Brianna Smith, Author at Legal Reader

Brianna Smith is a freelance writer and editor in Southwest Michigan. A graduate of Grand Valley State University, Brianna has a passion for politics, social issues, education, science, and more. When she’s not writing, she enjoys the simple life with her husband, daughter, and son.

Recall Issued for Fit & Active Bars After Plastic Bits Found

December 1, 2017

When most people take a bite out of their protein bar, the last thing they expect to find is a giant piece of plastic. Unfortunately for fans of Fit & Active protein bars, this is exactly what happened to some unfortunate consumers, and now a recall has been issued in response. The protein bars themselves are produced by Leclerc Foods and sold at Aldi stores around the country. But what happened exactly, and what kind of protein bars should consumers be on the lookout for?

Massage Envy On Receiving End of More Sexual Harassment Allegations

November 30, 2017

From Hollywood to Washington D.C., sexual harassment allegations have been popping up all over the place lately. Every day it seems someone else is stepping forward with grisly details of a harassment encounter, and businesses, including massage parlors, aren’t immune. Recently, Massage Envy, a chain of “massage spas with almost 1,200 locations across the nation” has found itself of the receiving end of “hundreds of sexual assault complaints and concerns that it ignored or mishandled the allegations.”

Image of Hilton Homewood Suites in Edgewater, New Jersey

Homewood Suites Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Reaches a Settlement

November 30, 2017

A discrimination lawsuit was recently settled for $35,000 between an Edgewater hotel and a former employee, Rosa E. Lopez. The lawsuit was originally filed because Lopez claimed the hotel “paid men more money — including her own son — per hour to do the same work and then fired her for complaining about it.” As a result of the settlement agreement, the hotel, Homewood Suites, will also be “required to submit to state monitoring of its hiring salary-setting and complaint-handling processing for two years,” according to Attorney General Christopher Porrino.

Woolino Recalls Children Pajama’s Over Burn Hazard Concerns

November 27, 2017

With the holidays approaching, many parents are beginning to tackle Christmas shopping for their children. However, during this time of the year, while Merry and Bright and full of excitement, it’s important for parents to be on the lookout for toy recalls or other safety alerts. During this past year alone, we’ve seen everything from toy rattles to sweaters and dressers being recalled for children. And now, a new recall has been announced by Woolino for a “children’s pajama line due to a violation of the federal flammability standards.”

Settlement Reached in Ruby Tuesday Age Discrimination Lawsuit

November 26, 2017

One would think that in 2017, discrimination of any type would be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Discrimination is a common occurrence, and no industry, including the restaurant industry, is immune. For example, a Ruby Tuesday restaurant in Boca Raton was recently accused of age discrimination for refusing to “hire an older applicant because it wanted to maximize longevity.” Fortunately for the older applicant, Floyd Cardwell, the lawsuit reached a settlement agreement after the Georgia corporation agreed to pay $45,000.

Image of Cooper Doucette at his Graduation Ceremony

$1.3M Settlement Reached Between City and Paralyzed Former Football Player, Cooper Doucette

November 23, 2017

A settlement was reached between the Nashua School District and Cooper Doucette, a “former high school football player paralyzed during a 2010 practice.” According to the 12-page settlement agreement, Doucette will receive $1.3 million that will be paid by the “city’s insurance company, American Alternative Insurance Corporation.” According to court documents, an estimated $737,972 “will be paid to Doucette’s legal team at the law firm Nixon, Vogelman, Barry, Slawsky, and Simoneau,” and Doucette will receive “$2,000 a month for the next 25 years for a total of about $562,000.”

Families of Victims Lost in Berkeley, CA Balcony Collapse Reach Settlement

November 22, 2017

Another partial settlement has been reached in relation to the deadly 2015 balcony collapse in Berkeley, California that “killed six and injured another seven reached a settlement.” This most recent settlement, “the amount of which is confidential, was reached between the injured victims and the families of the dead, mostly from Ireland, Greystar property managers and BlackRock, who owned the Library Gardens apartment complex at 2020 Kittredge St.”

800,000 Odyssey Minivans Recalled Amid Safety Concerns

November 22, 2017

A massive recall for Odyssey minivans has been issued by Honda, impacting approximately 800,000 of the popular vehicles over a problem stemming “from the minivan’s second-row outboard seats.” At the moment the vehicles included in the recall are models manufactured between 2011 and 2017. But what’s the problem, exactly? According to Honda, the second-row outboard

Lawsuit Filed Against Sun Dial Restaurant for Negligence After Fatal Accident

November 22, 2017

One families trip to an Atlanta restaurant took a tragic turn earlier this year, and now the parents have filed a lawsuit “against the 73-story hotel and restaurant where it happened” for negligence. Back on April 14, Michael and Rebecca Holt took their son, Charlie Holt, to the popular Sun Dial restaurant, a place well known for its revolving floors. Unfortunately, upon leaving after their meal, little Charlie became trapped “in a 5-inch gap between the furniture and a wall as the restaurant’s floor rotated in the opposite direction” while his parents and patrons tried desperately to free him.

Image of the Austin Royster Funeral Home

Did Austin Royster Funeral Home Charge Families for Services it Didn’t Provide?

November 21, 2017

Did a D.C. funeral home charge families for services it never provided? That’s what one lawsuit against the “Austin Royster Funeral Home on Kennedy Street in D.C.’s Brightwood Park neighborhood” is claiming. According to the lawsuit, which was filed by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, the funeral home “operated without proper licenses and charged families for services it did not provide.” In addition, a motion was filed by the Office of the Attorney General “for a temporary restraining order against Austin Royster Funeral Home and Jamelle Royster and James Agee, who were involved in owning and operating the funeral home.”

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