insights / Author
Bruce Burk
Profile
Bruce Burk, J.D., has performed over 50 jury and non-jury trials in appeals, civil litigation, criminal law, business formation, real estate, workers' compensation, personal injury, and employment law.Articles by Bruce Burk
The History of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals is the seminal case involving the admission of scientific expert testimony. The plaintiff party consisted of the parents of two minor children who claimed that the mother’s ingestion of Benedictin caused the children to have…
Posted on in Litigation Monitor$15 Million Johnson & Johnson Pelvic Mesh Verdict in New Jersey
In Bergen County, New Jersey, a jury handed down a $15 million verdict against Ethicon, a company owned by Johnson and Johnson, based on defective pelvic mesh implants that caused plaintiff Elizabeth Hrymoc chronic pain. Pelvic mesh implants are used…
Posted on in Litigation Monitor & News9 Personal Qualities You Should Look for in an Expert Witness
In any area of the law, the quality of expert witnesses can range from excellent to very poor. Moreover, attorneys can spend thousands of dollars for an expert opinion that they need to prove their case. But while obvious qualifications…
Posted on in Working with Experts$247 Million Verdict for Recipients of Defective DePuy Hip Implants
On November 16th, a federal jury in Dallas, TX told Johnson & Johnson and their subsidiary DePuy that they need to pay six patients a total of $247 million due to hip implants that turned out to be defective. The…
Posted on in NewsMDL Update: Mylan EpiPen and Proton-Pump Inhibitor Litigation
EpiPen Price Hiking by Mylan (2:17-md-2785) Mylan NV, a large pharmaceutical company is now dealing with a class action lawsuit regarding the price of EpiPen allergy medication that went up from $100 to $600 in recent years. The EpiPen assists…
Posted on in Litigation Monitor & NewsUber To Pay $20 Million To End TCPA Suit Over Unwanted Text Messages
On August 11, 2017 Uber came to an agreement to pay $20 million to settle a class action lawsuit that accused Uber of sending text messages to drivers and riders without their permission. The lawsuit did not have any guarantees…
Posted on in Working with ExpertsJury Awards $417 Million to Plaintiff in Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Suit
On August 21, 2017, a Los Angeles jury awarded a $417 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson based upon their failure to warn an elderly woman who had terminal ovarian cancer about the potential risks posed by using their talcum…
Posted on in Litigation MonitorAdvanced Expert Deposition Techniques – Moving Beyond the Basics
Depositions are arguably the most important method of discovery with respect to the testimony of expert witnesses. However, every case is unique and the testimony of expert witnesses is anything but monolithic. As a result, an attorney seeking to depose…
Posted on in Working with ExpertsWhat is a Forensic Scientist?
Forensic Scientists are technical experts that can aid in criminal and other legal investigations by processing evidence collected by police and investigators. As such, Forensic Scientists are instrumental in the charging, convicting, and potentially acquitting of many criminal defendants. Becoming…
Posted on in Working with ExpertsHow to Qualify an Expert Witness: A Sample Voir Dire
One of the most important aspects of working with an expert witness in litigation is making sure that your expert gets properly qualified to testify in court through the voir dire process. This article will jumpstart your expert qualification process…
Posted on in Working with Experts