Overlawyered.com commentary
[through
mid-June 2003. Items after that date collected
here]:
Pharmaceuticals, 2003: "'Diet
drug litigation leads to fat fees'" (fen-phen, ephedra), May 30-Jun.
1; "Courtroom assault on drugmakers",
May 27; "Mississippi investigation
heats up", May 7; "Jury clears
Bayer in cholesterol-drug case", Mar. 19; "New
Medicare drug benefit? Link it to product liability reform",
Mar. 10-11. 2002: "Fen-phen
settlement abuses: the plot thickens", Sept. 27-29 (& Dec.
16-17, 2002, Feb. 25-26,
2002, Dec. 28, 2001,
Aug.
18, 1999); "Ignominious wind-down
to Norplant campaign", Sept. 9-10 (& Aug.
11 & Aug. 27, 1999);
"You mean I'm suing that nice
doctor?" (Propulsid), Aug. 1 (& see Sept.
6-8); "'Tampa Taliban' mom
blames acne drug", Apr. 18 (& Feb.
1-3); "Pharmaceutical roundup"
(fen-phen, contraceptive Pill, Viagra, psychiatric drugs), Apr. 16-17;
"'Can pain treatment survive our
addiction to law?'" (OxyContin), Apr. 10 (& Aug.
27, May 30, Jan.
23-24, 2002, Aug. 7-8,
July
25, 2001)(& letter to the editor, Apr.
11); "Omit a peripheral defendant,
get sued for legal malpractice" (tetracycline), Feb. 15-17; "'Companies
may be liable for drugs used in rapes'", Jan. 25-27. 2001:
"Texas jury clears drugmaker in
first Rezulin case", Dec. 19 (& update
Jan.
9-10, 2002: it loses second trial); "For
client-chasers, daytime TV gets results", Dec. 18; "Bioterror
unpreparedness", Nov. 28; "Cipro
side effects? Sue!", Nov. 1; "Suit
blames drugmaker for Columbine", Oct. 24-25; "'Plaintiff's
lawyers going on defense'" (Scruggs represents Sulzer Orthopedics),
Oct. 9; "Propulsid verdict; 'Robbery
on Highway 61'", Oct. 1; "Antidepressant
blamed for killing spree" (Paxil), June 13; "Mississippi's
forum-shopping capital" (Fayette), May 4-6 (& see June
22-24 (Amity Shlaes)); "Anti-Ritalin
lawyers still acting out", Apr. 13-15 (& Sept.
18, Sept. 22-24, 2000);
"Target: Alka-Seltzer" (PPA),
Apr. 6-8 (& see Sept. 10);
"The malaria drug made him do
it", Mar. 28. 2000: "Turn
of the screw" (pedicle screw lawsuits), Oct. 24 (& see "Fee
fights", Aug. 2, 2001); "'Controversial
drug makes a comeback'" (Bendectin may be reintroduced in U.S.), Sept.
27-28 (& July 21, 1999);
"Australian roundup" (Copper-7
IUD), Sept. 6-7; "'Lilly's legal
strategy disarmed Prozac lawyers'", May 8. 1999: "World
according to Ron Motley" (drugmakers among next targets of earth's
richest lawyer), Nov. 1; "Rhode
Island A.G.: let's do latex gloves next", Oct. 26; and see vaccines.
Vaccines: "Trial lawyers
vs. thimerosal", Dec. 20-22, 2002 (& Jun.
18-19, 2003); "Vaccine industry
perennially in court", Nov. 7-8, 2001; "Lawsuit
fears slow bioterror vaccines", Oct. 22; "Study:
DPT and MMR vaccines not linked to brain injury", Aug. 31-Sept. 2,
2001; "Vaccine compensation and
its discontents", Nov. 13, 2000.
Food, 2003: "Give me
my million", Jun. 20-22; "Lawsuit's
demand: stop selling Oreos to kids", May 13 (& update May
16-18: suit dropped); "Fast-food
opinion roundup", Mar. 25-30; "They'll
be back for seconds", Feb. 19; "Claim:
marriage impaired by tough bagel", Feb. 3; "Judge
tosses McDonald's obesity case", Jan. 23 (& Jan.
