Final Judgement Order of PS & Capital BC Settlement

Young Daughter: "Mommy's Dying"

Bridget Robb Can't Take Legal Action Because Device Was FDA-Approved
As her 6-year-old daughter watched in horror, Bridget Robb screamed in pain."Am I dying?" Robb asked the 911 operator. "I'm young. I don't wanna die." On Dec. 17, 2007, Robb's implanted defibrillator malfunctioned, shocking her heart a total of 31 times in the span of a few minutes. READ MORE

Supreme Court Decision on Bridge v. Phoenix
Opinion Syllabus
Supreme Court Opinion

CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST SHIPPING COMPANIES ALLEGING PRICE FIXING AND FRAUDULENT CONCEALMENT

Plaintiffs’ Counsel Eric Quetglas: Lawsuit on Behalf Of Puerto Rican Shippers Seeks Class Action Status For All Similarly Situated Shippers

Tuesday May 6, 2008: San Juan, Puerto Rico: Eric Quetglas of the Quetglas Law Firm in Condado, Puerto Rico, Archie Lamb of the Lamb Firm in Birmingham, Alabama and Joe Whatley of Whatley Drake and Kallas of New York, New York announced today the filing of a class action lawsuit against major Jones Act shipping companies and their subsidiaries. The litigation focuses on the anti-competitive pricing practices of the companies that control shipping to and from the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The named Plaintiffs are Transporte Diaz, a business operating and principally located in San Juan, Puerto Rico that ships tires using ocean freight services, and J.A. Diaz & Co., a business operating and principally located in San Juan, Puerto Rico that ships tires using ocean freight services.. Named Defendants include Horizon Lines, Inc., Horizon Lines of Puerto Rico, Horizon Lines, LLC, Sea Star Line, LLC, Crowley Maritime Corporation, Crowley Liner Services, Inc. and Trailer Bridge, Inc. “The alleged actions of these companies have resulted in increased prices of shipments made by our clients and increased cost of all goods for consumers throughout the island” noted local counsel Eric Quetglas. “Unfortunately, it appears in this case that the reports were not honest and many individual investors have been harmed” he concluded. The lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for Puerto Rico and seeks to represent all similarly situated class members. A jury trial in Puerto Rico is requested by the complaint. The shipping companies and its management have thirty days to respond to the allegations contained in the complaint. Additional background information and copies of the Complaints are available from the Contacts noted above.

LITIGATION UPDATE: TWO ADDITIONAL LAWSUITS FILED TODAY AGAINST TOTAL BODY ESSENTIAL NUTRITION, INC. AND WRIGHT PHARMA REGARDING DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

Plaintiffs' Primary Counsel Archie Lamb: Lawsuits on Behalf of Consumers Address Severe Adverse Reactions and hospitalization due to the Dietary Supplements Body Formula® and Total Body Mega Formula®

Wednesday, April 23, 2008: Birmingham Alabama: The Lamb Firm, LLC announced today the filing of two additional lawsuits against Total Body Essential Nutrition, Inc. and Wright Pharma for the two companies' negligent manufacture and distribution of the dangerous and defective dietary supplements, Total Body Formula® and Total Body Mega Formula®. The lawsuit seeks damages for the unwitting customers injured by the negligence of the defendant.
The initial two lawsuits were also filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama on behalf of two Alabama consumers on April 8, 2008. All plaintiffs have suffered hair loss, intense pain, discolored nails and several have been hospitalized. The long term affects of the dangerous supplement have yet to be determined. "We are working now to learn more about the long term outcomes" noted nationally recognized trial attorney Archie Lamb. "We anticipate filing additional cases next week. Our firm continues to receive calls from throughout the country seeking information on the litigation" he concluded. Information about the manufacturer and the litigation can be found at www.totalbodyrecall.com. Additional background information on the firm can be found at www.archielamb.com. Copies of the Complaints are available from the Contact noted above.

