Hot Topics News

Pa. groups call for protection from coronavirus lawsuits for health care, reopened businesses

HARRISBURG – Leaders of multiple entities representing legal reform, business and health care interests statewide are pushing for the provision of safe harbor professional liability protections from the state to individuals and businesses responding to the coronavirus pandemic, in order for the state economy to quicken its recovery once the state re-opens.

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 29, 2020

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Counties, lawmakers sue Gov. Wolf in federal court over shutdown order

HARRISBURG – Seventeen plaintiffs, including four Pennsylvania counties and four members of the state House of Representatives, are seeking declaratory judgments that their constitutional rights were violated by Gov. Tom Wolf’s business shutdown orders in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 21, 2020

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Attorney who sued China for coronavirus damages signs up 26 more plaintiffs, including an FBI employee

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 20, 2020

ALLENTOWN – An attorney who recently filed a class action lawsuit in a Philadelphia federal court on behalf of all U.S. citizens impacted by the coronavirus against the People’s Republic of China has brought another similar case against the Chinese nation and its foremost political party – only now in Allentown and specifically on behalf of more than 20 different professionals and business owners, plus an FBI employee.

Pa. Supreme Court declines to hear Pittsburgh restaurant's coronavirus insurance case

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 18, 2020

HARRISBURG – The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has denied a petition for extraordinary relief from a restaurant taking action against its insurer for allegedly not covering losses sustained during the coronavirus quarantine.

Delco store to pay price-gouging settlement over Lysol wipes

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 15, 2020

MEDIA – The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has taken action against a Delaware County retailer that allegedly sold Lysol cleaning wipes at an excessive price during the coronavirus pandemic.

Health care providers get relief from coronavirus lawsuits as Wolf signs order

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 8, 2020

HARRISBURG – Following the example of more than a dozen other states, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order on Wednesday granting civil immunity from liability to health care providers taking good faith actions in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. Supreme Court rejects businesses' challenge of Gov. Wolf's coronavirus shutdown

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 7, 2020

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a challenge from plaintiffs who claimed Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive order to close down non-life-sustaining businesses was an overreach of executive power and an unlawful infringement of their constitutional rights.

Allegheny auto dealership sues insurance carrier over denial of COVID-19 lost business claim

By Marian Johns | May 7, 2020

PITTSBURGH — An Allegheny County auto dealership that has suffered business losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic is suing its insurance carrier over denial of its claim.

Gov. Wolf asks U.S. Supreme Court to affirm his controversial coronavirus business shutdown order

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 6, 2020

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says his executive order to close down non-life-sustaining businesses was lawful and that a wave of new coronavirus infections among the public may be in the cards, if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to support a challenge to his order.

Chester County Sports Arena says coronavirus closures should activate its business interruption insurance

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 5, 2020

PHILADELPHIA – A sports facility in Chester County that has laid off around 30 workers joins the growing legion of businesses pursuing legal action against their insurance companies for allegedly not providing it business interruption coverage during closures connected to the coronavirus.

Restaurant denied coronavirus coverage takes fight to Pennsylvania Supreme Court

By Nicholas Malfitano | May 1, 2020

HARRISBURG – A restaurant taking action against its insurer for allegedly not covering losses sustained during the coronavirus quarantine has filed an emergency petition seeking the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to take the case.

Western Pa. medical center accuses insurer of not covering its coronavirus losses

By Nicholas Malfitano | Apr 29, 2020

JOHNSTOWN – A Western Pennsylvania group of medical centers has filed a class action lawsuit against Travelers Insurance Company, alleging the insurer has not covered losses incurred by the center and other businesses like it during the coronavirus pandemic.

From Legal Newsline

Tobacco lawyer fighting insurers over coronavirus claims; Industry says pandemics are 'uninsurable'

By Nicholas Malfitano | 1 month ago

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – A plaintiffs lawyer who took part in the tobacco litigation of the 1990s is now at the forefront of the next great litigation wave, leading a group representing restaurant employees affected by the coronavirus quarantine as insurers claim rewriting policies to cover pandemics will wreck the industry.

Business owners shut down by coronavirus, Gov. Wolf are looking to U.S. Supreme Court for help

By Nicholas Malfitano | Apr 24, 2020

HARRISBURG – An attorney for plaintiffs who recently lost their challenge of Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive order which mandated “non-life sustaining” businesses shut down during the coronavirus quarantine, says the state Supreme Court erred in its decision-making and further legal action to the U.S. Supreme Court is in the works.

Philadelphia class action lawsuit takes aim at China over its alleged coronavirus negligence

By Nicholas Malfitano | Apr 23, 2020

PHILADELPHIA – The People’s Republic of China is the target of a class action lawsuit filed in a Philadelphia federal court, charging it with negligence and reckless indifference and seeking compensation on behalf of all U.S. citizens impacted by the coronavirus.

Push continues for immunity from coronavirus lawsuits for health care industry; Gov. Wolf urged to 'stand up'

By Nicholas Malfitano | Apr 22, 2020

PHILADELPHIA – Despite the recent stall of a proposal to extend legal immunity to health care providers and their staff providing critical care in response to the coronavirus, trade organizations continue to support such a move for Pennsylvania.

Split Pa. Supreme Court allows governor to shut down businesses during coronavirus

By Nicholas Malfitano | Apr 22, 2020

HARRISBURG – Citing its King’s Bench jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently threw out an extraordinary relief petition that looked to nullify Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive order that shut down “non-life sustaining” businesses from operating during quarantine from the coronavirus.

Restaurants go to court to get insurance to pay for coronavirus losses

By Nicholas Malfitano | Apr 21, 2020

PITTSBURGH – An insurance company is now the defendant in two separate lawsuits, one of them a class action, alleging they are not covering losses sustained by a number of its policyholder restaurants during quarantine from the coronavirus.

From Legal Newsline

Coronavirus roundup: States pass lawsuit-protection measures as Pennsylvania resists

By Nicholas Malfitano | 2 months ago

ATLANTA – As the nation continues to persevere through the coronavirus pandemic, more states are continuing to pass legal immunity protections for health care providers and in the ones which have yet do to so, a groundswell of support for such action is building.

Pennsylvania leaders haven't protected health care providers from coronavirus lawsuits

By Nicholas Malfitano | Apr 15, 2020

HARRISBURG – As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Pennsylvania lawmakers are being called out by a civil justice reform group for not following the example of other states and providing legal immunity for those responding to the crisis.

Pennsylvania Record