Although more than five years have passed since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, victims of allegedly negligent medical care are still seeking justice through a recent personal injury lawsuit.

This week, a trial will begin in a class action lawsui filed against Memorial Hospital Center of New Orleans and its corporate parent, Tenet Healthcare, for personal injuries and death caused at the hospital in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

According to sources, the lawsuit alleges that the hospital’s poorly designed electrical backup system, which was flooded after the hurricane, and flawed plans for evacuating patients led to an unreasonably high patient death rate.

After the hurricane struck New Orleans, the bodies of 45 patients were found at Memorial Hospital, which represented a number of fatalities that was far higher than those found at other area hospitals.

One factor that the plaintiffs claim led to these deaths was the hospital’s loss of power and subsequent absence of air-conditioning after the storm, which created temperatures as high as 100 degrees inside the hospital. This increase in heat was particularly dangerous for older patients.

The plaintiffs allege that the hospital’s emergency backup electrical system failed because the hospital had ignored recommendations to move the system above the ground floor, where it was susceptible to flooding.

Prior to the storm, the facility had considered installing pumps around the electrical system to remove water after a major hurricane, but determined that the work would be too costly, and did not perform the recommended maintenance.

In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs also allege that Tenet Healthcare effectively abandoned the facility and failed to provide the necessary logistical support for evacuating patients.

In its defense, Tenet Healthcare claims that it hired private helicopters to help evacuate patients, but officials at the hospital claim that the helicopters were sent at least 24 hours after the hospital had requested them.

Sources indicate that Tenet spent more than $1 million after the storm on buses, ambulances, and aircraft for the six different medical facilities it owns in the New Orleans region.

The plaintiffs are hoping for a particularly lucrative personal injury settlement, as Tenet Healthcare has very deep pockets. The company had a total operating revenue of more than $9 billion in 2010.

The lawsuit has also raised questions about the country’s failure to have adequate emergency response requirements for American hospitals. This trend, however, appears unlikely to change, as the President’s latest budget proposal will cut spending on emergency preparedness at hospitals by at least 10 percent.

Hospitals can be remarkably hectic places, even when the weather is behaving. If you or someone you know suffered an injury due to negligent treatment by a doctor or nurse, you may be able to file a personal injury claim.

Contact a local injury lawyer today to explain your situation and ask about your legal options.

Murder at the hands of escaped convicts is extremely rare, but the haunting image of murderous escapees often appears in popular books and films. Such an event, however, recently occurred in New Mexico.

This week, the family of a couple allegedly murdered by prisoners who had escaped from a private detention facility in Arizona filed a personal injury lawsuit against the prison.

According to sources, the murder took place in 2010, when Gary and Linda Haas, an Oklahoma couple, were shot to death and set on fire in their mobile trailer during a camping trip.

Days later, a rancher found their bodies in a smoldering trailer. A few days earlier, three inmates had escaped from a privately operated prison near Kingman, Arizona.

Investigators at the scene of the crime quickly connected the murders to the escaped convicts, and the rancher’s discovery led to a national manhunt for the escaped convicts.

A few days later, one convict, Tracy Province, was caught in Wyoming, while the other two escapees, John McCluskey and Casslyn Welch, were arrested a week later in Arizona.

This week, Cathy Byus, the surviving daughter of Gary and Linda Hass, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against both the company that operated the prison and the builders of the prison’s facilities.

The lawsuit, which seeks roughly $40 million in damages, alleges that the companies committed gross negligence for failing to fix security flaws that had occurred for several years and helped the alleged murderers escape the facility.

After the prisoners’ escape, a review by the Arizona Department of Corrections found several flaws in the security system, including a faulty alarm system that prison employees often ignored because it was so unreliable.

On the night of the escape, investigators believe that one of the prisoners escaped the prison’s walls and used wire cutters to cut the fence surrounding the facility. This allowed the other prisoners to swiftly escape.

According to reports, the prison’s employees ignored the alarm that was set off as a result of the prisoners’ movements, and the prison did not report the incident to state authorities until two hours after the escape.

The prisoners’ left a wake of destruction in their path, allegedly hijacking a truck and exchanging gunfire with police before the fateful incident in the Hasses’ trailer.

