A lawsuit has been filed against a community care home in Tunkhannock, Penn., over the death of a 48-year-old patient at the facility. The mentally ill man – who had a history of stuffing larger amounts of food in his mouth – suffocated on four donuts in September 2010. The suit claims the staff knew the victim’s unsafe habits, but did nothing to protect him or keep him away from areas with food unsupervised.
The murder of two Chinese graduate students at the University of Southern California has prompted a lawsuit from the parents of the victims against the school. In the suit, the parents accuse the school of falsely claiming to rank among the “safest U.S. universities and colleges.” The suit says the university has created a misleading feeling of safety around the campus that in actuality cannot be promised.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of about 4,600 cookware sets with glass lids that can crack and break. Manufactured by Meyer Corporation U.S., the agency said the glass lid for the 5-quart sauté pan can break or shatter during use, posing a laceration hazard. There have been over 60 reports of tops shattering, but no injuries have occurred.
Two former employees in the Decatur Township school system in Indiana have filed lawsuits against the district, alleging age discrimination in their termination. One suit alleges the district did not renew the plaintiff’s contract after she took a month of federal-approved medical leave; the other plaintiff says he was replaced with a younger, “healthier” employee after declining to opt into a cheaper health insurance plan.
A Maryland family has filed a $5 million wrongful-death lawsuit against the man convicted of drowning their 22-year-old son. The man convicted of the 2008 murder is set to be sentenced to four years in prison as part of a plea agreement. The lawyer for the family said they were “dissatisfied with the anticipated sentence and want[ed] to take further action.”
A New York man has filed a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit against a Brooklyn hardware store clerk who is accused of murdering and dismembering the man’s 8-year-old son. The suit not only claims wrongful death, but is also blaming the man for the “extreme physical pain and mental anguish” the boy suffered. The lawsuit also names the man’s father as a defendant, claiming he should have been aware of his son’s actions.
A Chicago mother has filed a lawsuit against an elementary school security guard for allegedly handcuffing a first-grader and detaining him for more than an hour. The suit accuses the guard of “acting in conscious disregard” of the boy’s safety, and says the actions were “reckless.” The boy suffered “permanent” and “personal” injuries, the suit says.
Vita Food Products has issued a recall of 8,088 packages of smoked salmon due to potential contamination with listeria bacteria. The products, sold in 4-oz. packages by Vita Food Products, were recalled from grocery stores across the country. Consuming the products could cause nausea and diarrhea.
