Tag Archives: property damage

Pitt Needs to Make It Right

Constructing a sound lawsuit

Brad Pitt is in the spotlight again, and the reason is something other than promoting a new movie. A lawsuit filed on behalf of several victims of Hurricane Katrina are taking action against Pitt and his charitable organization, Make It Right.  In an effort to assist those devastatingly impacted by Hurricane Katrina, Pitt’s foundation built homes to replace the structures lost in the hurricane.  According to the lawsuit, the homes constructed by the organization are quickly deteriorating.  Although many victims are left to live in homes that are apparently unlivable, Brad Pitt is denouncing all responsibility and involvement in the alleged neglect. Continue reading →

Explosive Settlement for Merrimack Valley, MA

Residents left to pick up the pieces

At the end of July 2019, a $143 million settlement was announced, connected to a September 2018 Massachusetts natural gas explosion that left one resident dead and 25 other residents injured.  Other individuals were also affected, as 100 buildings and homes in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover were damaged.  Due to the shared misfortune following the explosion, a class action lawsuit was filed against Columbia Gas of Massachusetts and NiSource Inc.  A judge is now left to evaluate the terms of the settlement for approval.  In the opinion of some, $143 million is only a small price to pay for the inconvenience and suffering of those who were forced to live without services of natural gas and must also rebuild their lives and homes. Continue reading →

Stormpocalypse

Also affecting sea creatures

Just more than a year after Hurricane Irene mangled the eastern seaboard, Hurricane Sandy has reared her ugly head threatening to repeat the devastation.  The entire east coast of the United States is scrambling for shelter as the monster hybrid storm moves it’s way north faster than expected.  This “Frankenstorm” is over 1,000 miles wide with maximum sustained winds of 90mph.  Millions of people have evacuated their homes to move farther inland. Even NYC is experiencing mandatory evacuations, leaving the city looking like a scene from I Am Legend.

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Not So Neat: Whiskey Distilleries Spread Fungus

Whiskey barrels

The citizens of Louisville, Kentucky and the surrounding area have recently sued the local Whiskey distilleries because of a “black gunk” that was found over the roofs of their houses and cars.  As a result, property damage and negligence lawsuits have been filed against factories along the “Bourbon Trail.”  The main cause of the sooty germination is a naturally occurring fungus that latches onto ethanol, which many distilleries continue to emit.  Though monetary damages have not been specified many are asking the companies to reevaluate their environmental policies. Read more

Renters Win $500,000 Settlement Against Landlord’s Scam

Rental scam

A landlord in Baltimore made quite a profit by faking property damage and suing his former renters for restitution.  That is, until Hong Park, a nonprofit legal aide looking into the matter for one of the renters, found the landlord’s claims to be a little fishy.  The landlord had provided supposed invoices from contractors detailing repairs to the property.  Park noted some suspicions about the invoices though — namely, that they didn’t have any company logos and that they were dated when collections began, not when the renter moved out.  The lawyer called up some of the referenced contractors and, lo and behold, all of the invoices were forged by the landlord.  Park sent the info on to the Maryland Attorney General’s office, and some subpoenas and a class-action lawsuit later, the owner of Ager Road Station Apartments will pay a $500,000 settlement to the former renters he swindled.  For anyone who’s dealt with a less-than-honorable landlord in the past, this settlement is a welcome victory.

Keep reading for tips on how to protect yourself from this kind of scam