Welcome to our third volume of Unprecedented. While we would like to retire this publication because COVID-19 has been eradicated and all litigation has withered away, we all know that is not the case. If anything, COVID-19...more
A number of states have passed or are considering passing legislation to shield certain businesses from liability from claims for injury caused by exposure to COVID-19. Generally, the laws require that the business was in...more
Welcome to the fourth issue of the 2021 edition of Unprecedented. For decades, asbestos lawyers have dealt with so-called secondary exposure claims where plaintiffs allege that they were injured by asbestos fibers carried...more
Welcome to the first 2021 edition of Unprecedented. Although a new year brings new hopes for vaccinations and a swift end to the COVID-19 pandemic, a sober assessment of the state of affairs suggests we are months out, at...more
In addition to the familiar lawsuits that we have been seeing since the pandemic started this spring, there have been new developments with the Pennsylvania Legislature, the Supreme Court of the United States, a major sports...more
OSHA practitioners who have handled citations involving fatalities or severe injuries are most likely no strangers to considering how these citations including the alleged violation description might affect collateral...more
In a series of Executive Orders, the most recent of which is Executive Order 163 dated September 1, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper implemented a "Safer at Home Phase 2.5" COVID-19 response plan. While certain businesses, such...more
This 20th edition of Unprecedented, our weekly update on COVID-19-related litigation, finds both plaintiffs and defendants with reasons to celebrate. Insurance carriers avoided consolidation of coverage disputes in...more
This 18th edition of Unprecedented, our weekly update on COVID-19-related litigation, sees us return to what, even in these early days of the pandemic, must be considered as some of the hottest topics. Thus, we discuss new...more
Although top officials in the U.S. Senate have insisted that liability protections are a top priority for future COVID-19 relief legislation from the federal government, the current onus remains on the states to limit...more
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant uncertainty for businesses across the country – but there is some good news for Louisiana employers and businesses. As offices, worksites, and other places of businesses reopen,...more
This sixth edition of Unprecedented, our weekly update on COVID-19 litigation, sees us reporting on many of the same types of cases. Consumers continue to seek refunds for goods and services that have been disrupted by the...more
North Carolina employers let out a collective sigh of relief Wednesday – not just because Phase 1 of the state’s reopening will begin on May 8, but also because essential businesses will receive a form of limited business...more
The French government said on 11 May it is “Back to work.” What are the five questions that all employers should consider? Of course the return to work will be a gradual process and even the French government is...more
The introduction of an industrial manslaughter offence in Queensland has kicked off debate throughout other Australian jurisdictions. With the upcoming national review of workplace health and safety laws, it is a timely...more
On Thursday 12 October 2017, the Queensland Parliament introduced legislation creating the criminal offence of 'Industrial Manslaughter' despite strong opposition from business and industry groups and concerns about the...more