Benefit Managers Profit by Specialty Drug Rights
Doctors treating children with a rare and severe form of epilepsy were stunned by the news. A crucial drug, H.P. Acthar Gel, that had been selling for $1,600 a vial would now cost $23,000.READ MORE

DISTRIBUTOR RECALLS DIETARY SUPPLEMENT
FDA Warns Consumers about "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to purchase or consume Total Body Formula in the flavors of Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar, or Total Body Mega Formula in the Orange/Tangerine flavor. The liquid dietary supplement products may cause severe adverse reactions, including significant hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue. The Total Body Formula products are sold in eight-ounce and 32-ounce plastic bottles. The Total Body Mega Formula is sold in 32-ounce plastic bottles. Both products are distributed by Total Body Essential Nutrition of Atlanta. The company is the sole distributor of the products and has voluntarily recalled Total Body Formula in the flavors of Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar and Total Body Mega Formula in Orange/Tangerine flavor. The Florida Department of Health recently provided reports to the FDA on 23 individuals who experienced serious reactions to these products seven to 10 days after ingestion. In all cases, the reactions included significant hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue. The FDA subsequently learned and is investigating a report that some individuals in Tennessee using the same products have experienced similar reactions. FDA laboratories are analyzing samples of the products to identify the cause of the reactions, including the possibility that the products contain excessive amounts of selenium, which is known to cause symptoms such as those described in the adverse events reported to the agency. Selenium, a trace mineral, is needed only in small amounts for good health. The products have been distributed in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The FDA is advising consumers in all states to avoid using the products immediately and to discard the products by placing them in a trash receptacle outside of the home. Consumers who have been taking the products and have experienced adverse reactions should consult their health care professional. If you have experienced adverse reactions from Total Body Formula or Total Body Mega Formula, contact The Lamb Firm at 205.324.4644.

VIOXX SETTLEMENT DOCUMENTS
Official Press Release
Vioxx Master Settlement Agreement
Vioxx Master Settlement Agreement with Exhibits
Description of Settlement
Claimant Valuation Examples
OfficialVioxxSettlement.com

November 15, 2007
Lamb discusses Vioxx settlement
OLDWICK, N.J. November 14 (BestWire) - The aggressive legal strategy Merck & Co. Inc. used during the three-year battle over its recall of the painkiller Vioxx may highlight another change in product liability litigation - insurers trying to avoid high legal expenses.
"People will be scrutinizing the legal costs and strategies of these situations," said Jim Walters, national managing director of Aon's life sciences group.
Merck, the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant, announced on Nov. 9 a $4.85 billion settlement involving litigation representing some 47,000 plaintiffs. The company, which said it had set aside nearly $2 billion for legal expenses, said it had won judgments in 12 of the 17 cases it fought at trial.
Walters said it is possible that Merck's handling of the Vioxx litigation may point the way to dealing with "what appeared to be a runaway problem" in product liability litigation. But the costs will also be noted, he said.
"This is obviously a big bill," Walters said of Merck's legal costs. "That could possibly lead the insurance market to view legal fees in a different manner, in terms of restricting."
He said Aon and other brokers have already tracked some steps in that direction by insurers.
"We've already seen cases where the market wants to include legal costs within the limit of liability," Walton said. "That's a huge restriction."
In announcing the settlement, Bruce N. Kuhlik, senior vice president and general counsel of Merck, called it "consistent with our commitment to defend each claim individually through rigorous scientific scrutiny."
"Under the agreement, there will be an orderly, documented and objective process to examine individual claims to determine if they qualify for payment," Kuhlik said. "This agreement also makes sense for the company because, since 2004, we have reserved approximately $1.9 billion for defending Vioxx litigation and, absent this agreement, could anticipate that the litigation might stretch on for years."
One of the plaintiff's attorneys involved in the months-long negotiations with Merck, Archie Lamb of The Lamb Firm in Birmingham, Ala., agreed in part with Kuhlik.
"Each corporate decision-maker has a different strategy and tactics," Lamb said. "I think Merck honestly had the feeling that in certain cases they had a legitimate liability and cause case, so they picked certain cases to take to trial."
The settlement treats each plaintiff individually, and each plaintiff must prove harm from Vioxx. Lamb said persons with longer duration of use and higher dosages will get larger settlements, and those with other medical problems that may have contributed to the heart attack or ischemic stroke that formed the basis of the suit will get less.
"This is sort of a stand-alone case," Lamb said. "It's not really an insurance-driven case. It's more of a corporate policy-driven case."
Under the agreement, Merck said it would create separate settlement funds in the amount of $4 billion for heart attack claims and $850 million for ischemic stroke claims. It said the settlement involved 26,600 separate lawsuits.
(By Alyn Ackermann, senior associate editor, BestWeek: Alyn.Ackermann@ambest.com)

