Personal Injury Roundup No. 56 (10/30/2009)

Happy Halloween!  In our house, we'll have Susan B. Anthony and a drowned sailor.  Yours?

Reform, Legislation, Policy

• Did you see the guest post on tort law and climate change?  You should.  (TortsProf) 
• Alien Tort Claims Act claims continue and expand (Consumer Class Actions & Mass Torts)

New Lawsuits

• Injured by a stripper pole, sues (Above the Law)
• Actress sues social worker for son's death, alleging advice to stop seizure meds was negligent (PostChronicle.com)
• Allegedly defective underwear suit (Above the Law) 
• New suit in bridge closing during Katrina aftermath (Nola.com) 
• Sports commentator Sean Salisbury sues Deadspin.com for defamation (Dallas Observer, Deadspin's gallery, e-mails from Salisbury to Deadspin's editor)

Trials, Settlements and Other Ends

• No verdict as of this writing (Thursday midday) in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" case, but the jury did ask for a 10-digit adding machine, which can't make the defense feel real good (Sacramento Bee)  Update: The jury awarded $16.6 million in damages (Radio-Online.com)
• Punitive damage award in PremPro case remains secret (Bloomberg) 
• Butler University drops defamation student against student who blogged anonymously (Inside Higher Ed)
• Bat maker liable for ball player's death (Overlawyered)

Appeals

• Nevada considers pharmacy liability for harm caused by customers (WSJ Law Blog)
• That reminds me of the Massachusetts case from last year on doctor liability for patients driving negligently while under treatment; here's a good look at that (NEJM)

Miscellaneous

• Priest's file remains sealed despite his conduct being the subject of a new abuse lawsuit (First Amendment Center) 
• How to avoid a Halloween lawsuit (Article Alley)

--BC