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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Former Boss Jailed for Defrauding Sydney Ferries
Geoff Smith, the former Sydney Ferries chief executive, has been sentenced to three-year imprisonment after he was convicted of financial fraud. The accused used his company credit card to pay for his personal expenses and lead a lavish life.
Decorated with Order of Australia, Smith used the card to pay over $200,000 on holidays, landscaping at his home, buying BMW cars, and building luxurious pools at his residence. His work credit card was only meant for official expenses, not to fund his extravagant lifestyle.
The former navy officer for three decades "knew full well at all times" while using the credit card to pay personal expenses and violated the conditions he signed in 2006 while receiving the card. However, he was held guilty for offences committed only after 2008, as the prosecution did not opt to charge him for previous years’ fraud.
In 2009, Smith was dismissed following an ICAC investigation. The probe found him guilty of fraud and misappropriation.
In another white collar crime lawsuit, a 28-year-old IT worker was sentenced to 36-month jail for defrauding the Australian Tax Office. He took away $130,000 by falsifying business activity statements.
Lloyds and Barclay lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with experience and expertise in white collar crime litigations. Contact us to know how Lloyds and Barclay lawyers can help you fight you case. We help clients fight against identity theft and white collar crimes and assist them in seeking course correction and punitive damages for economic loss suffered due to violations. We also help clients put up effective defence in their favour and justify their bona fide actions in the court.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Medical Malpractice: AFL Player Sues Doctors
Former AFL star and present coach Matthew Egan has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against two doctors claiming their wrong treatment ended his playing career.
In September 2007, Egan’s stellar season with Geelong ended prematurely and he missed the premiership win due to a stress fracture. Doctors, one a foot surgeon and the other his club doctor, performed surgical procedures on the right foot of the player named in the All-Australian side.
The player claims that the surgery failed due to negligence of the doctor forcing him to stop rehab within days of the operation following pain. He has to undergo six more procedures subsequently.
According to the medical malpractice lawsuit, doctors failed to warn him about the consequences of joining intense rehab after 11 days of the first surgery. But incessant pain, frequent surgeries, and disability in his right ankle ended a promising career in 2009.
The player has sought to recover medical costs, compensatory damages, and punitive compensation from the two doctors.
Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in personal injury lawsuits. We offer legal assistance and representation to victims of injury, accident and privacy violation protecting their right to lead a dignified, safe and secure life, punish perpetrators and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you protect your dignity and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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60,000 Join Australian Student’s Facebook Class Action
Over 60,000 Facebook users have joined a class action lawsuit initiated by an Austrian law student against the social media site. Filed at the European Court of Justice, the Facebook class action lawsuit “passed its first legal review” with the Vienna Regional Court setting a four-week  time frame for the defendant to respond.
Max Schrems’ lawsuit seeks 500 euros for each of the 1.32 billion active Facebook users, who arre subject to privacy violations. Facebook Ireland, which is responsible for international activities of the social media site, is named as the defendant.
One of the allegations raised includes the report of data mining help extended by Facebook to the US National Security Agency for the Prism surveillance programme . This led to acess to the personal data of millions of Facebook users.
The privacy violation lawsuit claims this a violation of European law that bans tracking users’ activities on other sites and using their personal data.
The intial list of class action plaintiffs inluded 25,000 Facebook users from more than 100 countries, who joined the litigation against the $195 billion company. In the recent weeks another 35, 000 have expressed their eagerness to join the class action.
Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in privacy violation lawsuits. We offer legal assistance and representation to victims of privacy violation protecting their right to lead a dignified, safe and secure life, punish perpetrators and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you protect your dignity and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Melbourne Church Child Abuse Victims Paid $17 Million
The Melbourne Archdiocese has paid $17.295 million to settle Catholic church child abuse claims in Victoria. Known as Melbourne response in church annals, it has now been investigated by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Introduced in 1996 by the then archbishop Cardinal Pell, the Church abuse compensation scheme was first of its kind the world. The total compensation in the last 18 years cost the archdiocese about $34 million, including $17.011 million as administration costs.