The Lamb Firm and Quetglas Law Firm Announced Today the Firms' Participation In the $4.85 Billion National Vioxx Settlement With Merck & Co. Inc.
Birmingham AL and Condado Puerto Rico-- Nationally recognized class action attorney Archie Lamb and Puerto Rico attorney Eric Quetglas announced today the combined firms participation in the nationwide settlement agreement with pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. Inc. The settlement should resolve at least 85% of the personal injury lawsuits in the U.S. And Puerto Rico over Vioxx use.
"This was a positive result for all concerned and will have an impact on many injured victims.," noted Lamb. "We are pleased for all of our injured victims in Puerto Rico," concluded Quetglas.
Today's settlement with Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Merck marks the end of a series of legal battles that began after the company withdrew Vioxx from store shelves in September 2004. Vioxx was pulled from the market after a study revealed that users of the drug were more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes than people using other pain medications.
To interview Mr. Lamb, please contact Jenenne Boyd at 800 324 4425.

MERCK TO PAY $4.85B VIOXX SETTLEMENT
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Merck & Co. will pay $4.85 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits over the painkiller Vioxx in one of the largest civil cases ever, the company said Friday. Merck faced about 26,600 lawsuits representing 47,000 plaintiffs, plus about 265 potential class action cases, filed by people or family members who claimed the drug proved fatal or injured its users. The agreement is to cover cases filed in federal and state courts. The deal becomes binding only if 85 percent of all plaintiffs agree to drop their cases. It was finalized in the early morning hours after attorneys for Merck and the plaintiffs met with three of the four judges overseeing nearly all Vioxx claims. READ MORE

NEWS UPDATES: Keller v. NCAA

(VIDEO) Local man wins lawsuit against NCAA
November 29, 2007
Alabama football booster Ray Keller wins judgment against National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Jackson County Alabama jury awards Hollywood Alabama resident Ray Keller five million dollars in landmark defamation and invasion of privacy lawsuit
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. - A jury in Jackson County, Alabama returned a verdict in favor of Alabama booster Ray Keller in his long running defamation and invasion of privacy lawsuit against the most powerful entity in college athletics. The 5 million dollar jury award is the largest civil jury verdict in Jackson County Alabama in what was the longest running trial ever held in that county. The award is the largest ever against the National Collegiate Athletic Association. READ MORE

November 28, 2007
NCAA set to close, Keller trial nears an end
SCOTTSBORO -- Ray Keller's attorneys presented closing arguments Tuesday before the jury recessed for the night, with the NCAA to present its final arguments Wednesday morning to refute the Stevenson businessman's charges of defamation and invasion of privacy. Keller is suing the NCAA for $35.5 million stemming from the language used in the association's press conference and public report in 2002 about its investigation into the Alabama football recruiting scandal. He is asking for more than $500,000 in financial damages related to lost income from a scuttled business deal along with $20 million in punitive damages. READ MORE

November 27, 2007
NCAA defense rests; Jury may deliberate today
SCOTTSBORO - NCAA attorney Robert Rutherford closed the organization's defense at 4:15 p.m. Monday in its defamation battle with Ray Keller of Stevenson, sending the jury home after six weeks of proceedings. "The NCAA rests," Rutherford told retired Circuit Judge William Gordon of Montgomery, who took the bench Monday to replace Jackson County Circuit Judge John H. Graham. He suffered a heart attack Nov. 13 at his home before leaving for the courthouse, which forced a delay of the trial for his recovery and the Thanksgiving holiday. READ MORE

November 15, 2007
Former Montgomery judge appointed to serve remainder of defamation case against NCAA
SCOTTSBORO - Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb has appointed retired Montgomery Circuit Judge William "Bill" Gordon to preside over the rest of a Stevenson businessman's defamation trial against the NCAA.
Graham, 45, suffered a heart attack Tuesday morning at his home in Stevenson, delaying Ray Keller's trial. Graham remained in Huntsville Hospital's intensive care unit Thursday. READ MORE

November 13, 2007
Judge in Keller-NCAA trial suffers heart attack
SCOTTSBORO - Jackson County Circuit Judge John Graham of Stevenson suffered a heart attack this morning and is being treated at Huntsville Hospital, Jackson County Circuit Judge Jenifer Holt said today. "He will be in the hospital for an indefinite period for treatment and while he recuperates," she said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Judge Graham and his family."READ MORE

