In Illinois federal court, United Airlines customers objected to the airline’s attempt to dismiss their suit with a claim that a force majeure event forced flight cancellations. The lead plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit, initially filed in April 2020,…
The first COVID-19 era jury trial in New Jersey stalled after the defense raised concerns about screening potential jurors via videoconference. But after review from the state appellate court, there was no issue found in the protocols used in the…
On September 30, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published answers to frequently asked questions concerning an employer’s obligation to report hospitalizations and fatalities resulting from work-related cases of COVID-19. Since the early days of the pandemic, OSHA…
In early October 2020, drugmakers Pfizer and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals were named in a pair of patent infringement lawsuits, filed in California and New York respectively, claiming the companies used patented technology in the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines and…
The potential for employees to contract COVID-19 at their place of employment has been a huge issue during the current pandemic. This is especially true for essential workers who continued to clock in hours despite a nationwide shutdown when the…
In what could become a new COVID-19 litigation strategy, a shareholder class action lawsuit was filed recently against a publicly-traded prison and reentry facility management company, Geo Group, claiming violations of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. The shareholder…
On September 3, 2020, a trademark infringement lawsuit alleging Amazon’s involvement in the sale of counterfeit face masks was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The suit was filed by counsel AU LLC on…
As COVID-19 continues to spread, the question of viral transmission liability has been top of mind for all types of business and public venues. In response, several states have enacted laws to limit liability for certain industries or entities. The…
The COVID-19 pandemic—among its many consequences—has created an unprecedented flurry of related litigation. From workplace safety complaints and business interruption insurance claims, to university closures and lawsuits seeking tuition refunds, COVID-19-based litigation seems to have infiltrated every aspect of day-to-day…
AstraZeneca, one of several pharmaceutical companies engaged in the race to create a COVID-19 vaccine, has been granted immunity from product liability claims related to its future immunization. According to a company executive, these protections have been extended in several…