This incident has raised a number of issues related to state oversight of private prisons. As the country continues to imprison more and more people, states are running out of room and turning to private companies to provide extra prison space.

Beyond the issue of private prisons, wrongful death claims often arise from the negligence of a party that was not directly involved with the crime.

If someone you love has passed away due to another person’s negligence, learn about your legal rights by contacting a local injury attorney.

The Church of Scientology has recently faced increased scrutiny after a series of allegations questioned the Los Angeles-based church’s treatment of its younger members.

A new personal injury lawsuit filed by a former member of the church raises even more questions about Scientology’s practices.

The injury lawsuit, filed by Daniel Montalvo, cites numerous types of misconduct, including the church’s failure to comply with child labor laws, failure to report child neglect, violation of labor laws, and the practice of false imprisonment.

Before filing the lawsuit, Montalvo had worked for the church in the California city of Commerce. When he was 19 years old, he escaped from Commerce with the aid of a former member of the church.

Sources indicate, however, that some Scientologists allegedly convinced Montalvo to return to California. Montalvo claims that, upon his return, a group of Scientologists falsely imprisoned him.

Later, Montalvo was taken to a Los Angeles sheriff’s office, where he was arrested for allegedly stealing hard drives from one of the church’s offices. Montalvo claims these hard drives contain information that can help “protect” him from the church.

The lawsuit makes several fascinating allegations. Montalvo says that he grew up in the church since the age of 5. His parents were allegedly instructed to surrender physical custody of their son to the Sea Org, a group of elite members of the church.

The suit also claims that the church forced Montalvo to sign two billion-year contracts agreeing to stay in the church, prohibited him from reading newspapers and going to bookstores, and educated him for only one hour per week.

Perhaps the most controversial claim is that the Church of Scientology paid Montalvo between $35 and $50 per week for up to 100 hours of weekly labor. This work included construction tasks with heavy machinery such as scissor lifts and forklifts.

Montalvo also claims to have lost part of a finger while working in a printing office that was publishing works written by the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard.

While fellow Scientologists took him to the hospital after the incident, he was allegedly told not to mention that he had been doing volunteer work or that he was affiliated with Scientology.

Montalvo’s allegations of forced labor, child abuse, and false imprisonment are all very serious charges. In his lawsuit, Montalvo is seeking both punitive and compensatory damages for his alleged mistreatment.

Unfortunately, physical and mental abuse towards children occurs very frequently in the United States. If you have been injured by someone else’s mistreatment, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit.

You don’t have to be victimized by abuse. If you have suffered injuries from being abused, contact a local injury lawyer today to learn more about your legal rights.

Claims of police brutality are always cause for concern, especially when they involve a police officer shooting an innocent teenager. Such an incident is under scrutiny this week as a personal injury trial begins in Anchorage, Alaska.

A personal injury lawsuit recently filed by Elvis Tuata alleges that Officer Shaun Henry used excessive force and failed to follow police procedures when he shot Tuata in the arm two years ago.

The injury lawsuit also claims that the city of Anchorage failed to properly train Officer Henry, and that the police department overlooked Henry’s disturbing history of using excessive force. The city, of course, denies these charges.

The incident in question occurred when Tuata was only 17 years old. Henry claims that he thought Tuata was aiming a high-powered hunting rifle at a group of people in the parking lot of a Taco Bell.

Tuata, however, was only holding a low caliber pellet gun, and Tuata claimed that he was merely pointing the gun at a nearby street sign. Tuata’s attorney claims that security footage at Taco Bell proves that Tuata was not pointing his gun at any person.

Sources indicate that Henry responded to the situation by firing three shots at Tuata with a .45-caliber pistol. One shot struck Tuata in his arm, traveling a few inches up his arm into his shoulder. The wound allegedly left a significant amount of blood in the parking lot.

According to Tuata’s attorney, Henry did not make any announcements or warnings before he shot Tuata. An Anchorage police spokesman, however, said that police officers typically do not give verbal warnings to people they perceive as a threat to others.

A few months after the incident, surgeons removed three large bullet fragments from Tuata’s arm, though several smaller fragments remain. According to sources, Tuata still experiences daily pain in his arm.

Tuata’s police brutality lawsuit seeks damages for pain and suffering, loss of employment, and thousands of dollars in medical costs.

