Archive - 2005

Martino, et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 908 So.2d 342 (Fla. 2005)

Ronna Martino (“Martino”) sued Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (“Wal-Mart”) alleging that she suffered injury in March 1997 when the shopping cart she was using collapsed. Plaintiff claims that the injury occurred when a cashier, who was ringing up goods for purchase, asked Martino to lift 40 pound bags of salt so that price codes could be scanned. Martino allegedly placed a bag on top of the cart, which collapsed causing injury to her arm. Read More

Rousseau v. Echosphere Corp., 2005 WL 2176839 (W.D. Pa. Aug. 30, 2005)

Charles A. Lamberton (“Lamberton”) represented Thomas R. Rousseau (“Rousseau”) in an action alleging retaliatory termination by Echosphere Corporation (“Echosphere”). The termination was allegedly due to Rousseau’s filing of a workers’ compensation claim and his having requested a workplace accommodation. Plaintiff claimed that Echosphere’s proffered reason for the termination, that Rousseau had knowingly falsified company documents by providing two different social security numbers, was merely a pretext for unlawful termination. Read More

Commodity Futures Trading Commission v. Equity Financial Group, LLC, et al., 2005 WL 2205789 (D.N.J. Sept. 9, 2005)

In April 2004, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) filed an enforcement action against Equity Financial Group, LLC (“Equity”) and others alleging fraud in connection with the solicitation of commodity pool participation interests in Shasta Capital Associates, LLC (“Shasta”). Tech Traders, Inc. (“Tech Traders”), which traded Shasta’s funds, and Robert W. Shimer, counsel for Equity and Shasta, were charged with regulatory violations. Tech Traders allegedly traded Shasta funds in its own name and lost money for this hedge fund rather than making the “astonishing returns” claimed by Equity. Read More

Liggett v. Rumsfeld, 2005 WL 2099782 (E.D.Va. Aug. 29, 2005)

William Liggett (“Liggett”), an information technology specialist working for the United States Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency (“DLA”) sued Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (“Rumsfeld”) alleging discrimination based on race, a hostile work environment, and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Read More

Shank v. Kitsap County, et al., 2005 WL 2099793 (W.D.Wash. Aug. 30, 2005)

Charles Shank (“Shank”) sued Kitsap County, a Washington State Municipal Corporation, and several individuals (collectively “Kitsap”) in connection with alleged employment-related violations under 42 USC �� 1983. Claims included: failure to receive a pay raise, hostile work environment, and failure to receive a promotion. Read More

Tracy v. Financial Insurance Management Corp., 2005 WL 2100261 (S.D.Ind. Aug. 22, 2005)

Justin Tracy (“Tracy”) filed a Motion for Sanctions under Rule 37 and Other Relief in a case involving allegations of Americans with Disabilities Act and Employee Retirement Income Security Act violations. Tracy claimed that Financial Insurance Management Corporation (“FIMC”) had interfered with the discovery process by producing email at the eleventh hour after the deposition of key witnesses had commenced. The motion, which also sought relief for other alleged discovery violations, was granted in part and denied in part. Read More

Foust, et al. v. McFarland, et al., 698 N.W. 2d 24 (Minn. Ct. App. 2005)

On May 15, 1998, Jeffrey L. Foust (“Foust”) suffered brain and other injuries when his vehicle was struck by a truck driven by John R. McFarland (“McFarland”). The truck had failed to yield at an intersection where traffic signals had been disabled by a storm. A jury awarded Plaintiffs $11,310,464, despite a finding that Foust had intentionally destroyed electronic evidence. Read More