Articles by Jef Feeley and Sophia Pearson

Court Upholds NFL’s $765 Million Concussion Settlement as ‘Fair’

The National Football League’s $765 million concussion settlement was found by a federal appeals court to be fair, if imperfect. The decision sets in motion the resolution of thousands of lawsuits covering more than 20,000 retired players. About 1 percent …

Plaintiff in First ‘Bellwether’ GM Ignition Switch Trial Drops Case

The Oklahoma mail carrier at the center of the first trial over General Motors Co.’s deadly ignition-switch defect is dropping his claims after being accused of lying to the court. Robert Scheuer, 49, will walk away from the case empty- …

Insurance to Offset Merck’s $830M Settlement with Investors Over Vioxx

More than 11 years after pulling its Vioxx painkiller from the market, Merck & Co. agreed to pay another $830 million to settle litigation, raising its total payouts in lawsuits and government investigations to more than $8.5 billion. The settlement …

How a King of Coal Conspired Against Mine Safety

To hear Donald L. Blankenship tell it, the U.S. coal industry has been undone by inept regulators, evil unions, the media and “global warming hoaxers.” But for jurors at his criminal trial in Charleston, West Virginia, it’s the king of …

Jury Finds Ernst & Young Liable for Faulty Madoff Audits

Ernst & Young LLP was found liable by a jury for its failure to vet financial audits backed by con man Bernie Madoff’s accountant in the first trial of an auditor over losses tied to the biggest Ponzi scheme in …

U.S. Investors Sue Volkswagen Over Diesel Emissions Scandal

Volkswagen AG was accused in a lawsuit of scheming to defraud U.S. investors who paid artificially inflated prices for the company’s foreign shares while it cheated on vehicle emissions tests. In what may be the first investor suit over Volkswagen’s …

‘John Doe’ Sues Adultery Website Ashley Madison in U.S.

The Canadian-based adultery website AshleyMadison.com faces a U.S. backlash — led by the always- litigious “John Doe” — over a data breach that exposed more than 37 million formerly anonymous users. The complainants still seek to maintain their anonymity behind …

Washington Redskins, Disparaging Trademarks and Free Speech

The National Football League’s Washington Redskins lost some protection for its controversial name after a federal judge ruled it may be disparaging to Native Americans. The decision doesn’t bar the team’s commercial use of the trademarked name, but it opens …

Judge Rules for Greenberg in Suit Against AIG Bailout But Nixes Damages

Update: Greenberg Will Appeal AIG Bailout Case Win Over Lack of Damages The U.S. set illegal terms in demanding American International Group Inc. stock for an $85 billion bailout during the financial crisis, but that doesn’t mean AIG investors deserve …

Wal-Mart Settles With Tracy Morgan Over Turnpike Crash Suit

Tracy Morgan and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. settled the actor-comedian’s lawsuit over a New Jersey Turnpike crash that had left him in a coma for days and killed another comedian. Morgan was riding in a van that was struck from behind …