The lawsuit also alleges that Henry has a history of using his firearm more often than most Anchorage police, raising questions about his previous use of allegedly excessive force.

While Tuata seems to have a strong claim, police brutality cases are often difficult for plaintiffs to win. Obstacles in the way of most claimants include immunity laws and strict statutes of limitations.

Many forms of police brutality, however, do lead to successful civil lawsuits. If you have been the victim of excessive police force, an unlawful arrest, police torture, or a coerced confession, you may be able to seek legal relief.

Laws governing police brutality lawsuits vary widely by state. In addition, your city may have an independent citizen review board that address claims of police misconduct.

To learn more about police brutality cases, contact a local injury lawyer.

Over the years, American theater has gained a reputation for being a classy, somewhat highbrow affair. At the very least, audience members were able to attend a show without fearing for their personal safety.

A few recent incidents, however, have threatened Broadway’s reputation as a non-contact spectator event. First, the much-hyped musical “Spider-Man!” caused a recent stir when a few actors were injured during acrobatic aerial displays. The damage, however, was mostly limited to paid performers.

In a more shocking theater event, two Kansas City natives recently suffered serious facial injuries during a performance of the Broadway show “Billy Elliott: The Musical.” As a result of the accident, the injured parties filed a personal injury lawsuit.

According to sources, the injury lawsuit, which seeks $4 million in damages, alleges that Elaine Rosen, 54, and Cynthia Noblit, 60, were hit in the face by a plastic crate that was accidentally flung off stage. Each woman is seeking $2 million for their respective injuries.

In their negligence complaint, Rosen alleges that she was left with a permanent scar, while Noblit claims to have suffered a concussion. Both parties allegedly incurred substantial medical expenses, including the cost of an MRI and CT scan.

The two unlucky women were sitting in the front row of New York’s Imperial Theater in 2009 when the accident occurred. This week, they filed their injury lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan.

Sources indicate that the lawsuit accuses producers of the show of acting negligently in allowing the use of “hazardous and dangerous” props. In addition, the suit claims the producers failed to properly train the performers and did not adequately warn audience members of potential risks of attending the show.

While the women were undoubtedly upset, they were invited back to attend another showing of the award-winning musical. If the women accept this offer, one assumes they would choose to sit in the balcony, covered with protective padding.

Safety for actors on Broadway has become a legitimate a concern, with performers in several prominent shows recently suffering injuries ranging from severe to mundane. Injuries to spectators, though, are a relatively new phenomenon.

Of course, one of the primary benefits of Broadway theater is the proximity of the audience to a live performance. Nevertheless, producers owe the audience a safe, secure experience.

You don’t have to have been injured by a famous actor or a flying prop to seek damages in a personal injury lawsuit. If you’ve been injured in a public place due to someone else’s negligent or intentional actions, you may be able to seek personal injury relief.

To learn more about your state’s injury laws and how they govern your chances of seeking legal relief, contact a local injury lawyer today.

Could Facebook be deadly in some circumstances? This is a question that may be answered if a recently filed wrongful death lawsuit goes to trial.

The personal injury lawsuit stems from an incident that occurred last December in Chicago. The wrongful death suit claims that a 21 year-old Chicago driver struck and killed a man on the side of the road because she was updating her Facebook profile, and thus not paying attention to the road.

The victim, Raymond Valoz, who was 70 years old, had stepped out of his car after a minor collision with another vehicle. According to sources, the impact of the second accident severed the man’s leg, which later caused Valoz to bleed to death.

Valoz died at a hospital shortly after the accident. At the scene of the incident, police ticketed Beas for failure to avoid striking a pedestrian.

In her defense, Araceli Beas, the woman who accidentally struck Valoz with her car, claims she was temporarily blinded by the sun. This, at least, is what appears on the police report.

Moreover, the woman’s mother claims that her daughter was at least two miles from the scene of the crash when she posted the allegedly fatal Facebook update. She says that Beas was at her boyfriend’s house waiting for her car to warm up when she posted the message.

In the wrongful death lawsuit, the victim’s daughter observes that Beas updated her Facebook page at 7:54 a.m., the exact time when she called 911 to report the accident. This, the lawsuit claims, supports the allegation that the Facebook update happened at the same time of the accident.

