Canada Chemical Substances Portal
Canada has finally started to take steps with regards to chemical pollutants. Many international countries including the United States have already passed legislation that limit the amount of various harmful pollutants.
In Canada information regarding this project can be found at the Chemicals Substances Website.
Also, see Environment Canada's Management of Toxic Substances.
Lawsuit Against Hard Rock Cafe
Here is another case in the United States that really puts a new twist on employment law. It seems like any other ordinary suit, the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas was sued for the death of a girl. However, the girl was the girlfriend of the CEO of Hard Rock. The claim alleges that Hard Rock consented to the CEO’s “hedonistic lifestyle” of drugs and sex.
The girlfriend, Michelle Hatchel, 23, died of a drug overdose Aug. 29, 2007 while staying at a Las Vegas condominium with Ed Scheetz, who was then the chief executive officer of Morgans Hotel Group.
Members of Hatchel's family filed a wrongful-death suit last week that names both Scheetz and Morgans as Defendants.
Hatchel was flown on a private jet provided by the CEO to Las Vegas where they then engaged in an orgy of drugs and sex. The CEO claims that he found Hatchel dead when he returned home from a very long work day.
Apparently, the CEO has settled a wrongful death suit with the father of Hatchel already so this suit is on behalf of the mother, grandmother, brother and aunt. The claim alleges that Scheetz was a living example of the hotels hedonistic brand image:
A part of the Hard Rock marketing’s strategy its target demographic patrons included hedonistic sexually permissive and promiscuous lifestyle which also included use of illegal and/or illegally obtained ... controlled substances including but not limited to cocaine and oxycodone and as CEO of said named corporate defendants, defendant Scheetz's own lifestyle ... was a living example of said Hard Rock image and all of his actions, inactions, and/or omissions herein were within the course and scope of his employment.
Furthermore, the claim alleges that Morgans Hotel subsidized Scheetz’s partying by paying for his Vegas condo and private jet, that were examples of excess contributed to Hatchel’s death. The claim is seeking 645 million dollars in damages.
According to a popular blog, under the doctrine of respondeat superior, an employer is vicariously liable for an employee’s torts committed within the scope of employment.
The hotel will have two options quietly settle the suit and avoid what might be a prolonged litigation process. Or defend the suit whereby it’s likely the hotel chain would argue the girlfriend voluntarily attended and engaged in the mass intoxication of illegal drugs.
Sesame Street: How To Stay Healthy
The US Federal government has enlisted the aid of an elite task force to help in its public awareness policy regarding swine flu. Head of the task force...Elmo from Sesame Street.
Jurors Face Economic Hardship
An interesting article in the New York Times describes how Judges in the United States are facing problems with prospective jurors. Due to the recession, more and more people are complaining they are unable to take 4-5 weeks off work to sit on a trial.
In some cases, the prospective jurors have stated that such an absence from work would be a financial ruin. I am not aware if this is a problem in Canada but I suspect that it could be.
This raises an important legal issue on the mindset of a juror. If an individual is off work for a certain period of time to sit on a jury this would likely have an impact on his or her ability to adequately deliberate.
The article is here.
A Chemical Reaction
Playing at the Montréal World Film Festival this fall, A Chemical Reaction is a documentary that tells the story of the historic court case in 2000-2001 between the town of Hudson, which enacted a by-law to ban the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides, and some of the most powerful chemical companies in North America. (This text is referenced from http://toxicnation.ca/node/246)
The trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTcvO-o8NTA
Movie website: www.pfzmedia.co
Former Toyota In-House Lawyer Sues Company
An ex in-house lawyer for Toyota has sued his former employer, Toyota for destroying evidence regarding rollover lawsuits. The lawyer also alleges that the cover up caused him to suffer from a mental breakdown and eventually being fired.
The ABA Journal reported that Toyota destroyed, “design and test data from an engineering subsidiary and withheld records on design and testing of vehicle roofs”.
The claim can be found here.
Pfizer Has Agreed To Pay Over 2.3 Billion Dollars
Pfizer has agreed to pay over 2.3 billion dollars for its now withdrawn drug Bextra. The fines stem from criminal charges that were pending against Bextra that involved amongst other things violation of federal regulations for promotion of the drug.
It’s the largest fine ever in US history.
In a subsequent story Pfizer has been sued in a product liability claim for its anti-smoking drug Chantix. The suit was filed by a family in Dallas for wrongful death also alleging the victims behaviour changed radically after taking the drug. The FDA has recently announced that the drug be labelled appropriately warning users that it has life threatening side effects. A number of similar suits have been filed against Chantix.
In January of this year Eli Lilly paid out 1.4 billion for it’s now former flagship drug Zyprexa.
Cellphones Cause Brain Tumors?
A few years ago when the use of cell phones was starting to explode reports started to surface questioning the use of cell phones leading to brain tumors and other deadly illness. Suddenly, it all went away and we never heard about it again. Today, a new study conducted says that yes there is still a risk of brain tumors by cell phone use.
The article can be found here.
BPA in SIGG Bottles
SIGG
The popular water bottle company SIGG announced that they continue to use the hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol (BPA) in their product.
The chemical has been linked to cancer, obesity and other chronic illness.
The BPA revelations seem contradictory to the companies About Us statment:
We make bottles to the highest standards of Swiss quality and craftsmanship. We make bottles that are ecologically sound, reusable and ultimately, recyclable. We make bottles that are as fashionable as they are functional.
For the future we see is green an clean, sleek and stylish. Above all, it's a future of consciousness and commitment. Here's to the future.
Apple Denies Problems With iPhone And iPod
I reported earlier this month that Apple has faced problems with its iPOD exploding. Particularly, one case in the UK. Today, the BBC reported that Apple responded to reports of a number of iPhones exploding in France suggesting it was not due to a battery problem.
Apple states the devices were damaged due to “external force” meaning somebody did it. However, customers deny this allegation. In one case a security guard in France was hit in the eye with a piece of glass from an exploding iPhone.
A French consumer watchdog group has begun an investigation into the explosions. Furthermore, Europe’s Rapex, which is a rapid alert system concerning dangerous consumer products has issued an alert to over 27 countries.
Apple has sold 26 million iPhones and 200 million iPods to date.
- iphone