News

The former owner and manager of two apartment complexes in Washington, D.C. will pay $3.5 million to settle a tenant lawsuit alleging rat and bed bug infestations, sewage leaks, mold contamination and other hazards. The lawsuit, brought by the district’s attorney general in October 2018, also claimed the buildings’ hundreds of tenants were subjected to…

Dozens of hand sanitizer products have been recalled or recommended for recall for potentially containing methanol, which can be toxic when ingested or absorbed through the skin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first alerted consumers in June about the presence of methanol, also known as wood alcohol, in nine products. Since then, the…

A bill that would allow home delivery of alcoholic beverages in Georgia is moving forward after it won approval in the Georgia House of Representatives on June 25. House Bill 879, headed to Governor Brian Kemp for consideration within 45 days, would permit stores and some restaurants to provide home delivery of beer, wine and…

On June 20 an Orange County, Florida Walmart employee was assaulted by a customer who refused to wear a mask despite a county-wide executive order to help slow the spread of COVID-19. It is one of many disputes that have erupted in recent weeks over mask mandates from various state and local governments as well…

Two patients are pursuing class-action status for their lawsuits against a Colonie, New York health care company and its accounting firm over a 2019 data breach that reportedly exposed the sensitive information of 170,000 patients. The lawsuits allege BST & Co. CPAs, the accounting firm for Community Care Physicians, experienced a ransomware attack in December…

Sales of pools, trampolines and other backyard recreational items have surged in recent weeks as families try to salvage a summer marred by camp closures, community pool shutdowns, travel restrictions and continued anxiety over the COVID-19 crisis. Vendors in the U.S. and Canada have sold out of above-ground pools while pool shop owners continue to…

Businesses around the world are experiencing the effects of the largest economic downturn since the 1940s. Some economists show the U.S. as having exited or nearly recovered from the recession that began in February, and Canada is showing signs of recovering from its deepest recession on record. Nevertheless, businesses continue to face numerous risks while…

Caesars Palace, MGM Resorts and several other Las Vegas hotel-casinos are slated to resume operations starting June 4, according to the Nevada governor’s May 26 press release. Though Las Vegas casinos must implement requirements such as mandatory temperature checks for guests and are subject to various restrictions, reopening is a significant milestone in the embattled…

Approximately 10,000 Michigan residents were forced to evacuate their homes on May 19 after catastrophic dam failures sent flood waters rushing through Midland and Saginaw counties, destroying homes, decimating roads and bridges, and leaving one small village in near ruin. Heavy rainfall in the area caused water levels in the Tittabawassee River to surge, leading…

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s May 6 executive order expanded Workers’ Compensation benefits to employees who test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of performing a labor or service at work. Critics of Newsom’s order, including concerned business owners and the California Chamber of Commerce, argue that it could drive up costs for businesses already struggling…

Commercial properties left vacant during coronavirus-related shutdowns have increasingly become the target of burglaries, adding another challenge for businesses already facing mounting hardship. Even as overall crime rates have plummeted globally, New York City saw a 169 percent spike in commercial burglaries in April and Vancouver reported a 147 percent increase in commercial break-ins between…

The cannabis industry continues to experience growth in the U.S. and Canada. Medical and recreational marijuana sales are expected to reach nearly $30 billion in the U.S. by 2023, and sales have surged even during the COVID-19 crisis. The market’s rapidly changing landscape presents unique risk management considerations for those involved in the cultivation, production,…

Close quarters, widespread shortages of protective gear and extremely vulnerable populations have led to high rates of COVID-19 infection at senior living facilities. Long-term care facility leaders face an uphill battle to keep residents safe, comply with new regulations and contend with potential or actual court battles related to COVID-19. “Senior living facility leaders and…

Cyberattacks have spiked dramatically since the COVID-19 crisis began, leading to what some are calling a “cybercrime pandemic” as hackers capitalize on vulnerabilities inherent in a newly remote workforce. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is receiving between 3,000 to 4,000 new internet crime complaints each day, compared to an average 1,000 daily before the…

The family of a Walmart employee who recently lost his life to COVID-19 is suing the retailer, alleging the company did not respond appropriately when workers at the Chicago area store where the victim was employed exhibited coronavirus symptoms. The suit further alleges management failed to provide associates with personal protective equipment like gloves, and…