This timing issue will raise all sorts of difficult questions at trial. Beas’s attorneys claim that there may be a delay in Facebook’s postings. In other words, the timestamp on a Facebook posting may not accurately represent the time of a user’s update.

In addition, there may be a difference between Facebook’s clock and the 911 operator’s clock. If Beas is able to prove either of these time differences, she may have a strong argument that the timing of the post does not prove her guilt.

Unfortunately, distracted drivers often cause bodily harm to pedestrians and other drivers. Common types of distraction include cell phones, handheld computing devices, and turning to find items in the car.

If you’ve suffered an injury in an auto accident that was caused by a distracted driver, you may be able to seek personal injury relief. A successful auto accident lawsuit may lead to various types of personal injury compensation, including payment for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.

Auto accident claims, though, depend on the laws in your state. To learn more about your legal rights, contact a local injury attorney today.

A recent lawsuit prompted by a painful run-in with a hidden olive pit finally ended in a settlement for Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio.

The bizarre personal injury lawsuit, which pitted (pun partially intended) Rep. Kucinich against the operators of a cafeteria in the U.S. House of Representatives, received widespread national attention.

The olive-related personal injury occurred back in 2008 when Kucinich bought a sandwich that allegedly claimed to contain pitted olives, or olives with the hard pits removed. This, however, proved to be a false assumption, as Kucinich allegedly suffered serious injuries to his teeth when he bit into the sandwich.

According to sources, Kucinich told supporters in a recent letter that the incident led to three different dental surgeries. Allegedly, the internal structure of several of his teeth was compromised, which caused “excruciating pain.”

Adding injury to injury, Kucinich’s jaw bone eventually became infected, and the antibiotics he took to combat the infection caused an intestinal obstruction. By the end of the ordeal, Kucinich had to have six teeth replaced and undergo extensive bridgework.

Kucinich, who has launched two unsuccessful presidential campaigns and is currently serving his eighth term in the House of Representatives, sought $150,000 in the original personal injury lawsuit.

Sources indicate that details of the settlement were not disclosed, but Kucinich stated that the personal injury settlement “reflects the actual out-of-pocket expenses” that Kucinich incurred as a result of the injury.

The congressman, noted for his strong anti-war sentiments, also expressed gratitude for the fairness of the settlement. He had also attempted to prevent media coverage of the lawsuit by declining to respond to interview requests.

In addition, in his letter to supporters, Kucinich expressed a desire to avoid dental work for a long time. Notably, Kucinich did not state whether he would avoid olive-laden sandwiches in future trips to the House cafeteria.

Kucinich’s ordeal reflects a growing trend in personal injury law. The majority of injury cases are typically settled out of court through non-trial alternatives such as arbitration and settlement. In most cases, these settlements still cover all the losses, damages and expenses experienced by the victim.

Personal injury law is dependent on a complex web of state and federal laws, particularly in product liability cases. As a result, a local injury attorney may be a helpful resource to learn more information about your injury claim.

Settlements or arbitration may lead to a significant collection of damages while sparing both parties the cost and time commitment of a trial.

If you have suffered an injury as a result of a defective food or other faulty product, contact a local injury lawyer today to learn more about your legal options.

A man famous for dispensing personal advice may soon need advice of his own. Legal advice, that is.

Dr. Phil, Oprah’s designated psychologist, recently found himself in legal trouble after his dog Maggie attacked Janet Harris, a former friend of Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin. Harris has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the famous couple.

According to sources, Harris alleges that the dog, a rare Korean Jindo, attacked her without any warning or provoking on her part. The animal attack allegedly left Harris with deep puncture wounds on her extremities that caused profuse bleeding.

In addition, Harris claims that the wounds she suffered during the attack later became infected, which led to an extended period of home nursing care. During this time, Harris had to pay for a week of antibiotics, IV fluids, and steroids.

Dr. Phil, the mustachioed television troubleshooter, had adopted the dog in 2009 from a shelter. Sources say that Korean Jindos are a rare breed of hunting dogs that are known to be very protective of their families. Korean Jindos also have a remarkable sense of smell and are known to have a strong sense of hierarchy with other animals.

According to reports, Maggie was a constant companion of Dr. Phil, and the television personality even had the dog on his show as a guest.