27-28); "U.K.: coercive campaign
to constrain Cadbury", Jan. 20; "Anti-diet
activist hopes to sue Weight Watchers", Jan. 13-14. 2002:
"California's hazardous holiday"
(acrylamide), Dec. 27-29; "Scourge
of the Super-Size order", Nov. 7; "WHO
demands pretzel de-salting by law", Nov. 1-3; Letter
to the editor, Oct. 23; "Personal
responsibility roundup", Sept. 12; "Fat
suits, cont'd", Jul. 26-28; "'Ailing
man sues fast-food firms'", Jul. 25; "Sin-suit
city", Jun. 10; "McArdle on
food as next-tobacco", May 27 (& Jun.
3-4); "Nader credibility watch"
(calls fast-food restaurants "weapons of mass destruction"), May 24-26;
"The mystery of the transgenic
corn", May 14-15; "'Targeting
"big food"'", Apr. 29-30; "'Woman
sues snack food company for spoiling diet'", Apr. 23-24; "No
more restaurant doggie bags", Mar. 20-21; "Fast-food
roundup", Mar. 11; "King Cake
figurine menace averted", Feb. 1-3; "McMouse
story looking dubious", Jan. 25-27; "Life
imitates parody: 'Whose Fault Is Fat?'", Jan. 23-24. "'Hot-dog
choking prompts lawsuit'", Jan. 2-3. 2001: "There'll
always be a California" (chocolate and Prop 65), Dec. 4; Letter
to the editor (Wisc. exempts lutefisk from toxic-substance status),
Nov. 29; "Disposable turkey pan
litigation", Nov. 23-25; "'Diabetic
German judge sues Coca-Cola for his health condition'" (candy bars
too), Nov. 18; "'Baskin-Robbins
lawsuit puts family in dis-flavor'", Aug. 2; "'Couple
sues over flaming Pop-Tart'", July 30; "Feeling
queasy?" (E. coli), July 27-29; "'Man
sues Rite Aid over stale jelly bean'", July 20-22; "By
reader acclaim: 'Vegetarian sues McDonald's over meaty fries", May
4-6; "Woman settles hot pickle
suit with McDonald's", April 16 (& Oct.
10, 2000); "Putting the 'special'
in special sauce" (alleged rat in Big Mac), March 29. 2000:
"You deserve a beak today"
(McDonald's chicken case), Dec. 6. 1999: "Are
they kidding, or not-kidding?" (proposal for suits against makers of
fattening foods), Nov. 15; "Toffee
maker sued for tooth irritation", Nov. 5-7; "More
things you can't have" (unpasteurized cider), Sept. 27; "Not
just our imagination" (calls for class actions against fast food, meat
industry), Sept. 25-26; "Taco
Bell not liable for Ganges purification pilgrimage", Aug. 30; and
see beverages.
Asbestos, 2003: "To
tame Madison County, pass the Class Action Fairness Act" ($250 million
against U.S. Steel), Jun. 12-15; "'Runaway
asbestos litigation -- why it's a medical problem'", Mar. 18; "Class
action lawyer takes $20 million from defendant's side", Mar.
15-16; "ABA endorses asbestos
litigation reform", Feb. 13; "Asbestos:
'better than the lottery'", Feb. 10. 2002: "'Asbestos
fraud'" (Robert Samuelson column), Dec. 18-19; "Gotham's
trial lawyer-legislators" (Sheldon Silver, Weitz & Luxenberg",
Dec. 13-15; "Asbestos opinions",
Nov. 8-10; "Notation on Scruggs'
court file: to be 'kept away from the press'", Nov. 6; "'Federal
authorities say judge offered illegal payoff'", Sept. 3-4; "Saving
the Crown jewels?", Jun. 26-27; "'The
Tort Mess'" (Forbes, etc.), May 13; "Editorial-fest"
(Time), Mar. 11; "'The
$200 Billion Miscarriage of Justice'" (Roger Parloff, Fortune),
Feb. 18-19; "Kaiser Aluminum bankrupt",
Feb. 15-17. 2001: "'Firms
Hit Hard As Asbestos Claims Rise'", Dec. 20; "'Halliburton
shares plunge on verdict'", Dec. 10; "Insurance
market was in tailspin before 9/11", Nov. 14; "How
many lives would asbestos have saved?" (WCT), Sept. 17 (& Sept.
