Cook County Record

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Lawsuits News

Lawsuits

IBM's A.I.-training photo database violated Illinois biometrics law, class action says

A new class action lawsuit has accused IBM of violating an Illinois biometrics privacy law by not securing written authorization from people whose photos the company took from Flickr to help companies train A.I. to better recognize human faces.

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 24, 2020

Lawsuits

Judge: Moms' lawsuit's lack of focus thwarts class action attempt vs Blue Cross over lactation service coverages

A group of mothers claiming Blue Cross Blue Shield illegally failed to cover lactation consultations are trying to certify too broad a class, judge says

By D.M. Herra | Jan 24, 2020

Latest News

Illinois appeals court tosses $3.3M asbestos verdict, says it's not clear company's products caused worker's death

By Dan Churney | Jan 24, 2020

An Illinois appeals panel has overturned a McLean County jury’s verdict in an asbestos case, saying there was not enough evidence for the jury to find a deceased glazier contracted lung disease from a company's weatherproofing products.

Cook County Chief Judge Evans says shielded from lawsuit, asks to be dropped from 'Empire' lawsuit

By Scott Holland | Jan 23, 2020

Evans says he's a state official and can't be sued over filming at juvenile center

Lawyer's widow: Recent Supreme Court ruling means she should get $3M in lawsuit vs drugmaker GSK over Paxil labeling

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 23, 2020

SCOTUS ruling changed "approach" to drug labeling questions, plaintiffs said. GSK says the change wasn't "extraordinary" enough and would open "floodgates" to attempts at lawsuit "do-overs."

Lawsuit: Lawyers' 'bald-faced lie' from mediation session prompted gag order in sexual assault case

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 22, 2020

Two Chicago attorneys, celebrity lawyer Tamara Holder and Johanna Raimond, have sued the attorneys for a suburban gynecologist accused of sexually assaulting an employee-patient, saying those lawyers “abused” a court-ordered mediation to improperly slap a gag order on the plaintiffs’ legal team.

Supreme Court slams door on Facebook's bid to undo photo tagging class action

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 22, 2020

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Facebook’s attempt to untag itself from a class action lawsuit worth potentially billions of dollars under Illinois’ biometric information privacy law.

Lawsuit: Santander violating federal collection calling laws, 'harassing' debtors

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 21, 2020

A new lawsuit has targeted subprime auto lender Santander Consumer USA, accusing the company of “incessantly calling consumers” and charging them improper fees should they fall behind on their loans.

Judge ends class action accusing IDT Energy of breaking telemarketing law, says lawsuit brought in wrong court

By Scott Holland | Jan 21, 2020

Supreme Court ruling doesn't allow New Jersey man to sue energy company in Chicago federal court

Judge: Lawyer can't kick lawsuit financier's lawsuit over alleged fraudulent loans to fund NFL concussion suits

By Dan Churney | Jan 20, 2020

The lawsuit accused the lawyer of funneling the lawsuit loans to an investment firm. The judge said the lawyers' arguments for dismissal were "rambling."

IL appeals court says no changes to municipal annexations after one year, even if wrong property annexed

By John Breslin | Jan 20, 2020

An Illinois appeals panel has ruled that property annexations by villages or cities in Illinois cannot be challenged or changed after one year, even if errors in the legal description of the annexed real estate resulted in the wrong property being annexed.

Lawyer asks judge to block deposition of IL Gov. Pritzker amid discrimination lawsuit vs Pritzker campaign

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 18, 2020

Motion says Gov. Pritzker doesn't know anything about the claims, didn't manage low-level campaign workers

Court: Police misconduct investigator's refusal to alter report about shooting not protected by First Amendment

By D.M. Herra | Jan 17, 2020

A federal appeals panel says a Chicago police misconduct investigator can't sue City Hall for allegedly retaliating against him when he refused to say other police officers planted evidence, as the First Amendment doesn't protect his refusal to include what he believed to be false information in his official report.

QPS Employment accused in biometrics class action over worker fingerprint scans

By The Cook County Record | Jan 17, 2020

A Brookfield, Wis.-based staffing company has been targeted by a class action lawsuit under Illinois’ biometrics privacy law, accusing the company of wrongly requiring workers to scan their fingerprints when punching the clock each day.

Appeals panel affirms $20M verdict for woman in pelvic mesh case vs J&J, Ethicon

By Scott Holland | Jan 17, 2020

Judges said the jury award wasn't excessive, as woman claimed discontinued product left her with permanent injuries and pain.

Appeals panel: Ambulance tax referendum legal, even if adequate similar service already provided in region by other agency

By Scott Holland | Jan 17, 2020

Boone County judge didn't err in letting ultimately successful referendum to expand ambulance services go to vote, over objection of rival ambulance service

Judge tosses funeral home operator's lawsuit accusing Stericycle of improper price hikes

By Scott Holland | Jan 17, 2020

Role of subsidiaries, parent companies unclear without amendment, judge said

Melrose Park, Edelson lawyers renew push to stick Pipeline Health with big damages for closing Westlake Hospital

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 17, 2020

Court can't order hospital to reopen, but lawsuit demands owners pay for 'fraud'

Thyssenkrupp Crankshaft hit with class action over worker fingerprint scans at Danville plant

By The Cook County Record | Jan 16, 2020

Danville-based subsidiary of Thyssenkrupp accused of violating Illinois biometrics privacy law

Chicago Cubs accused of employment discrimination against Air National Guardsman logistics supervisor

By John Breslin | Jan 15, 2020

He claims supervisors required him to find others to cover his shifts while on duty, and to provide formal command notification letters, which aren't required under federal law.