Category Archives: Settlements

Driving for Change

A recent settlement between the state of Massachusetts and two leading transportation platforms, Uber and Lyft, promises a wage increase and enhanced benefits to its drivers. In addition, the settlement halts the attempt of the two companies to propose an intended 2024 ballot question that would support the classification of drivers as independent contractors, with limited benefits and without the guarantee of minimum wage. The initiative to essentially change employment laws in the state of Massachusetts was initially countered by the state with its own ballot question that would allow drivers the opportunity to unionize.

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Change Their Tune

Among her various roles as a singer, songwriter, and television personality, Kelly Clarkson has also recently emerged in the headlines due to her rapid weight loss transformation. With a healthier approach to life, Clarkson has worked toward trimming additional layers of concern, such as an ongoing lawsuit with her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. The two parties were scheduled to attend a bench trial on August 27, however, following their settlement, they have asked the court to dismiss all pending cases. The dispute between the former couple originated with Blackstock’s claim that he was owed unpaid commission as Clarkson’s manager.

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Time to Heal

Two years after an active shooter slayed 21 individuals at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, the families of the deceased students and the city reached a legal settlement. The $2 million amount was calculated based on insurance coverage for the city, as the families did not wish to completely deplete the city’s assets. Pursuing further compensation from Uvalde would subsequently drive the city to bankruptcy. The agreed upon compensation, however, seemed relatively fair to the majority and would also allow the community to heal without financial ruin.

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Calling all Customers!

AT&T announced in March that a collection of personal, private information about 73 million of the company’s former and current customers was breached. Although the data was posted on the internet this year by the hacker enterprise known as MajorNelson, AT&T confirmed that the compilation of information stemmed from five years ago or even earlier. Following the alleged flagrant and negligent disregard for maintaining appropriate security of its customer’s private records, AT&T has been named in a proposed class action lawsuit. The breakdown of those impacted includes 7.6 million current customers and 65.4 million former customers.

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Nursing a Community

This summer, a settlement is set to receive final approval, which would benefit thousands of Medicaid recipients living in nursing homes across the state of Massachusetts. The original lawsuit was filed in October 2022 on behalf of seven nursing home residents that argued the state was within violation of a 1999 US Supreme Court ruling, which characterizes the failure to provide a means for services to those who wish to live outside of care facilities as discriminatory. In the settlement, the state of Massachusetts would agree to pay $1 billion over the next eight years toward community support options.

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