A newsletter roundup featuring recent stories including how Snapchat is facing a lawsuit from an injured driver, updates on the Aliso Canyon gas leak, and a product liability lawsuit against device manufacturer Intuitive Surgical Inc.

1. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 5.4.16
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Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
1. Teen took Snapchat photos while crashing Mercedes at 107 mph. Now her victim has sued Snapchat.
Adapted from The Washington Post, 4/28/16
Snapchat is facing a lawsuit from a driver who allegedly suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car
crash. Lawyers for driver Maynard Wentworth allege Snapchat played role in the collision. Eighteen-
year-old Christal McGee was using a Snapchat filter that allowed users to record their speed of travel
when her Mercedes slammed into Wentworth’s vehicle at 107 miles per hour (mph). After the collision,
McGee said she was attempting to get the car to 100 mph so that she could post it on Snapchat. She
said she was just about to post the Snapchat before she hit Wentworth. While accelerating, McGee
allegedly hit speeds of up to 113 mph on a road with a posted speed limit of 55 mph. Wentworth and
his wife have accused Snapchat of negligence, alleging McGee’s reckless behavior could have been
prevented if Snapchat took greater precautions with its speed filter. They alleged Snapchat was equally
responsible for the crash for failing to delete the filer after it was cited in similar accidents before the
September 15 collision between McGee and Wentworth.
2. Top 5 Things Parents Need to Know About Teen Driving
Adapted from National Safety Council News Releases, 5/2/16
Car crashes are the top killer among teens, according to the that National Safety Council (NSC).
Despite the perception teens crash most often because they take more risks, the NSC found teen
crashes were due to inexperience. Teen passengers were the biggest distraction for teen drivers, with a
teen driver’s fatal crash risk rising 44% with one passenger, doubling with two passengers, and
quadrupling with three or more passengers.
3. $30M product liability case settles on third day of jury deliberations
Adapted from L.A. Daily Journal, 4/21/16
On April 20, medical device manufacturer Intuitive Surgical Inc. settled with a woman who alleged
one of the company’s medical devices caused her severe injuries after a hysterectomy. Terms of the
agreement were not disclosed. Plaintiff Michelle Zarick originally sought $30 million after she suffered
massive internal pain five weeks post-op and was rushed to the hospital for additional surgery. The
doctor performed Zarick’s 2009 hysterectomy using Intuitive’s da Vinci surgical system, which involves
multiple robotic arms remotely controlled by the practitioner. Zarick was represented by Mark J.
Geragos of Loa Angeles-based Geragos & Geragos, who said he represents at least six other women in
similar lawsuits against the device manufacturer. Geragos indicated he will meet with Intuitive’s legal
counsel to discuss a “global settlement” for his clients. In an April 19 filing, Intuitive told federal
regulators it is facing 86 product liability cases across 22 states.

2. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 5.4.16
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
4. Gas firm faces 80 lawyers at once
Adapted from L.A. Times, 4/28/16
In the wake of the Aliso Canyon gas leak, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) recently faced about
80 attorneys from 73 law firms in court. The attorneys, who represent thousands of plaintiffs in 131
legal actions against the company, argued the court should force SoCalGas to expand the relocation
program for residents affected by the methane leak. That leak prompted about 8,000 families to
relocate temporarily due to a host of complaints including headaches, nosebleeds and vomiting.
Although SoCalGas finally capped the leak in February, the company reported 3,800 families remain in
temporary accommodations. Judge Wiley ordered SoCalGas to continue paying residents’ relocation
costs until at least May 31, at which point the court expects to review the results of indoor air quality
tests. According to a survey by the L.A. County Dept. of Public Health, 62% of residents living near the
leak continued experiencing symptoms after the leak was capped.
5. Hospital to Pay $2 Million Over Filming of 2 Patients
Adapted from N.Y. Times, 4/22/16
New York-Presbyterian Hospital will pay a $2.2 million penalty to federal regulators for permitting
television film crews to film two patients without consent. The widow of deceased patient Mark Chanko
recognized her husband while watching ABC’s “NY Med” on TV. Regulators clarified existing rules,
specifying that film crews have to receive permission from all patients present before they can enter
treatment areas. Crews for many existing programs film emergencies and traumas in progress and then
seek permission from patients afterwards. The clarification could potentially end popular real-life
medical TV shows. In a statement, New York-Presbyterian Hospital said it did not believe it had violated
Hippa privacy rules, and noted that such shows were intended to educate the public about the process
of providing medical care.
6. Huge Oil Spill From 2010 Still Shadows BP
Adapted from Wall Street Journal, 4/27/16
Six years after a blowout at a BP PLC oil rig in the gulf coast caused an oil slick that lasted for months,
the company’s costs from the disaster are still mounting. BP recently disclosed nearly $1 billion in
additional charges, raising the company’s total bill for the disaster to more than $56 million. On April
26, the company acknowledged it was “impossible to come up with a best estimate of costs.” The
company reached an earlier roughly $20 billion agreement to resolve all state and federal claims related
to the spill. Separate lawsuits related to the Macondo well blowout, which could take years to resolve,
could further increase the company’s bill from the incident.

3. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 5.4.16
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
7. Tainted Water Worries Rise
Adapted from Wall Street Journal, 4/26/16
In the wake of rising concern over water contamination, officials in Vermont, New Hampshire and
New York are expanding efforts to determine how much potentially toxic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
ended up in drinking supplies, both public and private. For decades, the chemical was used as a plastic
coating and in the manufacture of some consumer products. The EPA has not declared the chemical
toxic to humans, but it did express concerns about the safety PFOA in drinking water. The agency also
has not established a drinkable water standard for the chemical.
8. Cleveland Will Pay $6 Million To Family of Boy Killed by Police
Adapted from N.Y. Times, 4/26/16
Cleveland has agreed to pay $6 million to the family of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy fatally shot by
police while playing with a pellet gun. A probate court must still approve the agreement before it
becomes the final. The city did not admit to wrongdoing, but the settlement allows it to avoid the
possibility of a federal civil rights trial and an even larger judgement. A grand jury decline to indict the
officers involved in Tamir’s death.