A former Starbucks employee filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in Eastern District of New York, claiming that her coworkers engaged in inappropriate behavior toward her and and that she was discriminated against due to a disability and ultimately fired in retaliation after coming forward to complain about the unfair treatment.

According to a press release from the plaintiff's law firm, Kari Smith was a shift supervisor who had been working for Starbucks for 11 years. Suffering from a medical condition that causes her to faint, Smith say she was humiliated and demoted at multiple different locations, but that the brunt of her torment occurred at a store in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. 

Smith claims that the male employees at this particular location sexually harassed her in a number of different instances. She says that they pinned her against the wall, made offensive comments about her body parts and made advances of a sexual nature. Although the plaintiff allegedly complained to both the store and district managers, it appears that nothing was done to put an end to the harassment.

After taking some time off during an approved leave, Smith was terminated on the grounds that she had not provided the company with necessary disability paperwork. 

"Starbucks fired Ms. Smith when she was at her most vulnerable," said the plaintiff's attorney, Douglas Wigdor. "While Starbucks likes to hold itself out as a progressive company, even their best marketing and public relations efforts cannot conceal the outrageous conduct Ms. Smith was subjected to."

If you live in Missouri and have been the victim of sexual harassment or gender discrimination, you can take a stand against the perpetrator. Consider scheduling a consultation with an affordable lawyer in Kansas City. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

On the evening of October 19, 2012, 21-year-old Andrea Castillo was killed when the Jeep she was in – driven by her boyfriend, Marco Barrios – collided with a police cruiser. Law enforcement officials who investigated the incident, which occurred in Hialeah, Florida, determined that Barrios had driven through a stop sign and was at fault for the accident, but Castillo's mother believes otherwise. 

According to NBC 6 South Florida, Susie Castillo has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, claiming that Officer Raul Somarriba, the driver of the police cruiser, was responsible for the wreck. The plaintiff's attorney, Carlos Silva, told the source that Somarriba was driving irresponsibly at the time of the incident, and that he has the surveillance video to prove it. 

"What it shows is the officer doing a very high rate of speed in a 40-mile-an-hour zone," Silva said, noting that Somarriba was on his way to a non-emergency call. "We know that this vehicle was traveling well over 80 miles an hour, we also know he blew through a red light."

The lawsuit also claims that rescue crews who responded to the accident gave Somarriba preferential treatment over Castillo.

The plaintiff told the source that she wants to receive the justice she deserves on behalf of her daughter.

"When [police officers] do something wrong, they're accountable," Silva added. "They should be held responsible, and not hide behind the badge."

If one of your family members has died as a result of negligent behavior and you live in Missouri, consider finding a personal injury lawyer who will work hard on your behalf. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

A 19-year-old Maryland man was shot and killed in an alleged murder-for-hire scheme in Baltimore in April 2011, and his family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his former attorney, claiming that the lawyer's malpractice played a hand in the victim's death. 

According to WBALTV.com, a local news outlet, Isiah Callaway died after being shot multiple times while sitting in his car on Crystal Avenue. The source states that Callaway faced minor charges for his involvement in a mail fraud scheme and had hired attorney Larry Feldman to represent him in court.

Federal prosecutors allegedly approached Feldman about obtaining Callaway's cooperation in the case, but the lawyer never disclosed this information to his client. The lawsuit states that Feldman contacted another one of his clients, Tavon Davis, who had also been part of the mail fraud scheme, to discuss how the two suspects could receive reduced prison sentences, suggesting that getting rid of Callaway might be the only option.

"He was executed because of the misconduct of an attorney," said Steve Silverman, the lawyer representing the victim's family. "Mr. Callaway came to Mr. Feldman to try to get a lighter sentence in a minor case. What he ended up getting was a death sentence." 

If one of your family members has died as a result of negligent behavior and you live in Missouri, consider finding a personal injury lawyer who will work hard on your behalf. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

On May 13, 2011, 28-year-old National Hockey League (NHL) player Derek Boogaard – a left wing for the New York Rangers – died of an accidental drug and alcohol overdose. According to CBS New York, medical professionals posthumously diagnosed him with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition that results from consistent head trauma. 