November 10, 2007
UA officials: NCAA hid evidence
SCOTTSBORO - Ray Keller's defamation trial against the NCAA ended its third week with University of Alabama officials claiming the NCAA concealed for four years a letter from Auburn coach Terry Bowden alleging concerns about the recruitment of Kenny Smith Jr. Keller, a Stevenson businessman and one of the three boosters criticized by the NCAA for providing benefits to recruits, contends the NCAA mishandled parts of its investigation, which resulted in probation for the Crimson Tide football program and Keller's lifetime disassociation from UA. READ MORE

Swank's testimony rebuted
SCOTTSBORO - Big 12 Conference Commissioner Dan Beebe rebutted testimony of former NCAA infractions committee chairman David Swank, who said the organization went overboard in its 2001 prosecution of Alabama football. Beebe, a former NCAA investigator, offered opinions that contrasted sharply with those of Swank, who appeared earlier this week as an expert witness for former Alabama booster Ray Keller. READ MORE

November 9, 2007
Swank blasts NCAA probe again
SCOTTSBORO - How could Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer have known about an automobile accident in April 2000 that would not happen until March 2001? That was one question raised by former NCAA Committee on Infractions Chairman David Swank as he continued to blast the way the NCAA conducted its investigation into the University of Alabama for recruiting violations. READ MORE

Swank maintains Keller case flawed
SCOTTSBORO - Former NCAA vice president David Swank maintained his opinion Thursday that Ray Keller of Stevenson was defamed in part due to a flawed investigation into the University of Alabama's recruiting scandal six years ago. Under harsh cross-examination by NCAA attorney Allen Dodd, the former chairman of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions admitted he had not read all the trial testimony transcripts or documents. READ MORE

November 8, 2007
Former infractions chairman critical of Alabama probe
SCOTTSBORO - The longtime former chairman of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions testified Wednesday that he believed the NCAA went overboard in its 2002 prosecution of the University of Alabama football program. David Swank, who held the position of chairman for seven years and served on the committee for nine, testified in a defamation and privacy suit against the NCAA brought by disassociated booster Ray Keller in Jackson County Circuit Court. READ MORE

Swank testimony scores points for Keller
Former NCAA official says staff violated bylaws
SCOTTSBORO - Former NCAA vice president David Swank testified Thursday the NCAA's Committee on Infractions did not have all the information the agency's enforcement staff discovered during its investigation six years ago when looking into recruiting violations in the Alabama football program. Swank, an attorney for 49 years and professor of law at the University of Oklahoma, served seven years as chairman of the Committee on Infractions and was vice president of the NCAA at one point. He has received numerous accolades, served as interim president of the University of Oklahoma and teaches a course at the university on civil law procedure. READ MORE

November 7, 2007
Keller case plods along
The only change in Ray Keller's civil trial against the NCAA was the weather outside Tuesday as temperatures dropped. Inside Jackson County Circuit Judge John Graham's courtroom, the jury continued to hear both sides arguments in the case, which is now in its third week and rumored to have at least another week. Read More

Secret witness was no secret
SCOTTSBORO - Former NCAA enforcement chief Mark Jones testified in a video deposition Tuesday afternoon that the use of confidential sources is prohibited by the organization's bylaws. Ray Keller, a disassociated University of Alabama booster, is suing the NCAA for defamation and invasion of privacy. Keller was disassociated in September 2001, shortly before the NCAA hammered Crimson Tide football for recruiting violations. READ MORE

November 6, 2007
Keller attorneys say NCAA used sting operation to get Bama
SCOTTSBORO - Attorneys for Ray Keller painted a picture Monday of an NCAA sting operation that landed the University of Alabama on probation without an adequate chance to defend itself. In a video deposition of the NCAA's lead investigator in the Alabama case, Rich Johanningmeier confirmed that allegations of illegal recruiting in Memphis involving the late Logan Young were provided by at least six rival schools, yet Alabama officials were kept in the dark. READ MORE

Keller trial continues
It was more of the same Monday morning as Ray Keller's civil suit against the NCAA began its third week in Jackson County Circuit Judge John Graham's courtroom. The jury, made up of nine women and five men, listened to video deposition from NCAA investigator Rich Johanningmeir all day Monday. READ MORE

November 3, 2007
Stallings takes stand, injects buzz into Keller trial
SCOTTSBORO - Gene Stallings can still draw a crowd. Even in a small courtroom in a two-story courthouse tucked away in the northeast corner of the state, the former University of Alabama head coach packs them in. For the first time in Ray Keller's now two-week-old defamation suit against the NCAA, there was a real buzz about the Jackson County Courthouse. READ MORE