Despite the dog’s relative fame, Harris claims that Maggie was a dangerous animal. In her dog bite lawsuit, she says that Dr. Phil and his wife were negligent in their treatment of the dog because they knew that Maggie had an “unpredictable temperament,” and had previously bitten other people and animals.

The negligence lawsuit also alleges that Dr. Phil and Robin, whose last name is McGraw, refused to help pay for Harris’s medical treatments.

In her lawsuit, Harris is seeking compensation for her medical treatment, loss of earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.

While this story seems bizarre, personal injuries are caused every day from attacks by animals that are not properly restrained by their owners. Often, these attacks result in extensive medical treatment for injured plaintiffs.

In order to win this type of personal injury case, you’ll need to be able to prove that the animal owner failed to exercise a reasonable duty of care. This may be proven by any evidence showing that an animal was not properly restrained.

In addition, you must be able to prove that the owner’s negligence was a direct cause of the animal’s attack. Finally, you also need to show that your injury was caused by the animal.

Dog bites and other forms of animal injuries are usually governed by tort laws, which vary widely by state. In order to ensure that you don’t miss a key statute of limitation, you may want to contact an injury attorney in your area.

To learn more about your unique personal injury case, call a local injury lawyer today.

A frightening weightlifting mishap that derailed a football player’s promising career has led to a personal injury lawsuit against the University of Southern California and an assistant conditioning coach.

According to Sports Illustrated, the injury occurred in September of 2009 when Stafon Johnson, a former running back for the USC football team, was bench pressing 275 pounds at a USC facility. At some point during the lift, the weight bar slipped and fell on his neck.

The impact crushed Johnson’s larynx and throat, which were repaired through extensive reconstructive surgery. Johnson eventually recovered, and played for the Tennessee Titans for a preseason game in 2010 before being sidelined by another injury.

The personal injury lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that Jamie Yanchar, the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the USC football team at the time, negligently failed to assist Johnson during the bench press.

When bench pressing, the athlete typically has a spotter whose task is to help lift the weight if it proves too heavy. In this case, the lawsuit alleges that Yanchar was “distracted and not paying attention to Mr. Johnson at the time that the bar was being lifted from the weight rack.”

The lawsuit further alleges that Yanchar was inattentive when he helped Mr. Johnson lift the weight bar, and then accidentally hit the bar with his body before Mr. Johnson had a proper grip on the bar.

Johnson, who was lifting 275 pounds for the first time, claims that he suffered permanent injuries and the loss of future earnings.

In an official statement, USC expressed regret that Johnson had suffered the injury, but maintained that the university, which was also named in the complaint, was not at fault. Yanchar, who now works for the Seattle Seahawks, could not be reached for comment by Sports Illustrated.

Weight lifting can be a precarious activity, and requires a high degree of concentration and care. Injuries in the weight room can happen to athletes at any level.

To avoid injuries while exercising, make sure you lift with a partner who can help support your weights. In addition, check all the equipment you use for signs of wear and tear.

If you have been injured while exercising, and your injury was caused by faulty equipment or poor supervision, you may be able to file a negligence lawsuit and recover legal relief.

Negligence claims typically occur when an actor behaves in a way that falls below a standard of reasonable care. Negligence is governed by tort laws, which vary widely by state.

If you have suffered an injury due to someone’s negligent actions, don’t hesitate to contact a local injury lawyer to learn more about your legal rights and options.

The past decade has seen a rise in the number of sexual abuse lawsuits filed against members of the clergy, particularly Roman Catholic priests. These lawsuits typically involved younger plaintiffs suing priests for wrongs committed years ago.

A recent lawsuit filed in Oregon, however, pits a current priest against a former priest who is now deceased. In the complaint, the priest, identified as Father X, claims he was repeatedly abused in the 1970s by Father Emmanuel Clark at Mt. Angel Abbey in Oregon.

According to sources, Father X is seeking more than $1 million in compensation for acts occurring while he was a high school student at Mt. Angel Preparatory School.

In his sexual abuse claim, Father X alleges that Clark hugged Father X while his pants were unzipped, pressed Father X’s head to his chest, and told him that his heart beat with love for the young student.

