california prop 65

Paul Wozniak has negotiated a successful settlement agreement with Bessey Tools in regards to alleged violations of Proposition 65.  Wozniak alleged that Bessey sold clamp grips that contained the phthalate chemical DEHP, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects and/or other reproductive harm, without the requisite health hazard warnings.

In addition to paying civil penalties, Bessey has agreed to sell in California only clamp grips that have been reformulated to be virtually free of DEHP.  Grips that do not meet the reformulation requirements will be accompanied by a Proposition 65 warning.  Should Bessey certify to Wozniak that all clamp grips sold in California meet the reformulation requirement, Wozniak has agreed to waive part of the civil fine.

For more details and to read the settlement itself, please see the case summary on our website: Wozniak v. Bessey Tools, Inc.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings

Laurence Vinocur and Kikkerland Design have reached a settlement in regards to alleged violations of Proposition 65.  Proposition 65 requires companies offering products for sale in California that contain the phthalate chemical DEHP to provide consumers with a warning of the risks of exposure.  Vinocur alleges that Kikkerland sold earbud cords without the requisite health hazard warning.  DEHP is known to the State of California to cause birth defects and/or other reproductive harm.

In addition to paying civil penalties, Kikkerland has agreed to sell only earbud cords that have been reformulated to be free of not only DEHP, but additional phthalate chemicals DBP, BBP, and DINP.

For more details and to read the settlement itself, please see the case summary on our website: Vinocur v. Kikkerland Design, Inc.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings

Last week, Dr. Whitney R. Leeman filed a complaint in San Francisco County Court against Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company and Barnes & Noble alleging violations of Proposition 65.  Leeman alleges that the defendants sold books with covers that contained the heavy metal lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or reproductive harm, without the requisite health hazard warnings. 

Proposition 65 requires that companies offering products for sale in California that contain lead must provide consumers with a “clear and reasonable” warning of the risks of exposure.

In addition to civil penalties, Leeman seeks an injunction to prevent the companies from selling any books with covers that contain lead in California without a Proposition 65 warning.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings

John Moore has filed a complaint in Alameda County Superior Court against Techtronic Industries North America, Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, and Ziemann’s Vision, alleging that the companies violated Proposition 65 by selling gloves and hand tools containing the phthalate chemical DEHP without the requisite health hazard warning.  DEHP is known to the State of California to cause birth defects and/or other reproductive harm.

In addition to civil penalties, Moore seeks an injunction to prevent the defendants from selling gloves or hand tools in California without a Proposition 65 warning.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings

Mercy Health Springfield Communities and Mercy Clinic Springfield Communities, formerly St. John’s Health System and St. John’s Clinic, respectively, have agreed to pay $5.5 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to federal health care program Medicare, the U.S. Department of Justice announced yesterday.

The settlement resolved allegations that the defendants submitted false claims to the Medicare program for services rendered to patients referred by physicians who received bonuses based on a formula that improperly took into account the value of the physicians’ referrals of patients to the clinic.  Federal law restricts the financial relationships that hospitals and clinics may have with doctors who refer patients to them.

The allegations settled today arose from a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower, Dr. Jean Moore, a physician who is employed by one of the defendants, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  Under the act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery.  Dr. Moore will receive $825,000 from the recovery announced today.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who expose every kind of fraud against the government, including health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.