Compensations are granted to victims of clergy sex abuse following investigation by "an independent commissioner” appointed by the church. The scheme covers any act of abuse perpetrated by priests or any employee of the archdiocese. Out of 351 complaints against 77 priests, 326 were found suitable for being compensated.
The initial compensation was capped at $50,000. However, the limit was raised to $75,000 after victims complained about it. However, the average amount paid per victim was around $36,100. Only 65 victims are paid above $50,000. Many church sex abuse victims refused the church compensation and successfully fought court battles for higher damages.
Christine Foster, who fought in the court, told the Royal Commission how sexual abuse ignominy forced one of her daughters to take her own life. Her two daughters were abused by Kevin O'Donnell, a priest whose abuse victims accounted for 19 percent of all compensations. It was permanent scare for one of her daughters Emma. She committed suicide in 2008 despite having 900 appointments with doctors, 50 hospitalizations and 75 psychological consultations.
Another daughter took to binge drinking to get rid of the past and left permanently disabled after an accident. Christine refused the church offered compensation and fought against the sex abuse of her daughters in the court. She received $750,000 and legal costs in an out-of-court settlement.
With a mission to end sexual abuse in Australia, Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers offers legal assistance and representation to molestation victims for protection of their right to lead a dignified life, punish perpetrator, and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us if you are subject to any kind of sexual abuse, professional negligence, injury, accident, emotional distress, contractual fraud or financial distress due to the action of others. We offer legal services to personal injury victims on the basis of no win no fee arrangement.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Woman Jailed for 18 Years for Killing Daughter-in-Law
A Victoria woman of Chinese origin has been sentenced to jail for 18 years after she was convicted of hammering her daughter-in-law to death. The incident happened in May 2012 in Bundoora, a northern Melbourne suburb.
The accused, 51-year-old Huajiao Zhuang, hit 21-year-old Dan 'Selina' Lin with a hammer following an argument. Zhuang was angry and both had a heated exchange of words over Lin’s bathing of her toddler son.
Zhuang struck Lin’s head 33 times with a hammer in a "fit of rage" in front o the toddler and left the house after dumping the dead body in the wheelie bin of the house next door. Lin’s body was packed into a suitcase and the convict tried to dispose the dead body at the Darebin Creek the next day afternoon.
Zhuang, who is a very traditional woman, came to Australia from China in 2010 and developed deep animosity with her daughter-in-law for the latter’s perceived failure to respect Chinese traditions. She was angry over “Lin’s lack of respect for traditional Chinese customs” and even expected that “her son could make hundreds of thousands of dollars marrying another Chinese girl because he had an Australian visa.”
The animosity grew intense a month after her grandson was born and she had frequent quarrels with her daughter-in-law over respect for culture and tradition. In 2011, she even forcibly cut the hair of Lin following a fight.
Zhuang led a life of extreme poverty in China after her husband was laid off from his job following violation of the communist nation’s one-child policy.
Lloyds & Barclay Lawyers has outstanding success rate in domestic violence, family laws, and personal injury lawsuits. If you have suffered from physical injuries, emotional distress, or economic loss due to direct or indirect action or fault of your partner, contact us to file domestic violence lawsuits protecting your persona and rights. We can assist you to know your legal rights and seek course correction.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Pub Fined $60K After Man Died of Drinking
A Queensland court has imposed $60,000 fine on a pub holding it responsible for the death of man due to excessive drinking. Both the manager of the pub and the bartender were also ordered to pay fines individually for selling alcohol to the man already heavily drunk.
David Riley’s dead body was recovered from his home in August 2013. Investigators found that he died from alcohol poisoning with eight-time higher alcohol level in his blood. David was seen drinking excessively at Western Downs' Meandarra Hotel the night before his death.
The Dalby Magistrates Court convicted the bar owner Evanross Proprietary Limited on five counts after the defendant pleaded guilty of violating under the Liquor Act that prohibits giving alcohol to men already unduly intoxicated.
The manager of the bar was fined $5,000 for allowing selling of liquor to already intoxicated David. Bartender Selinna Kate was also ordered to pay $1,000 for being negligent to serve drink to an unduly intoxicated person.
Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in personal injury and product liability lawsuits. We offer legal assistance and representation to victims of injury, accident and privacy violation protecting their right to lead a dignified, safe and secure life, punish perpetrators and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you protect your dignity and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Military Sex Ringleader Pleads Guilty
A former army commando and alleged kingpin of a military sex ring has pleaded guilty to distributing videos and photos of women sexually involved with his group men.
Hastings Fredrickson was the ring leader of “Knights of the Jedi Council,” a group of up to 17 military men accused of circulating “videos and photos of naked, unsuspecting women,” who have had sex with them. Fredrickson was sacked from the army along with 181 others from the Australian military following the disclosure of sexual abuse incidents.
The charges against Fredrickson included sending of six emails in 2010 to members of his sex ring depicting sex with unsuspecting women. The emails had images of a woman he bedded. The entire sexual intercourse was filmed without the victim’s knowledge and shared.
He even pleaded guilty to “using a carriage service to cause offence.” At least, three emails were objectively offensive, he admitted.
The men who formed the military sex ring shot and shared “videos and photos of naked, unsuspecting women boasting their sexual exploits and sometimes challenged fellow members of the council to try to bed them too.” Fredrickson and six others soldiers were sacked and charged after the Jedi Council scandal was discovered last year.
With a mission to end sexual abuse in Australia, Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers offers legal assistance and representation to molestation victims for protection of their right to lead a dignified life, punish perpetrator, and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us if you are subject to any kind of sexual abuse, professional negligence, injury, accident, emotional distress, contractual fraud or financial distress due to the action of others. We offer legal services to personal injury victims on the basis of no win no fee arrangement.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Transport Company Pays $1.3 Million Accident Compensation
A Sydney court has ordered Zaens Pty Ltd to pay $1.3 million to the family of three men killed in a road accident involving its truck in January 2012. The award is the biggest ever road accident compensation awarded in Australia.
Zaens operates logistics services under the name of Lennons Transport. When the accident occurred on a southwest Sydney highway, the driver employed by the company was sleep deprived and found to have consumed methadone drug.
The B-double truck slammed into a sedan driven by 59-year-old Calvyn Logan, who was killed along with his 81-year-old parents. It “ veered onto the wrong side of the Hume Highway near Menangle” prior to hitting the victims’ car.
Driver Vincent Samuel George was convicted for manslaughter. Lab tests reveal the presence of methadone in George’s blood.
As many as 192 speeding offences were registered against the transport company from February 2011 to March 2012. At least three traffic offence charges were slapped on the company in the weeks after the incident. The court held the owner guilty of not taking steps to rein in speeding drivers of his company.
Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in personal injury and product liability lawsuits. We offer legal assistance and representation to victims of injury, accident and privacy violation protecting their right to lead a dignified, safe and secure life, punish perpetrators and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you protect your dignity and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Beauty Blogger Michelle Phan Faces Copyright Violation Lawsuit
US-based dance music label Ultar Records has filed a copyright violation lawsuit against beauty blogger Michelle Phan accusing her of using music without permission. Phan has become a celebrity with her online videos offering beauty and makeup tips on YouTube.
The lawsuit alleged that the beauty blogger used over 50 songs of the label as the background score of her videos. Ultra owns copyright of all these music. Phan’s ‘Barbie Transformation Tutorial,’ one that used the patented music, had 55 million views making her a dominant force in cosmetics retail and marketing.
The record company claims that the videos using the songs reach to millions of viewers, a commercial concern that leads to a breach of copyright. Ultra Records has sought $150,000 for each case of copyright violation.
“Ultra’s lawsuit against Michelle Phan lacks any merit.  Ultra agreed to allow Michelle to use the music and Michelle intends to fight this lawsuit and bring her own claims against Ultra,” Phan claims.  
