|
Wednesday, March 19 2014 |
|
A high school senior who sued her parents recently dismissed her complaint after a judge denied her request for high school tuition and current living expenses.
Rachel Canning, 18, of Lincoln Park, New Jersey, sued her parents, Sean and Elizabeth, for financial support and college tuition. In the lawsuit, Canning alleged that her parents forced her out of their home, leaving her to pay the remaining tuition for her last semester at her private high school, her current living and transportation expenses, her upcoming college tuition and reimbursement to her friend’s parents for legal fees. An honor student and cheerleader, Rachel said she left home because of emotional and psychological mistreatment, alleging, among other things, that her mother called her "fat" and "porky" and that her father threatened to beat her.
The parents countered that Rachel left home because she didn’t want to obey their rules. According to court documents, Rachel was suspended from school for truancy in October and her parents told her that she could no longer see her boyfriend who also was suspended from school. After her parents took away her car and phone privileges, Rachel skipped school again and decided to run away.
After receiving allegations that Rachel was being abused, New Jersey's Division of Child Protection and Permanency interviewed the teen, her parents and her two younger sisters, but it ultimately "determined that allegations of emotional abuse was unfounded," a letter from the agency states.
Superior Court Judge Peter A. Bogaard recently denied Rachel’s request for high school tuition and current living expenses. After a hearing date was set for the remaining claims, Rachel withdrew the lawsuit, prompting Judge Bogaard to rule that Canning's "decision to dismiss the litigation was a knowing and voluntary decision."
Angelo Sarno, the attorney representing Canning's parents, said in a written statement Tuesday that some level of normalcy has returned to the family. "The case is over. It's time to move on. The Cannings want nothing more than to resume their lives as a family," Sarno said.
—Source: cnn.com |
|
|
Wednesday, March 12 2014 |
|
Passengers from the February 2013 Carnival Triumph cruise ship that drifted at sea for days are suing Carnival Corporation, seeking $5,000 a month for the rest of their lives.
Many of the 33 passengers who are part of the lawsuit claim that they have ongoing medical and mental problems as a result of the incident that occurred when a fire broke out in the ship's engine room, leaving the ship without power and most of its electricity and forcing the passengers to endure human waste running down hallways, limited water supplies, noxious odors and extreme heat.
"It was chaotic. People were in dire need of help," passenger Debra Oubre said. "We were standing in line for food for five hours."
After about five days in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship was finally towed to Mobile, Alabama, and Carnival sought to make amends by offering each passenger a $500 check, a voucher for a future cruise, refunds of most on-board expenses and reimbursement for transportation, parking and other expenses.
Oubre told news sources that she has experienced panic and anxiety attacks since the cruise, and she blames the disaster for a urinary tract infection. Other passengers complain of lingering physical ailments, including leg pain, diarrhea, upper respiratory problems and aggravated hemorrhoids. The plaintiffs want a lump sum damages payment based on government tables estimating their life expectancies.
"This is an opportunistic lawsuit brought by plaintiff's counsel and plaintiffs who seek to make a money grab," a company spokeswoman said.
Carnival attorney Curtis Mase has asked Senior U.S. District Judge Donald Graham to reject all of the damage claims. In court papers, Mase said the passengers either haven't proved their health issues are linked to the Triumph cruise or haven't shown they suffer from any lingering problems at all.
Judge Graham, who is hearing the case without a jury, has ruled that passengers cannot collect punitive damages and may only get damages for past and future medical costs that are conclusively linked to what happened on the Triumph.
—Source: Reuters.com |
|
Wednesday, March 05 2014 |
|
A California man is suing McDonald’s for $1.5 million because he said he only received one napkin with his meal.
According to news reports, Webster Lucas visited a McDonald's in Pacoima, California and ordered a Quarter Pounder Deluxe. After noticing his meal came with only one napkin, Lucas asked for more and the manager declined his request. Lucas, who is black, claims that the manager, who is Mexican-American, made a racist remark.
After emailing the general manager and being offered some free food, Lucas remained unhappy. Claiming he is now unable to work because of the "undue mental anguish" he suffered as a result of the incident, Lucas has sued.
—Source: tmz.com |
|
Wednesday, February 26 2014 |
|
A California man who hated the Siri feature on his Apple iPhone and sued recently had his lawsuit dismissed with prejudice.
In March 2012, Frank Fazio sued Apple, claiming the app was highly unresponsive, freezing and responding "after a very long time with the wrong answer" and that the company should have known that “the iPhone 4s does not perform in accordance with the advertisements, marketing materials, and warranties disseminated,” and that Siri is by far a “work in progress.” Hoping to cash in on the case, three others joined the Siri lawsuit: Benjamin Swartzmann, Daniel M. Balassone and Carlisa S Hamagaki.
Ruling that "Apple made no promise Siri would operate without fail. A reasonable consumer would understand the commercials depicting the products they are intended to promote would be unlikely to depict failed attempts," U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken dismissed the class action. Labeling their arguments as "non-actionable puffery," the court further found that the four consumers failed to present substantial proof of their claims. The court dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning the unhappy consumers may never file a similar lawsuit with the same claim ever again.
Apple argued that the plaintiffs could have just returned their iPhones if they were so dissatisfied, but Apple was not given enough time to address the claims before the lawsuits had been filed.
—Source: pocketmeta.com |
|
Tuesday, February 18 2014 |
|
A Los Angeles, California, man is suing actress/singer Jennifer Lopez, claiming she duped him into sending her naked photos.
Rodrigo Ruiz has filed suit seeking $10,000 in damages for sexual harassment. According to news sources, Ruiz submitted a demo tape to someone he believed was in Lopez' camp and thereafter received several follow-up letters asking for more demo tapes and naked photos. Ruiz claims the letters led him to believe that he had a chance at a music career and a romantic relationship with Lopez. Now Ruiz says he is depressed and in need of professional help.
As it turns out, the mailing address Ruiz sent the materials to was a P.O. box owned by a 53-year-old Los Angeles woman.
A representative for Lopez told TMZ, "This is a small claims matter that appears to be a desperate attempt for notoriety. Ms Lopez has never seen or met the plaintiff, nor has she ever communicated with him. We believe this matter should be summarily dismissed."
—Source: tmz.com |
|
|
|
