Litigation Commons^™

Vaccines And The Law, Michael Sanzo Ph.D.

Pepperdine Law Review

The last twenty years have seen a sea-change in the area of proving causation in the toxic tort setting, with courts demanding stronger, scientifically tested evidence. At the same time, a closely related debate has been raging about separating cause from coincidence under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act compensation program for injuries that might have been the result of vaccinations. The Vaccine Act created a no-fault compensation fund financed by a tax on childhood vaccines to address harms resulting from those vaccines. Unfortunately, Congress gave little direction with regard to the level of causal certainty that would be required …

Adult Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And The Statute Of Limitations: The Need For Consistent Application Of The Delayed Discovery Rule, Gregory G. Gordon

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

An Ind. Run Around The U.C.C.: The Use (Or Abuse?) Of Indemnity, Paul J. Wilkinson

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Warranty Claims Instituted By Non-Privity Plaintiffs In Jurisdictions That Have Adopted Uniform Commercial Code Section 2-318 (Alternative A), William L. Stallworth

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Walking The Invisible Line Of Punitive Damages: Txo Production Corp. V. Alliance Resources Corp. , Nancy G. Dragutsky

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Split-Recovery: A Constitutional Answer To The Punitive Damage Dilemma, Clay R. Stevens

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Smoking Out Big Tobacco: Some Lessons About Academic Freedom, The World Wide Web, Media Conglomeration, And Public Service Pedagogy From The Battle Over The Brown & Williamson Documents, Clay Calvert

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Medtronic, Inc. V. Lohr: Is Federal Pre-Emption A Heartbeat Away From Death Under The Medical Device Amendments?, Mark E. Gelsinger

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Fda Sends Smoke Signals To Big Tobacco: Will The Fda Suffer Backlash, Will Alcohol Be Regulated Next, And Will The Health Of Americans Prevail?, Angela Turriciano

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Is The United States V. Olin Decision Full Of Sound And Fury Signifying Nothing?: The Future Of Retroactive Liability Of The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, And Liability Act, Kevin J. Slattum

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Misapplication Of The Attorney Malpractice Paradigm To Litigation Services: "Suit Within A Suit" Shortcomings Compel Witness Immunity For Experts, Adam J. Myers Iii

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Cigarette Litigation's Offspring: Assessing Tort Issues Related To Guns, Alcohol, & Other Controversial Products In Light Of The Tobacco Wars , Gary T. Schwartz

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Lead Paint Public Entity Lawsuits: Has The Broad Stroke Of Tobacco And Firearms Litigation Painted A Troubling Picture For Lead Paint Manufacturers?, Amber E. Dean

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Absolute Immunity From Civil Liability: Lessons For Litigation Lawyers, T. Leigh Anenson

Pepperdine Law Review

The common law doctrine of absolute immunity provided to litigation lawyers is said to be "as old as law." This centuries-old doctrine protects litigators from lawsuits instigated by the adversaries of their clients. It is typically invoked, irrespective of any nefarious or malicious motives, so long as the course of action taken bears some reasonable relation to the lawsuit. This Article examines the historical antecedents of the litigation privilege as well as the policies motivating its creation. It also provides a comprehensive description of the doctrine of absolute immunity, explores the circumstances in which it has been applied, and discusses …

Addressing The "Elephantine Mass" Of Asbestos Cases: Consolidation Versus Inactive Dockets (Pleural Registries) And Case Management Plans That Defer Claims Filed By The Non-Sick, Victor E. Schwartz, Mark A, Behrens, Rochelle M. Tedesco

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Merging Roles: Mass Tort Lawyers As Agents And Trustees, Charles Silver

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Cumulative Sources Of The Asbestos Litigation Phenomenon, George L. Priest

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Asbestos Litigation And Bankruptcy: A Case Study For Ad Hoc Public Policy Limitations On Joint And Several Liability, Richard L. Cupp Jr

Pepperdine Law Review

Over a decade ago, the Federal Judicial Conference warned of an asbestos litigation “disaster of major proportions.” The Supreme Court of the United States has described the litigation as a “crisis.” According the RAND Institute for Civil Justice, by the end of 2000, more than 600,000 asbestos claims were filed. RAND estimates that as many as three million more plaintiffs may eventually file claims. Most new claimants are not sick. The flood of claims has forced almost sixty companies into bankruptcy; many of these bankruptcies are very recent. As a result, defendants with only remote connections to asbestos – known …

