#1 Asthma Patient Dies, Optum Rx (owned UnitedHealth Group) Walgreens SuedMilwaukee, WI - When Cole Schmidtknecht was told at his local Optum Rx-Walgreens pharmacy that his Advair Diskus inhaler prescription, needed to stop his asthma attacks, had increased $500 to $539 because his insurance Optum Rx (owned by UnitedHealth Group) no longer covered his inhaler, the 22-year-old left without it. He had received no warning from Optum Rx or Walgreens of a 1,282 percent increase; Walgreens told Cole that there were no cheaper alternatives or generic medications available. Two weeks later Cole was dead.
#2 FDA Warns of Unapproved GLP-1 Weight-Loss DrugsSilver Spring, MD - On December 18, 2024, the FDA issued a warning about the dangers of unapproved GLP-1 drugs which are often marketed as better/cheaper/stronger alternatives to Ozempic. Even branded Ozempic has been reliably linked to dangerous side effects, including pancreatitis, a form of blindness, gall bladder disease and kidney problems. Multi-district lawsuits are now pending in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
#3 California Drywall Company Slapped with Wage & Hour Lawsuit – Again.Riverside County, CA - West Coast Drywall & Co is doing it again: underpaying its piece-rate field employees and instructing them to underreport their hours. The California drywall company settled a lawsuit for the same allegations in 2017, but just two years after the settlement, the company repeated the same California labor law violations. According to this lawsuit filed by Attorney General Rob Bonta, since August 2019 the company has shorted about 7,000 workers by failing to pay wages owed, overtime, and more.
#4 ERISA Lawsuit Can Go Ahead Against MerckCamden, NJ - A recent court decision cleared the way for disgruntled employees to continue their litigation against pharmaceutical giant Merck, alleging that the company breached its fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
#5 UnitedHealth Group to Settle ERISA lawsuit for $69 MillionMinneapolis, MN - On December 13, UnitedHealth Group, Inc. agreed to settle Snyder v. UnitedHealth Group, which claims the company mishandled its 401k plan by “imprudently and disloyally” including the Wells Fargo Target Fund Suite. The long-running class-action ERISA lawsuit alleges that the fund remained on the plan’s investment menu despite a history of poor performance.
#6 Workers Sue Fifth Third Bank for Paying Wages with Prepaid Debit CardsLos Angeles, CA - On January 22, Loren Elizabeth Payne filed a class-action California labor lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging that Fifth Third Bank failed to pay wages as required under the California Labor Code. She seeks monetary damages and injunctive relief, including full restitution from the named defendants.
#7 More Depo-Provera Brain Tumor LawsuitsSanta Clara, CA - Thanks to numerous studies, increased awareness of the link between Depo-Provera and brain tumor risk has triggered a wave of lawsuits nationwide against Pfizer. As of early February, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated over 70 Depo-Provera meningioma lawsuits claiming that Pfizer failed to warn patients and doctors about the risk of brain tumors associated with the birth control shot. The panel assigned the MDL to the Northern District of Florida under Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
#8 Plumbing Union Pension Plan Pays Late RetireeMinneapolis, MN - A retired plumber has been granted by a Minnesota federal judge a motion for judgment in his Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) lawsuit filed in early 2023 against the Western Lake Superior Piping Industry Pension Plan and its board of trustees. Plaintiff James Grandson, who chose to work past age 62, will receive a bump in his late retirement pension benefits. The pension plan provides benefits to the Plumbers & Pipe Fitters United Association Local 11 and the Northern Mechanical Plumbing Contractors Association.
#9 Darden Restaurants Hit with California Wage and Hour LawsuitLos Angeles, CA - On September 23, Antonia Rodriguez filed a class action lawsuit against Darden Restaurants in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The lawsuit alleges that Darden, the parent company of California restaurants, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, the Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V's, failed to pay overtime and did not provide hourly workers with full, uninterrupted meal and rest periods in violation of California labor law. A collection of derivative allegations follows, including failure to provide accurate wage statements and failure to pay all wages due on termination of employment.
#10 What to Do After a Bicycle Accident?Phoenix, AZ - Bicycle accidents can be traumatic, leaving victims confused and uncertain about what steps to take next. Whether the accident involves a car, another cyclist, or hazardous road conditions, knowing how to react can significantly impact your health, legal rights, and potential compensation.