Contact us to know how Lloyds and Barclay copyright lawyers can help you protect your intellectual property right and sue those who violate it. We help clients fight against online piracy and copyright infringement and assist them in seeking course correction and punitive damages for economic loss suffered due to intellectual property violation. We also help clients put up effective defence against copyright violation accusations and justify their bona fide actions in the court.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Priest Jailed for Abusing Minor Girls in 60s and 80s
A Catholic priest has been sentenced to three-year imprisonment for historic sexual abuse of young girls.  Father Patrick Holmes, now 79, had pleaded guilty at a Perth court on charges of committing six sex offences.
The child sexual offences dated back to late 1960s and early 1980s. The accused was a priest at the Holy Name Church in Carlisle in 1969 where he committed three sexual offences, one of which involved a six-year-old girl. All these incidents happened in the presbytery.
Patrick was accused of sexually abusing girls aged between 10 and 11 years in the early 1980s while appointed as a priest in Shenton Park’s Saint Aloysius Church.
He was arrested earlier this year when two of his victims moved the court alleging that they were abused on the pretext of getting money and gifts and the caretaker of the care taker of the presbyterywas aware of it.  
The accused reportedly tender an apology in 2000 after one of the victims wrote about her sexual abuse to the church.
"Your behaviour has had distressing and adverse consequences for each of the complainants and you used a position of trust ... and the age and naivety of the victims ... to achieve your criminal purposes".
With a mission to end sexual abuse in Australia, Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers offers legal assistance and representation to molestation victims for protection of their right to lead a dignified life, punish perpetrator, and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us if you are subject to any kind of sexual abuse, professional negligence, injury, accident, emotional distress, contractual fraud or financial distress due to the action of others. We offer legal services to personal injury victims on the basis of no win no fee arrangement.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Tobacco Company Ordered To Pay $23 Billion to Family of Dead Chain Smoker
A wrongful death filed by the family of a chain smoker against the second largest cigarette maker in the United States has led to awarding of $23 billion in punitive damages. A Florida jury found RJ Reynolds guilty of selling dangerous products.
Pensacola resident Michael Johnson, a chain smoker since the age of 13, used to smoke up to three packets of cigarette everyday. The 36-year-old driver employed at a hotel died in 1996 due to lung cancer. His wife Cynthia filed a wrongful death lawsuit against RJ Reynolds in 2008 alleging that the cigarette manufacturer “concealed the health dangers and addictive nature of its products.”
She claimed that the cigarettes made her husband so addictive that "he couldn't quit and he even was smoking the day he died." Her legal team commended the verdict saying that it would “send a statement that tobacco cannot continue to lie to the American people and the American government about the addictiveness of and the deadly chemicals in their cigarettes."
The wrongful death lawsuit is among hundreds such other litigations pending in Florida against tobacco sellers alleging that they are “knowingly selling dangerous products and hiding facts about the hazards of cigarette smoking from the general public.” In 2006, the state supreme court dismissed a $145-billion class action award and allowed individual lawsuits to proceed. This lawsuit exceeds all earlier awards granted in legal fight against Big Tobacco.
The court also granted $7.3 million to the wife of the deceased and $9.6 million to his son apart from $23.6 billion in punitive damages.
Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in personal injury and product liability lawsuits. We offer legal assistance and representation to victims of injury, accident and privacy violation protecting their right to lead a dignified, safe and secure life, punish perpetrators and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you protect your dignity and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Sexual Harassment: Oracle Employee Wins $130,000 on Appeal
The Sydney Federal Court has set aside an earlier court verdict in a sexual harassment lawsuit granting $18,000 to a former Oracle employee and increased the compensation payout by almost more than seven times. The plaintiff is set to get $130,000 in damages.
Oracle employee Rebecca Richardson initiated the sexual harassment lawsuit against her sales manager Randol Tucker. She had accused her manager of “sexual advances and targeting her with humiliating slurs” multiple times between April and November 2008. The plaintiff highlighted 11 such incidents of sexual harassment.
A court granted her $18,000 in compensation in February 2013. Rebecca, dissatisfied with the meagre compensation, appealed against it. She claimed higher compensation on the ground that she was forced to work with the accused while the internal investigation was on and bear the brunt of ignominy. This forced her to resign and suffer from loss of income and mental distress.
Rebecca also highlighted factual and legal errors in the earlier verdict granting less compensation.