Stallings: 'No way' Keller was an insider at Bama
SCOTTSBORO - Gene Stallings testified Friday that in his seven years as head coach at the University of Alabama, disassociated booster Ray Keller was not afforded special access or insider status with the football program. Stallings, though serving a a witness for the plaintiff, also discounted Keller's claim that former offensive coach Woody McCorvey threatened to break his leg for trying to have recruiting coordinator Randy Ross fired in 1997. Keller testified that he and Ross had several discussions, and McCorvey and former coach Curley Hallman made threats. READ MORE

November 2, 2007
Keller takes issue with attorney
SCOTTSBORO - Ray Keller, wrapping up three days of testimony in his lawsuit against the NCAA, claimed his attorneys misrepresented some admissions the NCAA used in portraying Keller as a rogue booster. Keller is suing the NCAA for at least $2 million for defamation and invasion of privacy, based upon the 2002 report announcing Alabama recruiting sanctions. READ MORE

NCAA finishes questioning Keller
SCOTTSBORO - Attorneys for the NCAA finished their attempt to discredit the testimony of Stevenson businessman Ray Keller on Thursday, hammering him on conflicting testimony and then arguing that if he was going to hold other people accountable for their words, Keller should be held accountable for his. Keller is suing the NCAA, claiming the organization defamed him in its 2002 press conference announcing its Committee on Infractions findings following the investigation into the University of Alabama football program. READ MORE

October 31, 2007
Lawyer: Keller not 'lumped' with boosters
SCOTTSBORO - Leafing through four thick binders flagged with yellow Post-It notes and posting admissions to rules violations on a video screen, attorney Allen Dodd continued his pointed attacks on Ray Keller's credibility and memory during testimony Tuesday morning in Keller's defamation lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Keller took the witness stand for the third straight day and repeatedly denied his involvement with recruiting violations the NCAA and University of Alabama accused him of five years ago. Those stem from the investigation into payments and benefits to recruits and players, notably Albert Means of Memphis and Kenny Smith Jr., who played at North Jackson High School in Stevenson where Keller lived. READ MORE

Keller cross-examination resumes after short days
SCOTTSBORO - Attorney Allen Dodd spent most of Tuesday's abbreviated Jackson County Circuit Court session in the Ray Keller lawsuit trial pressing the plaintiff over documents produced by the NCAA in its investigation and resolution of the 2002 Alabama recruiting case. Keller remained on the witness stand under cross-examination for a second day, although court adjourned just before noon to accommodate a juror's need to be out of town. The trial will resume, with Keller still on the stand, on Thursday as Judge John Graham had previously set aside today to handle criminal cases. READ MORE

October 30, 2007
Keller spars with NCAA attorney
SCOTTSBORO - Disassociated University of Alabama booster Ray Keller spent most of the day on the witness stand in circuit court Monday, mostly sparring under cross-examination with an NCAA attorney. Attorney Allen Dodd hammered Keller on contradictions between his testimony on Friday in his defamation lawsuit against the NCAA and his statements to the organization's enforcement staff, UA compliance staff, his deposition and answers he gave in pre-trial questionnaires. READ MORE

NCAA case is really about consequences
It's unfolding right in our own backyard. Ray Keller's defamation case against the big boys of college athletics, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, began with opening arguments and testimony in Jackson County Circuit Court Judge John Graham's courtroom Wednesday. The trial is expected to continue through at least next week. READ MORE

NCAA takes piece of Keller testimony
Businessman maintains his innocence
SCOTTSBORO - Using Ray Keller's prior admissions and previous testimony to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, attorney Allen Dodd carefully picked apart Keller's denials of providing benefits to recruits and Alabama football players during several hours of testimony Monday in his defamation trial against the NCAA. Dodd began the NCAA's defense of its language in its 2002 public report detailing the violations by getting Keller to agree with him for more than two hours on specific questions about rules, cheating and fairness. Dodd ultimately asked whether cheaters should be punished, especially if they involve "children" Keller stated are "our nation's most precious resource." READ MORE

October 29, 2007
Atmosphere at trial in contrast to one held in Tuscaloosa in '05
SCOTTSBORO - It seems the only thing Jackson County Circuit Judge John Graham can't control with absolute consistency in his courtroom is a small plastic box with a few buttons that regulates the temperature. His second-floor domain in the Jackson County Courthouse has five large windows on the south wall and two on the west wall. Sunlight, even filtered through the wooden blinds, heats it up. On cloudy days, the spacious room alternates between meat locker and slightly shivering. READ MORE