Lawyer Ethics On The Lunar Landscape Of Asbestos Litigation, Roger C. Cramton

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Judicial Efficiency In Asbestos Litigation, Alfred Chiantelli

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

On The Theory Class's Theories Of Asbestos Litigation: The Disconnect Between Scholarship And Reality?, Lester Brickman

Pepperdine Law Review

More than 100,000 new asbestos claims were filed in 2003, the most ever in one year. Asbestos litigation thus continues to thrive even though 80-90% of claimants have no illness recognized by medical science, let alone suffer any lung impairment. To explain how this disconnect between medical science and tort litigation has come about, I cover the following subjects: 1) medical consequences of exposure to asbestos-containing materials; 2) the phenomenon of the unimpaired claimant; 3) medical evidence with regard to the incidence of asbestosis; 4) the effect on asbestos litigation of the failure of the Manville Trust audit to be …

Alternatives To Asbestos Impairment Standards, Alan Brayton

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Keeping Junk Science Out Of Asbestos Litigation, David E. Bernstein

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Asbestos & The Sleeping Constitution, Griffin B. Bell

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Bareboat Charters: Can A Shipowner Limit Liability To Third Parties? Answers For Owners Attempting To Navigate The Unsettled Waters In The Eleventh Circuit, John W. Chitty

Georgia State University Law Review

A bareboat charter is a contractual agreement akin to the lease of a vessel whereby most of the “customary liabilities” of the owner are shifted to the charterer. Some courts have raised concerns over bareboat charters—also referred to as a demise charter—regarding the ability of owners to use the bareboat device as a means to limit liability to injured third parties.

In Baker v. Raymond International, Inc. the Fifth Circuit brought force to this concern; the court held a bareboat charter would no longer shield owners from personal liability for third party injuries caused by the unseaworthiness of a vessel, …

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund: The Answer To Victim Relief?, Joe Ward

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

The events of September 11, 2001 shook America to its core. The world was forever changed as the horrific tragedy unfolded on live television. Families were destroyed as loved ones were severely injured or killed, leaving spouses and children in need of aid. In response, the United States government established the September 11th Victims' Compensation Fund in an effort to provide the necessary reparations to victims of the terrorist attacks. This article will analyze the September 11th Victims' Compensation Fund (hereafter "Fund") as a way of compensating victims while preserving the financial stability of the United States economy. This Fund …

Preparations For A Storm: A Proposal For Managing The Litigation Stemming From September 11th, 2001 , A. David E. Balahadia

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

After the attacks, the United States government immediately began to address the exorbitant number of problems and issues that resulted. One of the first issues the government addressed was victim compensation. The creation of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund by virtue of the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act was the first step towards victim compensation. The VCF would help relatives and families of those killed in the attacks. However, the VCF has several limitations that narrow the scope of those eligible for compensation. The limitations of the VCF are indirectly creating a new two-pronged problem: the first …

Brushing Off Lawsuits: Dental Peer Review Examined , Lisa C. Markarian

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

For all contractual and legal intents and purposes, a dentist is a provider of services, while the patient who consents to treatment is a consumer. A dentist's fees reflect, in part, the cost of malpractice insurance protection. Dentists can also calculate into their fees any refunds they may pay back to patients who suffer adverse results.8 An injured patient on the other hand has limited means of protection against damages resulting from the wrongful acts of dentists. The options open to patients include: (1) filing a complaint in civil court, (2) reporting the incident to a government agency such as …

Mediation In The Health Care System: Creative Problem Solving , Sheea Sybblis

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Part I of this paper provides a comparison of the use of litigation and mediation in the health care context. Part II explores how mediation can be used to improve many of the often criticized aspects of adjudication systems and alleviate tension between parties in health care disputes. Part III provides an evaluation of current mediation programs and studies in health care, as well as the expanding role of mediators. Part IV incorporates assessments of the potential success of mediation to resolve health care disputes in the future and provides suggestions to strengthen the process.

The Clinton-Obama Approach To Medical Malpractice Reform: Reviving The Most Meaningful Features Of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Grant Wood Geckeler

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

An introduction to medical malpractice reform would be incomplete without mentioning the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) 1999 report, To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, which lists medical errors as the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. While much attention premiums, the media's recent interest in the application of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) tactics in medical malpractice cases has increased. The quest for a one-size-fits-all fix to rising health care costs has turned to ADR for guidance in the past, with hopes that binding arbitration and voluntary mediation would resolve the crisis. Recently, the …