18, Sept. 25-26); "Warren
Buffett was wrong" (USG, Crown Cork & Seal), June 27; "Columnist-fest",
June 22-24 (Amity Shlaes on tobacco synergy case); "Randomness
of case assignments questioned" (S.F.), April 18; "Reparations:
take a number", Apr. 17 (& see Olson, Reason, Nov.
2000); "'The last tycoon'"
(Angelos), April 12; "Asbestos
claims bankrupt W. R. Grace", April 3-4; "GAF
sues asbestos lawyers", Feb. 12-13 (& see Dec.
10); "CBS among asbestos litigation
targets", Jan. 22-23. 2000: "Asbestos
litigation destroying more companies", Nov. 27 (& Dec.
8-10: Armstrong World Industries bankrupt); "Owens
Corning bankrupt", Oct. 6-9; "Somebody
to sue" (misc. defendants), Jun. 1. See also Walter Olson,
"Thanks for the memories",
Reason,
June 1998; and links.
Lead paint, 2003: "Stuart
Taylor, Jr. on lead paint litigation", Mar. 5-7. 2002: "R.I.
lead paint case goes to jury", Oct. 28-29 (& Oct.
30-31: mistrial). 2001: "From
the paint wars: a business's demise, a school district's hypocrisy",
Nov. 13; "Forbes on lead paint
suits, cont'd", Jun. 8-10; "Ness
monster sighted in Narragansett Bay" (Rhode Island, Ness Motley), Jun.
7 (& see Dec. 27-28, 1999
re R.I.); "Reparations: take
a number", Apr. 17 (& see Olson, Reason, Nov.
2000); "'Painting the town
-- with lawsuits'", Mar. 7-8; "'Bogus'
assault on Norton", Jan. 18. 2000: "The
right to be poisoned", Nov. 30; "A
job offer for the judge", Sept. 25-26 (see also April
12, 2001); "Maryland: knowledge,
notice not needed to sue landlords over lead", Apr. 24; "Game
over four decades ago: let's change the rules" (retroactive Md. legislation),
Mar. 15; see also Baltimore Sun special
coverage); "New York court
nixes market-share liability for paint", Jan. 17. 1999: "'The
Dutch Boy isn't Joe Camel'", Nov. 10; "Covers
the earth with litigation", Oct. 14.
"Texas's giant legal reform",
Jun. 18-19, 2003.
"Artificial hearts experimental?
Who knew?", Oct. 23, 2002.
"Sorry, wrong number" (Angelos
vs. cell phones), Apr. 23, 2001; "By
reader acclaim", Jan. 11, 2001 (& Oct.
1-2, 2002: judge dismisses case).
Beverages: "Litigation
good for the country?" (Carl T. Bogus), Aug. 19, 2002; "British
judge rejects hot-drink suits", Mar. 29-31, 2002 (& Aug.
10, 2000); "'Diabetic German
judge sues Coca-Cola for his health condition'", Nov. 18, 2001; "'Group
sues Starbucks over tea ingredient'", Sept. 10; "By
reader acclaim" (maker of cup holder), Jan. 11, 2001; "'Court
says warning about hot coffee unnecessary'" (Nevada Supreme Court),
July 18, 2000; "Now it's hot
chocolate", April 4; "Next
on the class-action agenda: liquor?", March 22, 2000; & see Sept.
10, 2001. For burns from hot beverages that were under the control
of the complainant, see also personal
responsibility page.
"Read the label, then ignore
it if you like" (flammable carpet adhesive), Jul. 12-14, 2002.
"Pitcher hit by line drive
sues maker of baseball bat", Apr. 19-21, 2002.
"Warning on fireplace log:
'risk of fire'", Jan. 25-27, 2002; "'Wacky
Warning Label' winners", Jan. 19-21, 2001; "Never
iron clothes while they're being worn" (more contest winners), Jan.
18, 2000 (& letter to
editor, Jan. 21-23).
