Claims Journal

Russia’s Rusal Seeks Management Changes At Nornickel After Fuel Spill

Russian aluminum giant Rusal has asked the board of Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) , in which it has a major stake, to change its management and overhaul its environmental policies after a fuel spill in Siberia. Russia’s environmental watchdog demanded N...

Posted: Jul 14, 2020

German Court Bans Tesla Ad Statements Related to Autonomous Driving

FRANKFURT — Germany has banned Tesla from repeating what a court says are misleading advertising statements relating to the capabilities of the firm’s driver assistance systems and to autonomous driving, a Munich judge ruled on Tuesday. Tesla can app...

Posted: Jul 14, 2020

Watchdog Details Storm of Political Pressure in Sharpiegate

Political pressure from the White House and a series of “crazy in the middle of the night” texts, emails and phone calls caused top federal weather officials to wrongly admonish a weather office for a tweet that contradicted President Donald …

Posted: Jul 14, 2020

21 Injured in Fire Aboard Ship at Naval Base San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Firefighters on land, in the air and on the water on Monday were still battling a blaze on a Navy ship that injured at least 21 people and sent smoke billowing over San Diego. The fire began …

Posted: Jul 14, 2020

6th Circuit Approves Class Action for Ky. Underpayments by State Farm

A federal appellate court has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit to proceed against State Farm Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. that may force the insurer to correct underpayments paid to some 65,000 policyholders. A 6th Circuit Court of …

Posted: Jul 14, 2020

LinkedIn Sued for Spying on Users With Apple Device Apps

Microsoft Corp.’s LinkedIn programmed its iPhone and iPad applications to divert sensitive information without users’ knowledge, according to a class-action lawsuit. The apps use Apple’s Universal Clipboard to read and siphon the data, and can draw i...

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

U.S. Turns Screws on Maritime Industry to Cut Off Venezuela’s Oil

LONDON/WASHINGTON — Several companies that certify vessels are seaworthy and ship insurers have withdrawn services to tankers involved in the Venezuelan oil trade as the United States targets the maritime industry to tighten sanctions on the Latin Am...

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

No Guarantee of Workers’ Comp Benefits For Essential Workers

WASHINGTON — Lauded for their service and hailed as everyday heroes, essential workers who get the coronavirus on the job have no guarantee in most states they’ll qualify for workers’ compensation to cover lost wages and medical care. Fewer than …

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

Lawyers Seek to Halt Purdue Pharma Political Contributions

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma should not be able to make any more political contributions without a judge’s permission, lawyers for its creditors said in a court filing. The issue came up this week after it was reported that the company, …

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

Flood-Weary Venice Puts ‘Moses’ Inflatable Barriers to Test

ROME — Venice has conducted a trial run of an ambitious anti-flood system of 78 inflatable barriers in hopes of protecting the lagoon city from devastating high tides. Premier Giuseppe Conte on Friday at a ceremony in Venice pressed a …

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

Report: Protest Damage Cited by Portland Cops Skewed by Mall

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall …

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

Boaters Rescue 2 After Plane Crash at Lake Jocassee

SALEM, S.C. — Two people have been rescued after the small float plane they were in crashed into a South Carolina lake. A man and woman were not hurt following Wednesday’s accident on Lake Jocassee, Oconee County Emergency Services Deputy …

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

Legislation to Force Insurers to Pay COVID-19 Claims Stalls as Virus Rages

California legislation that would have forced insurers to pay more coronavirus business-interruption claims was put on hold last week when state lawmakers decided not to return from their summer recess because of a resurgence of the disease. Assembly...

Posted: Jul 13, 2020

Tropical Storm Fay Gains Strength on Its Way to New York

Quick-moving Tropical Storm Fay strengthened as it moved toward southern New Jersey, where it was expected to make landfall Friday afternoon before sweeping north to New York with a curtain of heavy rain and thrashing winds. Winds should start to …

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

China Floods Blamed for Fresh African Swine Fever Outbreaks

BEIJING — Outbreaks of deadly African swine fever are surging in some parts of southern China following heavy rains, analysts and industry sources said, in what could be a big setback for Beijing’s goal of replenishing pork supplies. China’s hog …

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

Pandemic-Proofing: Insurance May Never Be the Same Again

Insurers are creating products for a world where virus outbreaks could become the new normal after many businesses were left out in the cold during the COVID-19 crisis. While new pandemic-proof policies might not be cheap, they offer businesses from...

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

Lonza Expects Approval ‘Very Soon’ to Make Covid-Killing Claims for Disinfectant

Lonza Group AG is in the “last step” of discussions with U.S. regulators for approval to claim that its formulation is effective in killing the novel Coronavirus on surfaces, an executive at the pharmaceutical and chemical giant told Reuters. Earlier...

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

Germany Seizes Server Hosting Pilfered U.S. Police Files

BOSTON — At the behest of the U.S. government, German authorities have seized a computer server that hosted a huge cache of files from scores of U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies obtained in a Houston data breach …

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Claims Guard Kept Knee on Man’s Neck

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The parents of a California man who died while being detained on suspicion of trespassing at Sacramento’s basketball arena has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging a security guard kept his knee on the man’s neck for …

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

Claims People: Crawford & Co., Davies Group and Provencher & Co.

Crawford Appoints President of Complex Claims Team Crawford & Co. has appointed Paul Kottler as president of Global Technical Services. Kottler will assume a role previously held by Terry Hunt, who retired after a 27-year career. Hunt had been presid...

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

Union Files Grievance Against Walt Disney World Ahead of Saturday Reopening

The actors’ union representing 750 Walt Disney World performers has filed a grievance against the Orlando, Florida-based theme park alleging retaliation against its members over the union’s demand that they be tested for the coronavirus. Walt Disney...

Posted: Jul 10, 2020

Vast Phishing Campaign Hits Microsoft Users in 62 Countries

Microsoft Corp. customers were targeted in a massive phishing campaign that has sought to defraud users in 62 countries since December. Recently, the malicious emails have evolved to capitalize on the pandemic, according to Microsoft. The attack “tar...

Posted: Jul 09, 2020

Kinks Linger in America’s Food System With Pigs Still Piling Up

The obvious obstacles in America’s food-supply chain — from shuttered meat plants to restocking delays and panic buying — have largely dissipated. But shock waves remain. There are millions of pigs that need to get processed fast, before their weight...

Posted: Jul 09, 2020

Sheriff: At Least 8 Killed In Plane Collision Over Idaho Lake

SPOKANE, Wash. — At least eight people, including three children, were killed when two airplanes collided over a scenic mountain lake in northern Idaho, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. One of the aircraft was a float plane operated...

Posted: Jul 09, 2020

Prominent Plaintiffs’ Firms Sought Government Bailout to Stay Afloat

Several prominent plaintiffs’ law firms, known for striking large settlements with companies like German carmaker Volkswagen AG and Equifax Inc, were approved for loans that totaled tens of millions of dollars in government aid meant to help small bu...

Posted: Jul 09, 2020