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Partner Jennifer L. Emmons represented a little girl, now 7 years old, whose arm was injured during her birth. During the delivery and after the baby's head came out, her shoulder got stuck.  This is referred to in obstetrics as a shoulder dystocia.  There was evidence that the nurse midwife, who was the only obstetrical provider at the delivery, pulled on the baby in order to free her shoulder and get her delivered. This is not an appropriate maneuver nor an appropriate technique to free a shoulder that is stuck or impacted during delivery.  The standard of medical care required the midwife to avoid using improper downward, lateral traction on the baby's head in an attempt to deliver the baby in this situation.  As a result of the force used by the midwife to deliver this baby, Ms. Emmons' client suffered a particularly severe brachial plexus injury, or Erb's Palsy injury to her right arm, resulting in the tearing and permanent disability of 3 nerves that left her arm significantly dysfunctional and disfigured.  The client was awarded $4 million dollars after a week-long arbitration.  Caroline Bar was second chair and assisted Jennifer during the trial.

The most recent data breach potentially exposing user information is coming out of California-based genetic testing laboratory, Ambry Genetics.  In accordance with HIPPA Breach Notification Rule, Ambry Genetics published a notice on their website announcing the potential exposure of personal health information (PHI) of 233,000 customers. 

Locks Law Firm is pleased to announce the recent victory of Partner Jerry Lindheim and Associate Timothy Burke in a vaccine claim that they litigated in the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. The case involved a woman who was administered the Fluzone vaccine, which the attorneys were able to prove was the cause of her subsequent cardiac arrest and death. The decision handed down from the Vaccine Court's Special Master represents a precedent for other vaccine claims in the country because the Petitioner's injury was an "off-table" injury, or one which the Department of Health and Human Services does not associate with the administration of the vaccine. As a result of the win, the petitioner's husband will receive compensation for his wife's untimely death and is also now entitled to seek additional compensation for her conscious pain and suffering. Locks Law Firm is proud of its tradition of aggressive trial advocacy on behalf of its clients and always works to ensure that justice is delivered to those who have been wronged.

Wawa has announced a data breach affecting customers who visited their locations and paid with a credit or debit card from March 4, 2019 to December 12, 2019. The Notice of Data Breach on their website states that, “This malware affected customer payment card information used at potentially all Wawa locations beginning at different points..”

The Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act, proposed by Reps. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), aims to ban long term care facilities from requiring nursing home residents to sign and commit to pre-dispute binding arbitration agreements.

Many people believe that asbestos was banned in the 1970s, it wasn’t. 

Regulations on the use of asbestos came in the 1970s when court documents proved that leaders in the asbestos industry were aware of the dangers but kept this information from the public. Commonly used in construction, asbestos is made of thin fibrous crystals and is highly resistant to heat. It is often used as a building material and electric insulator. Other uses include ceiling insulation, flooring, roofing and pipe insulation among other things.

Locks Law Firm is excited to announce its new affiliation with the Law Offices of Alvin F. de Levie. This affiliation allows Locks Law Firm to draw on Alvin F. de Levie’s expertise, insight and over 40 years of experience in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, and civil rights litigation. Mr. de Levie will have access to the tremendous talent, cutting edge technology, and resources of the Locks Law Firm - including the firm’s nationally renowned Benzene and environmental litigation teams. This new collaboration brings together courtroom experience in counties across Pennsylvania as well as state and federal courts across the nation. 

On July 26, 2019 the High Court of the Republic of South Africa issued a final opinion approving the settlement of a class action which was filed on behalf of former gold miners in that country who suffer from or have suffered from either silicosis or tuberculosis as a result of their work in the mines. A copy of the opinions can be found here and here. Locks Law Firm spent considerable time and resources assisting with IT support and data analysis on the case from 2012 to 2017.

Congratulations to Partner Andrew DuPont and the benzene team who obtained a $6.37 Million recovery on behalf of a man who was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) at the age of 68 which was caused by exposure to benzene in solvents, paints and paint removers while working as an autobody repairman and automobile painter.