Sources indicate that Clark also spoke frankly about sex with the student and encouraged him to take trips to adult book stores. In addition, Clark gave Father X suggestive pet names and often engaged in lengthy hugs with the young man.

In response to such treatment, Father X claims that he struggled for years after the incidents. The personal injury lawsuit alleges that he suffered physical and emotional pain as well as shame, depression, eating disorders, and sexual orientation confusion.

The attorney for Father X claims that he is suing a few decades after the incidents because he believes in holding the church accountable for Clark’s actions. In addition, Father X feels the lawsuit is an important part of his own personal healing.

One of the attorneys for the plaintiff also stated that Father X is the third person to come forwards with a sexual abuse complaint against this particular abbey.

The attorney for the abbey, on the other hand, is skeptical of Father X’s claims, saying that Clark’s act of hugging the student did not amount to sexual abuse, and questioning the plaintiff’s decision to wait 36 years before filing the lawsuit.

Adding a further odd twist to the story, Father X later went to Mt. Angel seminary and officially joined the priesthood in 1986.

While stories detailing sexual abuse scandals have increasingly appeared in mainstream media outlets, the crime continues to be a silent epidemic.

Victims of sexual abuse are often reluctant to report the crimes due to the sensitive and private nature of sexual abuse. In addition, if the victims are young, they may not have the ability or knowledge of the gravity of the crime to report the incidents.

Sexual abuse, however, is considered a personal injury and former victims of abuse may be able to seek justice through a personal injury lawsuit.

To learn more about seeking justice through a sexual abuse lawsuit, contact a local personal injury lawyer today.

The grieving parents of a young student who died in a tragic alcohol-related accident have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against two former college students and the bar that allegedly served them too much liquor.

The accident occurred near the University of Wisconsin-Stout, outside a bar called the Log Jam. That night, the two students named in the lawsuit, Jedidiah McGlasson and Jared Britton, had allegedly been drinking heavily with other members of the university’s hockey team.

According to sources, at some point during the night, Britton became engaged in an argument with Bradley Simon, the young student whose parents eventually filed the personal injury claim, over a sweatshirt worn by Britton.

The two parties separated, but later that evening, after McGlasson and Britton had been escorted from the bar, the two hockey players saw Simon riding his bike down a nearby street.

The personal injury lawsuit alleges McGlasson and Britton sprinted towards Simon and pushed him off his bike into a concrete wall, slamming Simon’s head against the concrete. Tragically, Simon died five days later as a result of injuries suffered in the crash.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Simon’s family says that McGlasson and Britton acted with “malicious” intent and showed an “intentional disregard” for Simon’s well-being.

In punishment delivered separately from the lawsuit, both McGlasson and Britton were permanently suspended from the hockey team and later expelled from the university.

In addition to the lawsuit against the two aggressors, Simon’s family included the owners of the Log Jam and the bar’s insurance company in the wrongful death claim.

Sources indicate that the lawsuit accuses the Log Jam’s bartenders of serving too much alcohol to the group of hockey players, which helped increase their aggressive behavior. In particular, the lawsuit says that an employee of the bar poured 100 shots in a single order to be served to just the hockey players.

Moreover, Simon’s parents claim that the Log Jam’s employees were negligent in their failure to notify police after they witnessed increasingly aggressive behavior by McGlasson and Britton.

This lawsuit, unfortunately, reflects a disturbing trend of alcohol-related deaths, particularly among young Americans. In addition to physical confrontations, car accidents often play a role in these incidents.

If you have lost a loved one due to someone’s negligent or intentional actions, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the guilty party. Typically, wrongful death lawsuits must be filed by immediate family of the deceased.

If your claim is successful, you may be able to seek compensation for your own pain and suffering, in addition to the medical expenses incurred by your deceased family member.

To learn more about your unique legal circumstances, contact a local injury attorney today.

Courtney Love, perhaps more famous for her colorful lifestyle than her musical career, has added another entertaining chapter to her life in the public eye.

According to sources, fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir recently filed a personal injury lawsuit against Love after the gregarious rocker delivered a series of allegedly false statements over Twitter in March 2009.

Earlier that year, Simorangkir had designed clothes specifically for Love. Later, Simorangkir alleged that Love failed to pay for the outfits. Love disagreed, claiming that she had already paid Simorangkir $40,000.

