Monthly Archives: <span>February 2016</span>

Manslaughter Charge Filed in California Train Crash

Prosecutors in Ventura County, California, filed a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter Monday against a man who drove his pickup truck onto train tracks last year, causing the deadly derailment of a Southern California commuter train. The charge, announced by …

What Adjusters and Carrier Counsel Need to Know About Reptile Advocacy

If you had a litigated file tank on you recently, it just might be the result of reptile advocacy. While not a new theory, the practice has taken the plaintiff’s bar by storm in recent years, said T. David Higgins, …

U.S. Lawmakers Allege Takata Manipulated Data to Hide Airbag Issues

U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday stepped up pressure on federal regulators and Takata Corp to accelerate the recall of millions of airbag inflators, citing evidence that the Japanese company manipulated data to cover up problems with its products. In another development …

California Hospital Cyberattack Highlights Bitcoin Ransom Heists

Cybersecurity experts worry that the $17,000 a Los Angeles hospital paid hackers to regain control of its computers could signal a troubling escalation of the growing “ransomware” threat. Though patient care was not “compromised in any way,” Hollywood Presbyterian Medical …

Cyber Security Startups Flood Marketplace, Face Funding Drought

The U.S. cyber security industry, once one of the hottest targets for venture capitalists, is now grappling with a funding slump that has forced some startups to sell themselves or cut spending. Amid widespread concerns about cyber attacks and data …

Mars Recalls Products in 55 Countries After Plastic Found in Snickers Bars

Mars Inc has recalled chocolate bars and other products in 55 countries, mainly in Europe, due to choking risk after a piece of plastic was found in a Snickers bar in Germany. All of the recalled products, which include Mars, …

Passenger Airliners to Ban Rechargeable Battery Shipments

Cargo shipments of the rechargeable lithium batteries used in countless consumer products should no longer be allowed on passenger planes because they can create intense fires capable of destroying an aircraft, a U.N. aviation agency has concluded. The decision late …

Christchurch Service Marks 5 Years Since Deadly Quake

A service to commemorate the fifth anniversary of a deadly earthquake in the New Zealand city of Christchurch turned ugly Monday when someone threw goop over the government minister responsible for quake recovery efforts. Hundreds of people attended the botanical …

CDC Says Lumber Liquidators Flooring Has Higher Cancer Risk

Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc. flooring, tested for formaldehyde, was found to have a three times higher risk of causing cancer than previously stated, U.S. regulators said in reversing their own finding from earlier this month. A report released Feb. 10 used …

10 Commandments for Insurers Responding to Florida PIP Demand Letters

Under Florida law, a party seeking reimbursement of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits must formally demand payment by the insurer before filing a lawsuit. Specifically, Florida Statute 627.736(10), in conjunction with other parts of the No Fault Law, outlines the …