Now, a year after he passed away, Boogaard's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NHL, alleging that it should be held accountable for the hockey player's brain damage and prescription painkiller addiction. 

The lawsuit states that the NHL should have been aware that men who play certain positions have an increased risk of brain damage and are susceptible to becoming addicted to drugs, and that it should have known that Boogaard was abusing painkillers and resisting necessary treatment. 

"To distill this to one sentence, you take a young man, you subject him to trauma, you give him pills for that trauma, he becomes addicted to those pills, you promise to treat him for that addiction and you fail," said William Gibbs, the attorney representing the victim's family. 

It is unclear at the time how much money in damages the family is seeking. 

If one of your family members has died as a result of negligent behavior and you live in Missouri, consider finding a personal injury lawyer who will work hard on your behalf. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages to which you may be entitled.

On April 29, lawyers presented closing arguments to a jury in a Tulare County courtroom following nearly a month of testimony in a wrongful death case filed against the City of Porterville, California. 

According to The Fresno Bee, a regional news source, 26-year-old Vincent Steen was killed by three law enforcement officials from the Porterville Police Department on January 10, 2010. The plaintiffs – Steen's mother, Cathy Connor, and brother, Randy Steen – allege that the victim was shot in front of them and bled to death in Connor's home. They claim that Steen was unarmed when the incident occurred, and are seeking damages for his wrongful death and for the negligent infliction of emotional distress. 

While the attorney representing the city has said that Steen ignored numerous commands from the officers and appeared to pose an immediate threat to their safety, the family's lawyer, Roger Dreyer, alleges that the law enforcement officials acted violently toward the victim, who he referred to as a "frightened man," while attempting to arrest him.

"When unreasonable force is being used, the person being arrested can lawfully use reasonable force to protect himself," said Dreyer. 

The source states that the incident started when police stopped Steen at around 7 p.m. while he was riding his bicycle because they thought he appeared suspicious. The victim fled from the officers after they used a Taser to try to subdue him, running to his mother's home three blocks away.

If one of your family members has died as a result of negligent behavior and you live in Missouri, consider finding a personal injury lawyer who will work hard on your behalf. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

On Friday, April 26, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled that 42-year-old Renee Mihalik can proceed with a lawsuit against a financial services company that claims she was fired for objecting to sexual harassment, even though there is evidence that suggests she performed her job poorly.

According to The Associated Press, Mihalik is seeking $5 million in damages from brokerage house Credit Agricole Cheuvreux North America Inc., claiming that the company's chief executive officer, Ian Peacock, propositioned her for sex, commented on her appearance and engaged in other inappropriate actions while she was employed under him.

Circuit Judge Denny Chin stated in his opinion that although Mihalik may have been fired for poor job performance, a jury should be allowed to determine whether Peacock actually used her shortcomings as an excuse to punish her for rejecting his advances. In her lawsuit, Mihalik alleged that she was terminated for these reasons, stating that Peacock asked her, "'What's not working out? Me and you or me at the company?'"

"If a jury so found, it would be free to infer that Cheuvreux is using Mihalik's poor performance now as a mere cover-up for retaliation,'' noted the appeals court. "Even a poorly performing employee is entitled to an environment free from sexual harassment.''

Brian Heller, the lawyer representing Mihalik, said that it's important for all workers to be protected from sexual harassment, regardless of the quality of their work. 

If you live in Missouri and have been the victim of sexual harassment or gender discrimination, you can take a stand against the perpetrator. Consider scheduling a consultation with an affordable lawyer in Kansas City. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

The parents of a Tennessee State football player have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university following their son's death last season during practice. They are seeking $5 million in damages. 

According to USA Today, 19-year-old Wayne Jones III – a freshman at the school – collapsed on the field on November 7, 2012. The plaintiffs – Wayne Jones Jr. and Sonya John – have alleged that the team's football coaches and trainers did not provide assistance to their son quickly enough to save his life, and instead allowed a lengthy amount of time to pass before they approached him. Their lawyer, Joe Haynes, said that he will present eyewitness accounts in court to back up these claims. 