On her Twitter feed, Love then accused Simorangkir of being a drug pusher and a prostitute, among other unsavory allegations. All told, the fashion designer’s lawyer alleges that Love made at least 40 negative tweets about Simorangkir.

In her libel lawsuit, the embattled designer claims that Love’s comments were false and have ruined her career.

This dispute represents the first high-profile defamation trial in response to a celebrity’s online remarks on Twitter, so it could have lasting repercussions for similar lawsuits in the future.

Thus far, the question of liability for derogatory comments made on Twitter has yet to be decided. Simorangkir’s attorney claims that Love’s online audience of more than 40,000 Twitter followers means that her allegedly false comments had an unusually widespread impact on the designer’s reputation.

On the other hand, Love’s lawyer admits that her comments were “colorful,” but he claims that they were not defamatory. In addition, some defenders of Love have said that the burden of proof for defamation should be higher when allegedly harmful comments are made in the casual atmosphere of social media websites like Twitter.

In addition, Love’s attorney claims that Simorangkir’s business has remained healthy, perhaps owing to the Hollywood truism that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Simorangkir has, at the very least, derived plenty of attention from Love’s ill-advised Twitter antics.

Of course, you don’t have to be the victim of an unhinged celebrity to file a libel lawsuit. If someone has damaged your reputation by making false statements about you, you may be able to file a defamation lawsuit.

In a defamation case, the plaintiff bears the burden of proof. This requires showing that the other party made false statements that damaged the plaintiff’s reputation. If proof of defamation is adequately made, the plaintiff may be eligible for compensatory and, in some cases, punitive damages.

Laws dealing with libel and defamation, however, vary widely by state. In addition, the statute of limitations for libel claims also varies by state law.

If you feel your reputation has been harmed by someone’s false claims, contact a local injury lawyer in your area today to learn more about your legal rights and options.

As the new year begins, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department faces several personal injury lawsuits surrounding alleged instances of police brutality. Most of the incidents occurred last year, but their effects have only begun to be felt by the embattled police department.

The first major injury occurred in August of 2010 when David Bisard, an Indianapolis police officer, struck and killed a motorcyclist when answering a police call. Bisard was driving 70 miles per hour on a surface street when he killed the motorcyclist and severely injured two others.

According to reports, the local community was further outraged when it learned that Bisard had a blood alcohol content of 0.19 shortly after the accident. This was more than twice the legal limit for Indiana drivers.

In addition, critics of the city’s handling of the situation questioned why the officers who responded to the scene failed to test Bisard’s blood alcohol content, which was only discovered later during a routine test required after fatal accidents.

In response, the responding officers claimed that Bisard did not appear to be drunk at the scene. An investigation by federal authorities later revealed that that these officers acted improperly by failing to collect necessary evidence at the scene.

Adding to the controversy, a city prosecutor dropped charges of drunk driving against Bisard shortly after the accident because the attorney found that the blood alcohol test was done improperly.

The estate of Eric Wells, who was the motorcyclist killed during the accident, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.

The second allegation of wrongful police activity in Indianapolis stems from the arrest of Brandon Johnson, who was only 15 years old at the time of the incident.

Last year, Johnson was arrested by police after they responded to a burglary call. At the scene of the burglary, the police determined that Johnson’s brother had kicked in an apartment door, and Johnson tried to intervene when they arrested his brother.

Johnson claims he was simply asking them why they were arresting his brother, while the police claim that Johnson was arguing with them and stirring up a crowd that had gather nearby.

According to sources, Johnson was struck in the face and thrown roughly to the ground when the police handcuffed him. Pictures of Johnson after the arrest reveal chipped teeth, facial bruises, and a swollen eye.

The African-American community in Indianapolis was outraged after viewing the pictures of Johnson, and put pressure on the police department to discipline the officers for the alleged act of police brutality.

To their chagrin, the officer who caused most of Johnson’s injuries was not disciplined.

Unfortunately, instances of police brutality are relatively common. If you have suffered an injury as a result of unlawful police conduct, contact a local injury lawyer today.

A recent trip to a St. Louis haunted house turned deadly for an Illinois teenager, prompting her grieving family to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the developers of the popular attraction.