October 27, 2007
NCAA suit testimony describes cash flow
SCOTTSBORO | A Crimson Tide booster's defamation suit against the NCAA has brought out testimony that $20,000 in cash was given to the father of an Alabama football recruit before signing day in 1996. But Ken Smith, who testified that he received the money, denied it had anything to do with his son's decision to sign with the Crimson Tide. He also said he was intimidated by an NCAA investigator when he made statements that he now says were incorrect. READ MORE

Former Tide booster denies improper recruiting
SCOTTSBORO - Former Alabama booster Ray Keller testified Friday that he did not participate in improper recruiting despite findings of wrongdoing by the NCAA that damaged his reputation. Keller, who was permanently disassociated as a University of Alabama booster five years ago, is suing the NCAA for defamation and invasion of privacy in Jackson County Circuit Court. The Stevenson lumberman took the stand Friday afternoon and became emotional when he described the mental anguish suffered since the NCAA's 2002 findings.READ MORE

October 26, 2007
Plot thickens in NCAA trial
After almost a day and one-half of videotaped testimony by National Collegiate Athletic Association Committee on Infractions members Tom Yeager and Josephine Potuto, noted columnist and radio sports talk show host Paul Finebaum created a quite a stir Thursday in Ray Keller's defamation lawsuit against the organization. READ MORE

Witness testifies he sought to help clear Alabama
SCOTTSBORO - Ken Smith, the father of a former blue-chip football prospect whose recruitment played a role in the University of Alabama's 2002 probation, provided nearly four hours of often contradictory testimony in a civil suit against the NCAA. Smith, 57, lives just across the Tennessee state line. He testified Thursday afternoon as a defense witness for plaintiff Ray Keller, a disassociated Alabama booster who is suing the NCAA for defamation and invasion of privacy in Jackson County Circuit Court. READ MORE

TJX CASE
TJX breach could top 94 million accounts
BOSTON - At least 94 million Visa and MasterCard accounts may have been exposed to potential fraud in a data breach at TJX Cos., nearly double the previous estimate by the discount retailer. The figure was included in court filings this week that cited officials from the credit card associations. READ MORE

October 25, 2007
VIDEO: Trial begins in former UA booster case

Defamation trial starts for ex-Bama booster
SCOTTSBORO - Attorneys for Ray Keller in the former college booster's defamation suit against the NCAA say the findings could have repercussions beyond state boundaries. "This is one of the most important cases in the history of American sports," lawyer Archie Lamb told jurors in opening statements Wednesday morning. "The fundamental issues include power, the use of power and the abuse of power." READ MORE

October 24, 2007
Keller v. NCAA gets underway
SCOTTSBORO -- Ray Keller's defamation lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association got underway this morning with opening statements, about an hour each, with attorneys laying out the synopsis of their arguments for the jury. Keller, a timber businessman from Stevenson, filed the suit in 2004 claiming defamation and invasion of privacy based on the NCAA's Committee on Infractions report in the Alabama football recruiting scandal seven years ago. That report was issued Feb. 1, 2002, and is at the heart of his claims the NCAA maliciously defamed him and harmed his reputation, leading to financial loss and public scorn in the community. READ MORE

9 women, 5 men on jury for Keller trial
SCOTTSBORO - Nine women and five men were seated as jurors Tuesday to hear the defamation lawsuit filed by Stevenson businessman Ray Keller against the NCAA. Opening statements are scheduled to begin today at 8:30 a.m., with Jackson County Circuit Judge John Graham presiding. Two jurors are alternates. Almost all appear to be at least 30 years old and there are no minorities. READ MORE

October 23, 2007
Judge Splits Rulings for Keller, NCAA
SCOTTSBORO -- Jackson County Circuit Judge John Graham has ruled that Ray Keller of Stevenson is a private figure in regard to his defamation lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association but that "... a public controversy existed ..." in regard to the NCAA's public report about the University of Alabama football recruiting scandal that led to his lawsuit. READ MORE

Keller Jury Selection
NCAA trial's opening statements possible Wednesday Jury selection began Monday in Scottsboro in the defamation lawsuit filed by Stevenson businessman Ray Keller against the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Attorneys began the voir dire process by having potential jurors fill out a questionnaire. The process will continue today at the Jackson County Courthouse, with opening statements expected to be given Wednesday morning. READ MORE

