Landmark

Landmark Verdict: Colorado Nurse Awarded $20 Million After Racial Discrimination and Unjust Dismissal

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AURORA, Colo. — A federal jury found that HCA HealthOne Aurora wrongfully terminated nurse DonQuenick Joppy, awarding her $20 million on Wednesday after concluding her dismissal followed complaints about racial discrimination in the workplace. Joppy, who is Black, alleged that the hospital, previously known as the Medical Center of Aurora, unfairly blamed her for the death of a 94-year-old patient in 2019 as a pretext to fire her. The patient had been suffering from organ failure due to an infection and died after his family consented to discontinue life support. Joppy claimed she acted on … Read more

Maryland Teacher Wins Landmark Defamation Case, Awarded $518,000 Over Controversial ‘Racist’ Comments

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Bethesda, Maryland — A jury has awarded over $500,000 to a local high school teacher accused of making racially insensitive remarks about a seating arrangement. The case focused on allegations against Daniel Engler, a teacher at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, who was claimed to have told two Black students he would struggle to distinguish between them if they were not in their assigned seats. Engler firmly denied making any racial comments and contended that the students misrepresented his words. The controversy escalated when Principal Shelton Mooney issued a community letter characterizing the incident as a … Read more

Baltimore Secures $152.3 Million Settlement in Landmark Opioid Case Against Major Distributors

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BALTIMORE — Mayor Brandon Scott announced Thursday that Baltimore City has agreed to a reduced settlement in its ongoing litigation against opioid distributors McKesson and Cencora, previously known as AmerisourceBergen. This decision follows a jury’s initial award of $266 million last fall, which a judge deemed excessive and subsequently cut down. With the acceptance of this revised settlement amount, Baltimore now adds $152.3 million to its efforts to hold pharmaceutical giants accountable for their role in the opioid crisis that has severely impacted the city. “From the beginning, this case has always been about securing … Read more

Jury Awards $60 Million in Landmark Case Against Disgraced Prosecutor Over False Abuse Charges

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DETROIT — A federal jury awarded nearly $60 million to a man wrongfully charged with sexual abuse after finding that a former Michigan prosecutor and a police officer acted with malice in pursuing the case. The jury’s decision underscores the challenges of holding public officials accountable in the legal system, where such lawsuits are uncommon due to significant protections for prosecutors. The jury concluded that Brian Kolodziej, a former assistant attorney general, and state police Lt. David Busacca acted with “intentional, deliberate, or reckless disregard for the truth” in their actions against Sean MacMaster. The … Read more