According to reports, the deceased girl, Brittney Holmes, who was only 15 years old at the time of the accident, visited The Darkness, a haunted house in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis, in 2009.

According to claims made in the personal injury lawsuit, Holmes’ asthma was triggered by the artificial fog and strong scents pumped into the house. As a result of an asthma attack allegedly caused by these features of the haunted house, Holmes went into a vegetative state and died in November of 2010, more than a year after the incident.

This December, Brittney’s father, who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, filed a wrongful death claim in the St. Louis Circuit Court against Halloween Productions Inc., which owned and operated the ill-fated haunted house.

Sources indicate that the president of Halloween Productions Inc. is also the head of the Haunted House Association, a trade organization for other Halloween entrepreneurs. The website of this organization describes haunted houses as “extremely safe due to tough safety and fire codes they all must live by.”

Documents related to the lawsuit reveal a few interesting facts about that evening’s events. First, the haunted house apparently posted several signs warning potential customers with respiratory problems to avoid the attraction. There is no information, however, about the size or visibility of these warnings.

In addition, Holmes had suffered asthma from the age of 4, and was allergic to peanuts, mildew, grass, dust, and tree nuts. According to the complaint, Holmes began experiencing breathing problems in a car immediately after visiting the haunted house.

Holmes’ use of an inhaler while in a friend’s car did not help her condition, and reports show that her brain had been deprived of oxygen for at least seven minutes before she reached the hospital.

The wrongful death lawsuit further alleges that Halloween Productions, Inc. failed to provide a safe experience for its customers and failed to adequately monitor the presence of dangerous chemicals in the house’s air. The complaint also alleges that Holmes’ medical treatment cost the family more than one million dollars.

Wrongful death lawsuits offer families an opportunity to seek justice after they have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligent or intentional actions. In addition, family members may be able to seek compensation for their medical bills and, in particularly egregious cases, punitive damages.

If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence, or intentional actions, of another person or corporate entity, call a local injury lawyer today to learn more about your legal rights and options.

The long-suffering Sacramento Kings, who have occupied the basement of the NBA standings for the last few years, added another dubious chapter to their team’s history when a faulty exercise ball injured a key player.

Recently, the team filed a $4 million product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the exercise ball that allegedly injured one of the Kings’ players in a bizarre accident last fall.

The injured player, Francisco Garcia, was bench pressing two large dumbbells while balancing on the exercise ball when the commonly used piece of equipment allegedly burst, causing Garcia to fall and break his wrist.

Due to his personal injury, Garcia missed four months of the regular season. According to sources, he had just signed a five-year contract extension for $29.6 million. The lawsuit seeks $4 million because this figure represents the amount of compensation paid to Garcia by the Kings during his time on the injured reserve.

Sources indicate that the Kings are suing both the manufacturer and the distributor of the Gymnic “Burst Resistant Plus” Stability Ball.

The complaint alleges that the distributor of the ball had marketed the particular exercise performed by Garcia as a suitable use for the equipment. Further, the personal injury lawsuit claims that the defendants promised the ball could hold up to 600 pounds and was “burst resistant.”

After the incident, the Kings co-owner, Joe Maloof, emailed all 29 other NBA teams and recommended they stop using the Gymnic exercise ball. According to Maloof, many other NBA teams subsequently removed the exercise balls from their training rooms.

In response to the lawsuit, the manufacturer now includes phrasing on the packaging of its exercise balls that warns customers to avoid using the product in conjunction with weight lifting. The Kings have dismissed this warning as inconsequential to the outcome of their case.

This Kings’ exercise ball saga was not the only defective product lawsuit due to faulty workout equipment in the news this week. In Buffalo, New York, a jury awarded $66 million to a woman after she was injured when an exercise machine fell on her in 2004.

The defendant in the case, Cybex International, had manufactured the faulty machine. According to sources, the woman, who had previously worked as a physical therapy assistant, was left paralyzed after the incident.

While this woman’s injury is more extreme than the Garcia’s broken wrist, dangerous accidents with exercise equipment occur all too often. The proliferation of more and more workout equipment use by inexperienced customers at increasingly crowded gyms has heightened the risk of exercise accidents.

If you have been injured by a malfunctioning piece of exercise equipment, or the negligent actions of someone else, call a local injury lawyer today to learn more about your legal rights.