NCAA Case Begins
The highly publicized and often delayed case filed by Stevenson businessman Ray Keller against the National Collegiate Athletic Association is scheduled to begin Monday in Jackson County Circuit Court. READ MORE

October 22, 2007
Keller v. NCAA
Jury selection for defamation lawsuit could take two days Barring a last-minute settlement, Stevenson businessman Ray Keller will get his day in court against the National Collegiate Athletic Association today when jury selection begins for his defamation lawsuit. READ MORE

August 24,2007
Monster.com: Online Job Seekers Become Prey
Monster Worldwide acknowledged Thursday that intruders swiped sensitive data for at least 1.3 million job seekers from its popular employment Web site. Using e-mail addresses, phone numbers and other personal information harvested from Monster.com, hackers have posed as potential employers or as the Web site itself in a bid to hustle the victims' bank-account numbers and passwords. READ MORE

July 30, 2007
Diabetes drug should be pulled over heart risks, FDA scientist says
WASHINGTON -- The widely used diabetes drug Avandia should be pulled off the market, federal health officials said Monday, urging action in response to studies linking the drug to an increased risk of heart attacks. That risk, combined with the drug's lack of unique short-term benefits in helping diabetics control blood sugar, means continued sales are not justified, Food and Drug Administration scientist Dr. David Graham told the panel of outside experts. READ MORE

July 22, 2007
FDA Expands Warning of Botulism, Now Includes Dog Food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding its July 18 warning to consumers. This expansion is for consumers and pet owners regarding canned food products and dog food produced by Castleberry Food Company of Augusta, Ga., due to the risk of botulinum toxin. Castleberry is expanding the recall to include all of the following canned products with all "best by" and code dates, and FDA is warning consumers not to purchase or eat any of the canned products listed in the table below.READ MORE

July 19, 2007
FDA: Castleberry's, Austex and Kroger Brand Chili Sauces Linked to Paralyzing Botulism

Federal health officials warned consumers Wednesday to throwaway certain cans of hot dog chili sauce after the product was linked to the first cases of botulism in commercially canned foods in decades. Four people were hospitalized. The warning applies to 10-ounce cans of Castleberry's, Austex and Kroger brands of hot dog chilisauce with "best by" dates from April 30, 2009, through May 22,2009, the Food and Drug Administration said. It wasn't immediately clear how widely the products were distributed. The contamination by the toxin is extremely rare for acommercially canned product. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention medical epidemiologist Dr. Michael Lynch said the last such U.S. case dates to the 1970s. The roughly 25 cases reported each year typically involved home-canned foods, Lynchsaid. READ MORE

June 1, 2007
Judge Federico A. Moreno Approves Blue Cross/Blue Shield Settlement Today
NEW YORK, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling it a "historic settlement," counsel representing a putative class of approximately 900,000 physicians, as well as the medical societies of numerous states and other medical societies across the country, today announced that they have settled a national class action lawsuit with the vast majority of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans in the country and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. When combined with prior settlements with other Blues, this settlement means that more than 90% of all Blues plans in the country -- covering approximately 77 million patient lives -- have now settled this class action with physicians. READ MORE

May 23, 2007
AISHEALTH.com: Lamb says settlement will save providers $1B.

The majority of Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association have settled with providers across the nation in a major anti-racketeering lawsuit over reimbursement issues.READ MORE
May 11, 2007
AUDIO
Archie Lamb discusses the recent $128 million class action settlement that his clients, U.S. physicians, recently reached with nearly all the Blue-Cross/Blue-Shield plans in the United States concerning claims-payment services. LISTEN

April 27, 2007
Blue Reaches $128 million settlements with nation's physicians
Nearly all of the U.S. Blue Cross Blue Shield plans have reached a major class-action settlement with physicians who accused the health insurers of conspiring to underpay them through the use of...READ MORE

AMA: Real Changes Among Blues Signal New Level of Cooperation with Physicians

January 31, 2007
Lawsuits filed against TJX companies and Fifth Third Bank in nation's largest personal data security failure.
Plaintiffs' Primary Counsel Archie Lamb and Joe Whatley: Class Action Lawsuits on Behalf of Consumers and Banks Addresses Massive Personal Data Security Failure by Defendants.MORE

For news on Identity Theft:
PersonalSecurityBreach.org