"'How many people will this
kill, I wonder?'" (EU product liability, blood suppliers), Jan. 18-20,
2002.
"Defoliant litigation proves
evergreen" (Agent Orange), Jan. 7-8, 2002 (& see Apr.
3-4).
"Under the Christmas tree"
(BB guns), Dec. 21-23, 2001.
"Segway, the super-wheelchair,
and the FDA", Dec. 13-14, 2001.
"Can't find the arsonists?
Sue the sofa-maker", Nov. 19-20, 2001; "Somebody
to sue" (furnishings and building-supply cos. sued after fire), June
1, 2000.
Breast implants, 2002: "Pharmaceutical
roundup" (silicone implants popular in Canada), Apr. 16-17. 2001:
"Fee fights", Aug. 2. 2000:
"O'Quinn a top Gore recount angel",
Dec. 15-17; "'Hush -- good news
on silicone'", Nov. 29; "No
breast cancer link", Oct. 23; "From
our mail sack: hyperactive lawyers", Sept. 22-24; Feds
file Medicare recoupment lawsuit over silicone implants", April 6;
"Study shows breast implants
pose little risk", March 20. 1999: "No
spotlight on me, thanks" (John O'Quinn obtains gag order against lawyers
for dissatisfied clients), August 4; "Never
saying you're sorry", July 2 (& see other
links, below)
"Disclaimer rage?" (GPS
software), Oct. 15, 2001.
"Target: trade associations"
(National Spa & Pool Institute case), Sept. 5, 2001.
"Latex liability, foreseeable
or not", July 26, 2001; "Breakthrough
for plaintiffs on latex gloves?", July 18, 2000; "Rhode
Island A.G.: let's do latex gloves next", Oct. 26, 1999.
"Claim: inappropriate object
in toothpaste caused heart attack", May 29, 2001.
"While you were out: the carbonless
paper crusade", Apr. 25, 2001.
"Plastic cup blamed for child's
autism", Apr. 9, 2001.
"Tendency of elastic items to recoil well known",
Mar. 6, 2001; "Hunter sues store
over camouflage mask", Jan. 12-14, 2001.
"'Juries handing out bigger
product liability awards'", Feb. 2-4, 2001.
"Anti-Ritalin lawyers still
acting out" (trade association liability), Apr. 13-15, 2001; "Promising
areas for suits", Dec. 7, 2000.
"Product liability criminalized?",
Oct. 20-22, 2000.
"Product liability: Americanization
of Europe?", Oct. 18, 2000.
"Senator Lieberman: a sampler"
(sponsored product liability reform), Aug. 8-9, 2000.
"Never too stale a claim"
(suits against manufacturers over products built in early 20th century),
Jul. 14-16, 2000.
"'Backstage at News of the
Weird'" (liquid drain cleaner), Jun. 29-Jul. 1, 2000.
"'Skydivers don't sue'",
May 26-29, 2000.
"House passes liability reforms",
Feb. 24, 2000.
"Driving up housing costs"
(Calif. construction defect cases), Dec. 10, 1999.
Computer glitches: "Toshiba
and Ford, in the same boat", Dec. 2, 1999; "Don't
redeem that coupon!" (Andrew Tobias), Nov. 24-25; "How
I hit the class action jackpot" (Stuart Taylor), Nov. 17; "More
details on Toshiba", Nov. 5-7; "Toshiba
flops over", Nov. 3, 1999.
"Class actions vs. high tech",
Nov. 23, 1999.
"Baleful blurbs" (publishers'
liability for inaccuracies on book jackets), Nov. 16, 1999.
"Foam-rubber cow recall",
Oct. 22, 1999.
"Reform stirrings on public
contingency fees", Oct. 15, 1999.
"This side of parodies"
(fictional account of self-inflicted icepick injury), Oct. 5-6, 1999.
"Fertilizer manufacturers
not liable for World Trade Center bombing", Aug. 23, 1999.
"Plus extra damages for having
argued with us" (liability for global warming?), Aug. 19, 1999.
"Overlawyered skies not always
safer" ("self-critical analysis" issue), Jul. 19, 1999.
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