The Federal Court found Oracle held Oracle responsible for the suffering of the victim and termed its action "persistent and ultimately callous". "With respect, we think that the trial judge erred in not finding the necessary causal link between Mr Tucker's unlawful conduct and Ms Richardson's decision to leave Oracle," the judgement read.
Lloyds & Barclay Lawyers has outstanding success rate in workplace injury, harassment, bullying, privacy violation and personal injury lawsuits. If you have suffered from physical injuries, emotional distress, or economic loss due to direct or indirect action or fault of others, contact us to file personal injury lawsuits protecting your dignity and rights. We can assist you to know your legal rights and seek punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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A$500 Million Compensation for Bushfire Victims
The victims of Black Saturday bushfire have won A$500 in compensation, the biggest ever compensation granted in a Australian class action. At least 173 people were killed, over 400 were injured and thousands other suffered damages after bushfire ravaged several places across Victoria on 7 February 2009.
The bushfire class action representing as many as 600 plaintiffs was initiated in February 2011 and sought damages from power company SP AusNet for failing to maintain its 2-km-long infrastructure. The transmission line fell and started fire that devastated many homes and farms. The electricity distribution was held responsible for bushfire ignited in Kilmore East leading to death of over 110 people.
The Royal Commission appointed to investigate into the bushfire also indicted SP AusNet. The fallen wires ignited the fire that engulfed the vegetation.
The bushfire class action lawsuit claimed that the power company failed to put in place a $10 protective device to prevent arcing due to “contact between the live conductor and a cable stay supporting the pole”, which led to breaking and starting of the fire. At the time of the verdict, the number of plaintiffs was about 10,000.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment and Utility Services Corporation Ltd were also named as defendants in the lawsuit. Of the awarded compensation, SP AusNet is required to pay A$378.6m.
Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in personal injury and product liability lawsuits. We offer legal assistance and representation to victims of injury, accident and privacy violation protecting their right to lead a dignified, safe and secure life, punish perpetrators and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you protect your dignity and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 10 years ago
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Top Female Executive Forced Junior into Oral Sex, Lawsuit Alleges
A former Yahoo employee has accused Maria Zhang, a top female executive who heads the engineering division at Yahoo Mobile, of sexual harassing her.
According to the wrongful termination lawsuit filed in a California court last week Maria forced Nan Shi, a principal software engineer, into oral and digital sex on several occasions. The incidents occurred at the Sunnyvale, California.
The plaintiff has alleged that Maria coerced her into sexual actions by blackmailing her. She reportedly told her to have a "bright future" at Yahoo in lieu of having sex with her. However, her failure to carry on the sexual relationship in 2013 led to Maria downgrading her performance appraisal.
There was no action despite sexual harassment complaints by Nan Shi to the human resource department of Yahoo. She was sent on leave and wrongfully terminated.
Maria was the owner of Alike mobile and joined Yahoo in 2013 after her company was acquired by Yahoo. 
Lloyds & Barclay Lawyers has outstanding success rate in workplace injury, harassment, bullying, privacy violation and personal injury lawsuits. If you have suffered from physical injuries, emotional distress, or economic loss due to direct or indirect action or fault of others, contact us to file personal injury lawsuits protecting your dignity and rights. We can assist you to know your legal rights and seek punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 11 years ago
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US Auto Maker GM Faces $10 Billion Lawsuit Over Defective Vehicles
Deaths caused by defective vehicles and consequent recalls have led to the filing of a personal injury lawsuit against the US auto maker General Motors. The liability can be as high as $10 billion dollars.
A number of deaths and accidents forced GM to recall of about 20 million this year. A product liability lawsuit filed recently has sought to represent all those car owners who now face an uphill task of reselling their GM cars due to eroding brand value of the car manufacturer.
Defective ignition switches and other flaws reported by the federal agencies and investigators over the last one year and recalls have caused prospective customers shying away from buying GM cars. As a result, those owning the GM cars are facing the prospect of “losing value of their vehicle when they attempt to sell.”
