Category: CONSUMER

DEFECTIVE FENTANYL PATCH BLAMED FOR MAN’S DEATH
Patients who need pain medication can receive such treatment in a variety of ways. Pills and injections are perhaps the most common means of administering pain relief, but pain patches containing the drug fentanyl are also widely used. Fentanyl is significantly stronger than morphine, so it’s no wonder that it takes a careful patch design …
Continue reading “DEFECTIVE FENTANYL PATCH BLAMED FOR MAN’S DEATH”

Supreme Court Further Denies Basic Rights to Workers & Consumers
Recently the U.S. Supreme Court struck another blow against consumers and employees in the case of Lamps Plus, Inc. v. Varela. Yet again the Court reasoned backward from the result it wanted to reach and went out of its way to find in favor of a corporate defendant – at the expense of individual citizens …
Continue reading “Supreme Court Further Denies Basic Rights to Workers & Consumers”

Class Action Lawsuit Basics
In our previous posts, we have reported on a number of class-action lawsuits involving chocolate, cell phone overcharges, and defective video game systems. While the settlements to these lawsuits may involve millions of dollars, many people may not understand how (or why) they are created. Through this post, we will explain why they are important. …

Halunen Law Plays Key Role as Co-counsel in Victory for Consumer Rights and Arbitration
Halunen Law plays key role as co-counsel in victory for consumer rights and arbitration Many companies include forced arbitration clauses and class action waivers in their contracts or terms of service. They do this to block consumers from banding together and holding them accountable in court when disputes arise, instead forcing them to proceed on …

Consumers Take a Stand – Why Would I Bring a Class Action Suit?
“What’s the point? They’re so big and I’m just one person.” Everyone has experienced this moment of frustrated defeat. It usually comes immediately after hanging up with some faceless person on the other end of a corporate “helpline.” For the hour and half of time you just wasted, all you receive is the knowledge that …
Continue reading “Consumers Take a Stand – Why Would I Bring a Class Action Suit?”

MINNESOTA MAN SETTLES DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION CLAIM AGAINST U.S. BANK
A Minnesota man recently settled a claim alleging that U.S. Bank handled his mortgage loan request in a discriminatory manner. A spokesperson for U.S. Bank says the company denies the existence of disability discrimination but agreed to settle the complaint and pay the man $12,000. U.S. Bank allegedly required the man to provide proof of his disability …
Continue reading “MINNESOTA MAN SETTLES DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION CLAIM AGAINST U.S. BANK”

MINNESOTA SCHOOL DISTRICT SETTLES RACIAL DISCRIMINATION SUIT
The St. Paul school district recently announced that it has settled a federal racial discrimination lawsuit. The suit was brought by the families of three former students at Heights Community School against the school district, school principal and a sixth grade teacher. The complaint alleges that the teacher disparaged black children and subjected them to …
Continue reading “MINNESOTA SCHOOL DISTRICT SETTLES RACIAL DISCRIMINATION SUIT”

FIRST OF WRONGFUL DEATH SUITS AGAINST TOYOTA SETTLED
In our first post of 2013, we announced that Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation had reached a settlement where it would pay more than $1 billion to settle class action lawsuits based on economic losses stemming from various defects involving faulty floor mats. We also noted that the settlement did not include scores of lawsuits seeking damages …
Continue reading “FIRST OF WRONGFUL DEATH SUITS AGAINST TOYOTA SETTLED”

FORD FACES CLASS ACTION OVER ENGINE DEFECTS
In a prior post, we discussed how Hyundai consumers brought a class-action lawsuit against the Korean automaker due to misrepresentations about fuel efficiency. We have recently learned that Ford Motor Company has been snared in a class action due to engine defects. In Jason Schmidt et al. v. Ford Motor Company, a group of six car …
Continue reading “FORD FACES CLASS ACTION OVER ENGINE DEFECTS”

GENERAL MILLS TO IMPROVE LABELS ON FRUIT ROLL-UPS
With the school year in full force, parents are looking for healthy snacks to include in thier child’s lunch. Many snack products on the shelves today are geared towards children but also try to attract the more health conscious consumer by including on their labels “Made with Real Fruit” or “All Natural” ingredients. These include …
Continue reading “GENERAL MILLS TO IMPROVE LABELS ON FRUIT ROLL-UPS”