Monthly Archives: <span>April 2024</span>

FTC Issues Worker Non-Compete Ban as Chamber Lawsuit Looms

The US Federal Trade Commission voted Tuesday to adopt a near-total ban on non-compete provisions that prohibit workers from switching jobs within an industry, a rule the Chamber of Commerce vowed to immediately challenge in court. The high-stakes legal showdown …

South Carolina Allows Out-of-State Adjusters After Massive Hail Storm

In the wake of last week’s widespread hail storm that damaged homes and automobiles, the South Carolina director of insurance said that emergency rules allow out-of-state adjusters and appraisers to work claims, as long as they are licensed in other …

Delaware High Court Hands Agency a New Shot at Malpractice Claim Against Law Firm

A Delaware insurance agency has won another chance at proving a law firm was negligent in defending it in a non-compete dispute with another agency, a dispute it ended up settling for $1.2 million. The Delaware Supreme Court has reversed …

Japanese Doctors Demand Damages from Google Over “Groundless” Reviews

A group of Japanese doctors has filed a civil lawsuit against U.S. search giant Google, demanding damages for what they claim are unpoliced derogatory and often false comments. The lawsuit, filed last week in Tokyo District Court, demands 1.4 million …

Walgreens to Pay $110M to End Philadelphia Opioid Litigation

The city of Philadelphia has reached a $110 million settlement of its 2021 lawsuit against Walgreens pharmacy for the company’s role in supplying and perpetuating the opioid addiction crisis in Philadelphia. Under the terms of the agreement, Walgreens admits no …

EPA Designates PFAS Chemicals as Superfund Hazardous Substances

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday designated a pair of widely used industrial chemicals as hazardous substances under the country’s Superfund program, accelerating a crackdown on toxic compounds known as “forever chemicals.” The rule will require companies to report …

Iowa Governor Signs Measure to Increase Compensation for Boy Scouts Abuse Victims

Iowa men who were victims of child sexual molestation while they were in the Boy Scouts of America could get higher legal compensation under a measure lawmakers approved and the governor signed into law last week. The legislation, which retroactively …

Report: Claims Handlers Embracing Technology

Polling of U.K. and U.S. insurance claims handlers shows 95% are confident technology will significantly impact claims processing in the next five years. The polling by insurtech Sprout.ai shows 55% of respondents say they struggle with reviewing and processing claims …

Auto Insurer’s $10M Fraud Claims Against Doctors Are Subject to Arbitration, Court Rules

A federal appeals court has sided with three chiropractors in ruling that claims under New Jersey’s personal injury protection statute concerning insurance fraud are subject to arbitration. GEICO has lost its bid to pursue litigation alleging fraud against the chiropractors. …

BNSF Says It Didn’t Know About Asbestos That’s Killed Hundreds in Montana Town

BNSF Railway attorneys told a Montana jury that the railroad should not be held liable for the lung cancer deaths of two former residents of an asbestos-contaminated Montana town, one of the deadliest sites in the federal Superfund pollution program. …