The product liability lawsuit claims that market value of GM cars has gone down by as much as $2,600 solely because of the defective ignition reported. "GM's egregious and widely publicized conduct and the never-ending and piecemeal nature of GM's recalls has so tarnished the affected vehicles that no reasonable consumer would have paid the price they did when the GM brand meant safety and success," the plaintiff Anna Andrews claimed.
Anna brought a second-hand 2010 Buick LaCrosse of the company believing its brand value. She would not have purchased it, had she been aware of defects earlier.
GM will be forced to compensate at least 15 million auto owners, if the lawsuit gets approved.
 Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in personal injury and product liability lawsuits. We offer legal assistance and representation to victims of medical injury, accident and privacy violation protecting their right to lead a dignified, safe and secure life, punish perpetrators and seek exemplary punitive damages. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you protect your dignity and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 11 years ago
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Restaurants Fined $334k for Paying Teen Employees in Pizzas, Soft Drinks
A Melbourne restaurant has been ordered to pay over $334,817 in fines after he was found to have violated wage rules. La Porchetta outlets located in Pakenham and Berwick allegedly doled out pizzas and soft drinks to its employees as a ploy to underpay them.
The owner defended the non-payment of wages claiming that pizzas and soft drinks were given to the employees at half prices to offset their entitlements.
Run by Ruby Chand, who also owns real estate investment trust Bound For Glory Enterprises and food and drink consultancy Zillon Zenith International, was accused of underpaying 111 restaurant staff more than $258,000 in three years.
Fair Work inspectors found that the outlet employed young workers as young as 13 years and mostly in their teens as “cooks, kitchen attendants and food and beverage service staff.” A significant number of these young employees were underpaid and their huge size became a factor in the legal action.
A flat hourly rate, which was far less than minimum wage, was paid to the employees while there was no compensation for leave entitlements. Apprentices and trainees found to be underpaid for number of hours they worked for.
“The practice "belongs in the dark ages and warrants severe sanction by way of penalty," Judge John O'Sullivan commented while pronouncing the verdict, which included $334,817 as fine and recovery of $79,000 in outstanding entitlements.
The owner of companies faced a similar court action in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Lloyds & Barclay Lawyers has outstanding success rate in workplace injury, harassment, bullying, privacy violation and personal injury lawsuits. If you have suffered from physical injuries, emotional distress, or economic loss due to direct or indirect action or fault of others, contact us to file personal injury lawsuits protecting your dignity and rights. We can assist you to know your legal rights and seek punitive damages.
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lloydsblog-blog · 11 years ago
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Former Lawyer Found Guilty of Stealing $285,000 Abusing Power of Attorney
An Adelaide lawyer has been sentenced to jail for abusing power of attorney to steal money from the account of a 100-year old woman. The legal adviser took away more than $285,000 from the funds he was mandated to supervise as a trustee.
Mary Eileen Fahey entrusted her legal adviser Peter David Kerin with power of attorney and the lawyer invested $500,000. However, in 2007, he took $285,000 to pay his living expenses. A part of the money was also invested in high-risk funds and returns were affected when financial recession set in.
Ms Fahey was 100 years old at that time and Kerin violated her trust by treating the money of his own. The Legion of Mary, a Catholic group, is the beneficiary of the most of the estate left by the deceased woman and the money was to be spent on "establishing headquarters for its operations in South Australia.”
"You treated Ms Fahey’s funds as your own to dispose of regardless of her rights. While you hoped that the trading would be successful and Ms Fahey’s funds would be returned, you were aware that derivatives trading involved high risks and you acted dishonestly; in committing the offences of theft, you abused your position of trust in which you had been placed by Ms Fahey," the judge ruled.
Kerin has been sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment. In 2006, he was found guilty of importing prohibited gun parts and tripped of his license to practice law.
Lloyds and Barclay Lawyers are among top legal luminaries in Australia with vast experience in wills and estate planning, including formulation of valid wills and Powers of Attorney, Declarations of Trust and obtainment of Probate. Contact us to know how our lawyers can help you create enduring wills in the most safe and secure way and take legal action against those responsible for violation of your rights in any form while seeking course correction and punitive damages.
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