An autopsy reported stated that the official cause of death was a fatal arrhythmia due to scar tissue in the heart.

"This type of heart arrhythmia in athletes is not that uncommon so if you provide the assistance that's needed in the first few seconds and minutes you can recover from it, you can survive it," Haynes said. "I really think they ignored him and felt that he was being cocky or faking or something."

As of April 29, the coach of the football team and the university's athletic director declined to comment on the lawsuit, states USA Today. 

If one of your family members has died as a result of negligent behavior and you live in Missouri, consider finding a personal injury lawyer who will work hard on your behalf. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

Most Americans recall the tragedy that occurred last February when unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was fatally shot outside his father's home by 28-year-old George Zimmerman, a volunteer neighborhood watchman. The incident sparked nationwide controversy and resulted in Zimmerman being charged with second degree murder, though he stated in court that he was acting in self-defense. 

On April 5, the Orlando Sentinel reported that Martin's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, reached a settlement with the homeowners' association in the community where their son was killed after suing them for wrongful death. Though the amount they were awarded has not been confirmed, the source notes that it is believed to be more than $1 million. 

The portion of the settlement made available to the public states the following, according to the Orlando Sentinel: 

"It is understood and agreed that the payment made herein is not to be construed as an admission of any liability by or on behalf of the releasing parties, but instead the monies being paid hereunder is consideration for avoiding litigation, the uncertainties stemming from litigation as well as to protect and secure the good name and good will of the released parties."

Martin's family says they still plan to file a civil claim against Zimmerman, who is scheduled to go on trial in June for the second degree murder charges. 

If one of your family members has died as a result of a business's negligent behavior and you live in Missouri, consider finding a personal injury lawyer that will work hard on your behalf. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Allina Health System and New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC) in Minnesota after a man died while under the care of doctors and nurses in the hospital's emergency department on October 25, 2006. 

According to The Journal, a local news publication, 45-year-old Veryln Buls – who weighed 400 pounds – was admitted to the hospital with an itchy rash covering a significant part of his body. He collapsed later that day and died despite attempts to resuscitate him. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was cardiac dysrythmia with underlying coronary artery disease. 

The attorney representing the plaintiffs has alleged that Buls's vital signs were irregular and that doctors should have done more to evaluate him. 

Dr. Tom Davis, a Park Nicollet Heart Center cardiologist, and Katie Wohlers, a Registered Nurse in the NUMC emergency department, both testified in Brown County District Court on behalf of the defendants. Davis said that doctors followed the appropriate standards of care when they treated Buls, and Wohlers testified that the victim did not convey how ill he was when he was admitted to the hospital. 

"He told me he had high stress and [a] rash in recent months but was in no apparent distress other than the rash," Wohlers said. "His oxygen saturation was good, and he was breathing normally. He denied having chest pain. He was a smoker with hypertension history and an elevated heart rate and denied having any allergies."

If one of your family members has died as a result of negligent behavior and you live in Missouri, consider finding a personal injury lawyer that will work hard on your behalf. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.

Last week, Mike Rice was fired from his position as head coach of the Rutgers University men's basketball team after a video of him physically and verbally abusing his players surfaced and went viral. A few days later, the school also made the decision to let athletic director Tim Pernetti go. 

Now, Eric Murdock, former director of player development for the team, has come forward and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Rutgers, alleging that he tried for six months to alert university officials to Rice's behavior – which they ignored – and was ultimately terminated from his position on July 2, 2012 as a result. 

According to the suit, Rice said he fired Murdock for insubordination after he attended another basketball-related event against the coach's wishes, but Murdock claims that he was let go for publicly voicing his concerns about the abuse taking place on the court. 

"Efforts to get Rutgers to address their problems were ignored for months," Murdock stated in a Friday afternoon news conference. "Instead, I was removed from my position. That is wrong and why I filed a lawsuit."

It is unclear how much money Murdock is seeking in damages, reports NJ.com, but he accused the university of six counts of wrongdoing and has asked the court to order Rutgers to prevent this kind of bullying and harassment from happening in the future. 

If you live in Missouri and have been the victim of wrongful termination, you may want to consider scheduling a consultation with a lawyer in Kansas City. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.