Steve Korris News
Edwardsville School Board settles suit with golfer alleging burns from electric pain reliever
BENTON – Former Edwardsville High Scol golfer Bailey Vorachek and the school board settled a claim that an electric pain reliever burned her back.
Union Pacific sues farmers, alleging fatal crash with tractor caused $3.6 million in damages
EAST ST. LOUIS – Monroe County farmers facing a claim that their tractor derailed a Union Pacific freight train argued on Sept. 22 that Union Pacific caused the derailment.
Ann Barnum replaces Frank Bergman as human resources director in St. Clair County
BELLEVILLE – Frank Bergman, who served as St. Clair County’s human resource director for 12 years, has resigned from his position.
St. Louis attorney cautions lawyers about using AI for research, but says it could still be used effectively
ST. LOUIS – Lawyers who trusted Chat GPT for artificial intelligence cited fake cases and a judge fined them $5,000, Paige Tungate of Downey Law Group reported to asbestos lawyers at HarrisMartin's annual Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference on Sept. 20.
Carruthers to preside over Madison County asbestos docket beginning Oct. 1
ST. LOUIS - Associate judge Andrew Carruthers told asbestos lawyers on Sept. 20 that he will preside over Madison County’s asbestos docket as of Oct. 1.
Plaintiffs settle separate claims with Taco Bell, Pay Pal to avoid arbitration
EAST ST. LOUIS – Two plaintiffs in U.S. district court settled BIPA claims against Taco Bell and Pay Pal rather than arbitrate.
IL Supreme Court confirms Belleville attorney's suspension for keeping clients' money
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Supreme Court Justices suspended Belleville injury lawyer Jason Caraway for a year and until further notice on Sept. 21.
Gilbert allows wrongful termination suit against Madison County to continue after delay in service
BENTON – St. Louis County attorney Michael Gras sued Madison County for former employee Janice Koehler last December, but didn’t serve the complaint until Senior U.S. District Judge Phil Gilbert caught his attention.
Settlement reached ahead of trial in fatal train crash suit
EAST ST. LOUIS – Amtrak, Illinois Central, and the family of a man who died at a railroad crossing settled a suit that was scheduled for trial starting on Sept. 11.
IL Supreme Court grants outside judge in Hulme, Dorman defamation suit
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Supreme Court Justices granted an outside judge to former Madison County officials Doug Hulme and Rob Dorman for a suit over their termination in 2020.
NSSF seeks preliminary injunctive relief from firearm liability law
BENTON – Illinois legislators equipped Illinois judges to shut down every gun business in America, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) argued at U.S. district court on Sept. 15.
McGlynn dismisses class action alleging Walmart customers are deceived by hydrogen peroxide marketing
EAST ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn dismissed a class action complaint that labels on Walmart’s 3% hydrogen peroxide deceived shopper April Wright of Chester.
Rosenstengel compels experts to tesitfy on report authorship dispute in car crash suit
EAST ST. LOUIS – Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel ordered two experts for injury lawyer Brian Wendler to testify regarding preparation of their reports.
Meta Platforms removed to federal court a class action alleging augmented reality filters violate BIPA
BENTON – Facebook owner Meta Platforms, defending a claim that it violated privacy of everyone in pictures on Messenger and Messenger Kids applications, removed the claim from St. Clair County circuit court to U. S. district court on Aug. 31.
Amazon warehouse builders, developers settle wrongful death suit for $250K
EDWARDSVILLE – Alice and Randall McEwen, whose son Austin died in the collapse of Amazon’s Edwardsville warehouse in 2021 during a tornado, settled claims against six defendants for $165,000 and received 36% of the proceeds.
Wrongful death suit involving fatal train crash at trial in McGlynn's court; Ed Burris Disposal settles for $250,000
EAST ST. LOUIS – Five days before the start of a wrongful death trial against Amtrak, Illinois Central, and trash business Ed Burris Disposal, the trash business settled the claim for $250,000.
Belleville Crossing developer challenges federal jurisdiction in suit alleging funds were misused
EAST ST. LOUIS – Belleville Crossing developer Jonathan Larmore argues that U.S. District Judge David Dugan lacks jurisdiction over a lawsuit claiming he spent shareholders' money on lavish living while neglecting the property.
Cates challenges federal jurisdiction in suit alleging healthcare company violates privacy law through targeted Facebook ads
EAST ST. LOUIS – David Cates and seven class action colleagues who claim Southern Illinois Health Care sold private information of patients to Facebook challenged removal of the claim to U.S. district court on Sept. 5.
Softball coach sues SIU-E over alleged gender bias after hiring baseball pitching coach for softball team
EAST ST. LOUIS – Shannon Guthrie of Springfield claims former Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville athletic director Tim Hall hired a baseball coach as softball coach instead of her because of gender bias.
Mascoutah volleyball coach files defamation suit against former student who sued him for retaliation
BELLEVILLE – Mascoutah High School volleyball coach Todd Gober settled a retaliation suit filed by former student Brooke Junker and started a defamation suit against her and her parents the same day.