Blog

$2 billion in Roundup lawsuit award. Are deer hunters at risk?

May 17, 2019

Smith & Johnson is already representing individuals who have developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as a result of Roundup exposure. We have found that here in Northern Michigan, hunters who enjoy practicing quality deer management and spending tim...

Second Jury Rules Roundup Causes Cancer

April 23, 2019

Reuters reports that a jury in San Francisco federal court became second in the U.S. to rule that Roundup weed killer caused cancer. The article says in part:Tuesday’s unanimous jury decision in San Francisco federal court was not a finding of Baye...

Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities Increase, Michigan Improving

April 03, 2019

The Governors Highway Safety Association recently released its 2018 study regarding pedestrian traffic fatalities by state (click to read - new window)In recent years, the number of pedestrian fatalities in the United States has grown sharply. During...

Michigan Employers Beware: FMLA Leave Cannot Be Delayed. But what about Michigan’s new Paid Medical Leave...

April 02, 2019

Many Michigan employers of all sizes and stripes offer some form of paid leave, sick leave or paid time off as a fringe benefit. And, for large employers with 50+ employees, it would not be uncommon to permit additional time off even beyond the unpai...

Smith & Johnson Lawyers React to Purdue Pharma Settlement in Oklahoma

March 28, 2019

Earlier this week, Purdue Pharma settled out for $270M in the state case brought by the State of Oklahoma. Mara Thompson with TV 7&4 has been following the progress of our Federal Opioid Litigation team since our first press conference on Decembe...

Medical Providers' Collection Lawsuits Against Michigan No-Fault Auto Insurers Remains Valid With A Patient Assignment

May 09, 2018

On May 8, 2018, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a binding decision in Shah, et al v State Farm Ins Co, ___ Mich App ___ (2018). This is the first post Covenant v State Farm Ins Co, case that has decided a substantive issue born out of Cove...

News Roundup: Opioid Suit Filing

April 20, 2018

Grand Traverse County is joining at least 60 other counties across the U.S. in suing pharmaceutical companies for their role in the country’s opioid crisis – with Leelanau County also considering a similar lawsuit.A legal team comprised o...

Smith & Johnson involved in Montmorency County opiod litigation

April 12, 2018

The Alpena News reports Smith & Johnson attorney Tim Smith and lawyers from the firm will meet with Montmorency County departments regarding the opioid litigation:(County Board Chair Daryl) Peterson received a letter from Smith that stated in the...

Tim Smith discusses Opioid Lawsuit

December 20, 2017

Smith & Johnson attorney Tim Smith discussing Leelanau County's decision to enter the lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. More about Smith & Johnson's Municipal Opioid Litigation right here.

9 Michigan Municipalities File Federal Lawsuit Against Pharmaceutical Companies

December 19, 2017

UpNorthLive reports that nine Michigan municipalities have joined together and filed federal lawsuits against dozens of pharmaceutical companies who they say had a part in the crisis:“Over 64,000 people died of opioid overdoses last year in Ame...

The New Era of Medical Provider No-fault Litigation

September 12, 2017

So if you have not heard, the auto no-fault insurance law has changed in Michigan for medical providers. After nearly 40 years of permissible statutory action under the no-fault act, the Michigan Supreme Court abruptly changed the law...

Carbon Monoxide Exposure Inexcusable

April 03, 2017

The tragic news out of Niles, Michigan, this past weekend is both shocking and inexcusable. The children were exposed to over 800 parts per million of carbon monoxide, which exceeds the permissible 35 parts per million industry standard.&n...

2016-2017 No-Fault Year in Review

January 26, 2017

[From time-to-time, Smith & Johnson, Attorneys, P.C.'s law partner, L. Page Graves, has been a featured speaker at the joint State Bar of Michigan's and Institute of Continuing Legal Education's Upper Michigan Legal Institute whe...

Slip and Fall cases and the “Open and Obvious” defense

October 18, 2016

Over the last few years Michigan courts have gone out of their way to throw plaintiffs out of court. Even “Black Ice” which by its very nature can’t be seen, was looked at as “Open and Obvious” which allowed a court to d...

Call A Cab: Don't Drink & Drive

June 20, 2016

With summer tourism in full swing here in Northern Michigan, particularly with the upcoming Cherry Festival and 4th of July festivities in all our harbor towns and area inland lake communities, it is never too late or too redundant to advoc...

No-Fault Medical Provider Actions Now At Potential Risk

June 02, 2016

On May 27, 2016, the Michigan Supreme Court has effectively signaled a complete 180 from its stated opinion exactly one-year ago, despite no change in the Court's current composition of justices. Last May 28, 2015, the&n...

UBER & Michigan No-Fault Insurance Risks

May 25, 2016

Before getting into an "Uber" car in Michigan, or for that matter becoming an Uber driver in Michigan, it would be prudent to thoroughly investigate the idea before proceeding with either plan. There are several inherent insuranc...

Boat Owner's Duty & Liability To Passenger While Boarding

May 19, 2016

The Michigan Court of Appeals has just reaffirmed a boat owner's duty and resulting liability to his/her passengers while boarding. The case is Lenhoff v Rechter, an unpublished per curiam opinion (Docket No. , dated May 12, 2016)...

Generic Notice of Injury Satisfies Statutory Notice for No-Fault PIP Benefits

May 12, 2016

The Michigan Court of Appeals issued a published decision affirming the basic rule that an injured claimant's generic notice of injury constitutes sufficient notice to a liable no-fault insurer. The case is Dillon v State Farm Mut Auto...

Remodeling Your Residence: The Potential Impact to Your Property Tax Assessment

May 04, 2016

Under the General Property Tax Act, an assessor cannot increase the true cash value as a result of expenditures for “normal repairs, replacement, and maintenance” in determining the true cash value of property for assessment purposes unti...