an advertisement in the newspaper admitting Ĺ“Everything [she] said about Mr. Bell was false or misleading. The lawsuit cites libel and is seeking undisclosed monetary compensation.
Nick Vlahos, Peoria Journal Star 09/11/2013   Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn Icon

Read Article: Peoria Journal Star    

 

Exxon Charged With Illegally Dumping Waste in Pennsylvania

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Exxon Mobil was charged with illegally dumping more than 50,000 gallons (189,000 liters) of wastewater at a shale-gas drilling site in Pennsylvania. Exxon unit XTO Energy Inc. discharged the water from waste tanks at the Marquandt well site in Lycoming County in 2010, according to a statement on the website of Pennsylvania™s attorney general. The pollution was found during an unannounced visit by the state™s Department of Environmental Protection.
Will Kennedy, Bloomberg 09/12/2013   Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn Icon

Read Article: Bloomberg    

 

Bastrop Electric Utility Sues Tree Trimmer Over 2011 Wildfires

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Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, which is being sued by 53 Bastrop County homeowners who lost their homes in the 2011 wildfires, is in turn suing the tree-trimming company contracted to maintain vegetation along its power lines. The suit seeks more than $35 million from Asplundh Tree Expert Co. for repairs and other costs, including attorneys fees that Bluebonnet has incurred defending itself in court.
Ricardo Gandara, Austin American Statesman 09/12/2013   Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn Icon

Read Article: Austin American Statesman    

 

Products


 

 

More Than 2 Million Dehumidifiers Recalled Over Alleged Smoke, Fire Danger

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced the recall of more than 2 million dehumidifiers involving 12 separate brands. The devices can overheat, smoke and catch fire, according to the CPSC, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. The recall involves 20-, 25-, 30-, 40-, 45-, 50-, 65- and 70-pint dehumidifiers with brand names Danby, De™Longhi, Fedders, Fellini, Frigidaire, Gree, Kenmore, Norpole, Premiere, Seabreeze, SoleusAir and SuperClima. The devices were all manufactured by Gree Electric Appliances, of China, according to a press release from the CPSC.
ABC News, ABC News 09/12/2013   Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn Icon

Read Article: ABC News    

 

Wrongful Death


 

 

Wrongful Death Suit Filed over Death of 72-Year-Old Woman

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Family members who were passengers in the car of a 72-year-old woman who died Feb. 1 during an accident involving a dump truck filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Superior Court of North Carolina against the driver and the trucking company. The woman lost control of her car after the driver of the dump truck, who was operating the truck with an expired driver's license, pulled out in front of her. She suffered fatal injuries, dying in her car 45 minutes later. The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $10,000 for each of the plaintiffs.
Darrick Ignasiak, The Lexington Dispatch 09/11/2013   Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn Icon

Read Article: The Lexington Dispatch    


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