National News

Opioid Judge Calls Proposed Settlement Group a ‘Novel Approach’

A judge backed a push by U.S. cities and counties suing opioid makers such as Purdue Pharma LP and Johnson & Johnson to negotiate a settlement as a group but put off until August a final decision on the request. …

Safety Agency Calls for Tighter Skydiving Flight Rules

HONOLULU — The National Transportation Safety Board on Monday called on the Federal Aviation Administration to tighten its regulations governing parachute operations after a skydiving plane in Hawaii crashed and killed all 11 people on board. The NTSB recommended to …

Hover Gaining Ground as Underwriting, Adjusting Tool

After securing $87 million from investors in three funding rounds, the insurtech startup Hover is hitting its stride in the customer-acquisition phase. The San Francisco-based firm this month announced deals with two independent adjusting companies. Executive Vice President Kevin Reilley …

Special Report: How Judges Added to the Grim Toll of Opioids

WELCH, West Virginia — The opioid epidemic that has so far killed half a million Americans is routinely blamed on greedy drug makers, feckless doctors and lax regulators. But there’s another group that has contributed to the depth and duration …

The Future Looks Terrible for U.S. Nursing Home Costs

The results of a six-year study by Georgetown University Medical Center revealed just how fast U.S. nursing home prices have been increasing all across America. And the future looks just as grim. Dr. Sean Huang, the study’s lead author, said …

Purdue’s Sackler Family Must Face Opioid Suits in New York

The billionaire owners of Purdue Pharma LP must face a New York lawsuit claiming they triggered the U.S. opioid epidemic, a judge ruled, handing an early victory to states and local governments seeking to recoup billions of dollars in social …

Albuquerque Still No. 1 for Vehicle Thefts

Despite a 28% reduction in auto thefts over a two-year period, the Albuquerque, New Mexico area still had the nation’s highest vehicle theft rate in 2018, the National Insurance Crime Bureau said a report released today. The Anchorage, Alaska metropolitan …

Carfax, Topa and UCAR Make Announcements

Carfax Releases Total Loss Valuation Tool Carfax has released a total loss valuation service that is available through its web portal, CarfaxForClaims.com. The new product helps adjusters considering total-loss claims determine a vehicle’s unique pre-accident value using Carfax’s “History-Based Value, …

US Appeals Court Says Judge Went Too Far on Drug Data Order

CINCINNATI — A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that a judge went too far in blocking release of federal data about how prescription opioids were distributed. A 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals three-judge panel on Thursday vacated an order …

Farm Deluge Starts to Seep Into America’s Fragile Rural Economy

From 100 feet up in the air, Indiana crop duster Robert Sneberger gets a better view than most of how cornfields are faring. This season, the picture is bleak. Instead of the stretching green stalks he normally sees at this …

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