Texas Court Upholds $21.3 Million Verdict for Wronged Former Police Officer, Rejecting Appeals from Local Officials

QUITMAN, Texas — A federal judge has upheld a substantial jury award of $21.3 million for Terry Bevill, a former police officer who was found to have been wrongfully terminated and arrested. The ruling came after a trio of local officials—a judge, a prosecutor, and the sheriff—sought to overturn the jury’s decision from September 2024. In a ruling issued on Monday, U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant determined that the defendants did not present sufficient reasons to invalidate the jury’s verdict. The case underscores significant allegations of public corruption within the small community of Quitman, located … Read more

Judge Slashes Baltimore’s $266 Million Verdict Against Drug Giants, Citing Excessive Damages in Opioid Case

BALTIMORE — A judge has determined that jurors significantly overstepped in their financial award to the city in a major drug-related case against two pharmaceutical giants. Following a verdict last November that held McKesson and AmerisourceBergen accountable for exacerbating Baltimore’s opioid crisis, the presiding judge suggested modifying the initial damages awarded from $266 million to just $52 million. Baltimore City Circuit Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill ruled that the jurors’ decision was “grossly excessive” and prompted concern, stating that the initial verdict was “shocking” given the presented evidence. The case centered around claims that the companies had … Read more

Black & Veatch Challenges $1 Jury Verdict in Wind Energy Dispute, Seeking New Trial Against Boldt Co.

CHICAGO — Black & Veatch has filed an appeal following a federal court ruling that upheld a jury’s unexpected verdict concerning a troubled wind energy project in Illinois. The jury, convened last year, ruled that subcontractor Boldt Co. owed the prime contractor only one dollar in damages for the project that began in 2019. Judge Andrea Wood, of the northern district of Illinois, noted in her May ruling that the minimal dollar award suggested the jury had doubts about the cost information presented by Black & Veatch. This verdict has now extended what could have … Read more

Boston Jury Delivers Stinging $42 Million Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson in Landmark Talcum Powder Case Linked to Asbestos

BOSTON — A jury in Massachusetts has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay over $42 million to the family of Paul Lovell, ruling that the company’s baby powder was responsible for his mesothelioma diagnosis. Lovell, who used the product for four decades on himself and his children, received his diagnosis in 2021. This verdict marks one of the largest awards in a series of talc-related lawsuits against the corporation, highlighting the rising legal scrutiny surrounding claims of asbestos-laden talcum powder. During the two-week trial, Lovell’s attorneys pointed out that he had no history of occupational … Read more