Toyota Plaintiffs Add Counts Under Japanese Securities Law

By Jack Simony

Toyota shareholders filed a consolidated complaint using Japanese securities laws against the company and several of its officers and directors claiming the company issued misleading and false statements in conference calls with investors, The National Law Journal reported.

The complaint was filed in federal court in Los Angles on Tuesday.

The new complaint can expand the shareholders class beyond what a U.S. courts already ruled.

- By Jack Simony

Apotex Hit With $442 Million Judgment in Bloof Thinner Plavix Patent Suit

By Jack Simony

A Manhattan federal district court judge ordered Apotex to pay $442,209,362 in damages, plus interest in a patent infringement case that was first filed in 2002 by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb, The American Lawyer reported.

Blood thinner Plavix is the world's second-biggest selling drug. According to Bloomberg, the infringement sales took place in August 2006 for a three-week period.

- By Jack Simony

Plaintiffs' Steering Committee Named in Case Against Toyota

By Jack Simony

A Texas judge approved a committee of five lawyers to be on a plaintiffs' steering committee that will manage almost two dozen state court cases alleging sudden acceleration against Toyota, Law.com reported.

These 20 cases in Texas are separate from the more than 200 suits already coordinated in federal multidistrict litigation in California, and are coordinated as part of a state multidistrict litigation.

- By Jack Simony

Menopause Drug Prempro Raises Death, Breast Cancer Risk, Report Says

By Jack Simony

A new report in The Journal of American Medical Association says the new menopause drug Prempo increases a woman's risk of beast cancer and makes them more likely to die of breast cancer, according to a report in USA Today.

The drug is said to calm hot flashes, and has a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin, both used by 15 percent to 20 percent of postmenopausal women in the US.

The study was conducted by Rowan Chlebowski, of the Lost Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, as part of a government-sponsored project known as the Women's Health Initiative.

- By Jack Simony

Law Language Key in Vaccine Case Before Supreme Court

By Jack Simony

The meaning of the word "unavoidable" was at the center of recent Supreme Court that in the end barred some, but not all, lawsuits against vaccine manufactures, The New York Times reported.

The court was visiting a 1986 law that Congress used to try to create that would compensate people injured by vaccines while also barring some.

The case was brought by the parents of a girl who received a D.T.P. vaccine as an infant in 1992, and now suffers intense seizures and has developmental problems.

- By Jack Simony

Medtronic Will Pay $268 Million to Settle Defibrillator Suits

By Jack Simony

Medtronic will pay $268 million to end the Meditronic Sprint Fidelis defribillation suits following a 2007 recall of the devices, Law.com reported.

The company's decision comes as the related suits are pending in Minneapolis federal multidistrict litigation and other courts throughout the company.

"The settlement is a compromise of disputed claims, and the parties have not admitted any liability or the validity of any defense in the litigation," said the company in a statement.

- By Jack Simony

Supreme Court Turns Down Speech Ejections Appeal

By Jack Simony

The two people who were thrown out of a 2005 speech given by George W. Bush were denied an appeal by the Supreme Court, The New York Times reported.

Justice Ruth Badner Ginsburg wrote on behalf of the court that she could not "see how reasonable public officials, or any staff or volunteers under their direction, could have viewed the bumper sticker as a permissible reason for depriving Weise and Young of access to the event.”

The incident happened while Bush was speaking about social security during a public event at a Denver museum. Leslie Weise and Alex Young say they were excluded from the speech because they arrived in a car with the bumper sticker that said, "No More Blood for Oil," and claim their First Amendment rights were violated.

- By Jack Simony

Hedge Funds Have Stand-Out Month in September

By Jack Simony

Hedge Funds Review reports September was a great month for hedge funds. In fact, all indexes are reporting the strongest performance in a very long time, according to the report.

According to Eurekahedge, there was a 2.16 percent return for hedge funds in October.

Read the full report on the Hedge Funds Review website.

- By Jack Simony

Forbes' List of the World's 100 Most Powerful Woman

By Jack Simony

Once again Forbes has come out with a new list. This time it's of the Most Powerful Women.

they include CEOs, entrepreneurs, heads of states, bankers, creative influencers and first ladies.

Check out the list on Fobes' website.

- By Jack Simony

From The New York Times Op-Ed Page: We Haven't Hit Bottom Yet

By Jack Simony

In a recent article, New York Times op-ed columnist Bob Herbert talks about the country's political upheaval and its connection to the economic uncertainty going on at the same time.

Read his column here.

- By Jack Simony

Congrats to the New York Yankees as They Try for Another World Series Win

By Jack Simony

Congratulations to the New York Yankees who are on their way to the post season!

We will be closely watching the games, as they go for another World Series win.

- By Jack Simony