Topics: Consumer Law - 171 results

Zip codes are considered personal information when it comes to Massachusetts consumer privacy laws, the state Supreme Court ruled last week in a decision that could have national implications for large retail chains. In Tyler v. Michaels Stores, the court unanimously agreed that “a zip code constitutes personal identification information” and therefore could not be solicited during credit card purchases unless the consumer volunteers to provide it, with the knowledge that it could be used for marketing purposes. The suit …

The reports from the Carnival Triumph, the cruise ship that was stranded for days in February without electricity or working plumbing, were viscerally horrific.  One passenger described the experience as just like camping “except crowded and unhygienic.” “People are getting sick because sewage everyone; urine on the floors, waste in bags, and undercooked food, [sic]” the passenger said on Reddit. “Strong fecal and urine stench near the cabins and just a poor environment.” As the public relations repercussions continue to …

  Watch this news video if you or anyone you know is on a blood thinner. It could provide life saving information. Pradaxa, an anticoagulant medication, helps prevent blood clots and strokes. It’s often used with people who have irregular heartbeats. But more than 500 people from around the country have reported to the F.D.A. bleeding deaths involving Pradaxa. Mikal Watts is the lead counsel in the multi-district litigation of 300 plaintiffs suing the drug maker, a German manufacturer, Boehringer …

Think that Bud Light tastes watery? Your taste buds could be even more on-point than you realize. Class action lawsuits have been filed in at least seven states, with more to come, alleging that the Anheuser-Busch brewing company has been exaggerating the alcohol content of many of its products. Its flagship brand Budweiser is the third most popular beer in the country, and Anheuser-Busch products overall make up 39 percent of the U.S. beer market. The lawsuits allege that the …

The United States Supreme Court heard arguments today in a case that will determine if patents on genetically modified seeds also extend to the future generations of seeds that they produce. The justices appeared likely to affirm lower court findings that agriculture patents do protect multiple generations of GMO seeds, according to the Associated Press. The high court is hearing the appeal of Indiana farmer Vernon Bowman, who started buying GMO soy seeds from agriculture giant Monsanto in 1999. Monsanto’s …