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Depending on the jurisdiction, spouses, children, and parents may be able to recover for a “loss of consortium” in personal injury and wrongful death actions. Some states have extended the availability of loss of consortium damages to other parties, including grandparents and non-married cohabitants. Note, however, that the status of the law with respect to this issue varies c…

Over the years, intra-family immunity from lawsuits against other family members developed; “parental immunity” and “spousal immunity.” Some have suggested that these immunities were part of a body of rules that historically limited tort recoveries in general. At one time, there was even a certain stigma to bringing a lawsuit against another family member for damages…

“Product liability” is the area of the law enabling recovery for those injured by defective products. Some commentators suggest it reflects a balance between the benefits that society as a whole reaps from technological developments versus harm to consumers when the products are defective and cause injury. Product liability is largely established by state laws, including actual …

Elder abuse is a growing problem. As medical conditions become more serious and debilitating, the elderly are often unable to care for themselves. Accordingly, the elderly may become more dependent on those who care for them, and subsequently, more susceptible to abuse. While many elders live in nursing homes, most live at home or with family. As such, abuse is most often perpetrated by adu…

A “class action” is a lawsuit brought by a representative plaintiff on behalf of a class of persons with similar claims. The class and the lawsuit must be certified by a judge as appropriate for class action treatment. If the case is certified, the lawsuit may proceed to resolve issues common to all class members. In general, notice of the lawsuit is mailed to all potential clas…