Personal Injury Roundup No. 88 (12/10/2010)

My exam's written and now I'm just counting down the days to get to start reading 70 answers.  But we've got the Roundup to keep us warm, right?

New Suits

• Suit brought in connection with metal bats in Little League (Sun Times).  (Here's a page summarizing the data as of 2006 on the increased speed of hits from metal bats.)
• Parents allege that Four Loko (energy/alcohol drink) led to son's accidentally shooting himself (ABC News).
• $20 million sought in suit against transit authority for running over two pedestrians (one of whom died) (OregonLive.com).

Appeals

• Excessive force defense verdict upheld in case where police officer shot at suspect 14 times (Reuters).
• Cert. granted in climate change nuisance suit against utilities (ABA Journal).

Reform, Legislation, Policy

• FDA loses appeal, so can't regulate electronic cigarettes (Business Week)
• Interesting look at settlement mills (Drug & Device Law Blog discussing Engstrom piece available here)

Damages

• $1 in punitive damages against parish for sex abuse case ($30 million in punitives against the individual defendant) (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• $66 million verdict against exercise equipment manufacturer in case where machine fell on physical therapy assistant (Boston Herald)

Trials, Settlements and Other Ends

• First Levaquin trial ends in $1.82 million verdict against J&J (NY Times).
• Class certification denied in McDonald's obesity litigation (Mass Tort Defense).

Miscellaneous

• Need a res ipsa example?  Here you go (WXVT.com).
• Bed bugs as a niche (FindLaw)

Have a great break, and happy grading!

--BC