Opal Tower builder Icon and structural engineer WSP Structures have been joined as defendants in a class action brought by property owners, who have also added a slew of consumer law claims to the complex proceedings.
The association behind over 1,300 clubs in NSW has won court permission to use documents produced in its breach of confidentiality lawsuit against whistleblower Troy Stolz in two other proceedings brought by the former compliance auditor for Fair Work contraventions, defamation and workers compensation.
Grant Thornton has won approval to a bring a cross-claim against Forge Group, just three months ahead of trial in the collapsed engineering company’s case against the accounting firm and ten former directors for their alleged negligence in relation to its “uneconomic” purchase of CTEC in 2012.
Two insurers have appealed a ruling that could provide a further $11.25 million to group members in a class action against sandalwood producer Quintis, further delaying finalisation of a settlement reached in the group proceeding over a year ago.
Hoping to avoid a lengthy trial like the 89-day hearing in the pelvic mesh class action against Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon, a judge has suggested splitting up a class action hearing over TFS Manufacturing and IVS pelvic mesh products to focus on the question of the devices’ safety and efficacy first.
A judge has slashed security for costs sought in a case brought by the liquidators of engineering and construction company Forge Group after the former directors targeted in the action failed to explain why they had retained multiple law firms.
A lengthy dispute over insurance in a settled class action against sandalwood producer Quintis has been resolved, with the Federal Court rejecting a challenge by two insurers to the rectification of policies that could provide a further $11.25 million in recoveries to group members.
An appeals court has found that building company LU Simon should not pay $12 million in damages for a 2014 fire which broke out in Melbourne’s Lacrosse tower and was accelerated by Alucobest cladding panels since the company had relied on consultants’ advice in choosing the cladding material.
A judge has suggested hearing the long-running class action over the Opal Tower disaster as early as the first quarter of next year, as the court juggles three concurrent lawsuits and a slew of cross-claims over the doomed building.
A judge has approved a “disappointing” $25 million settlement in long-running class action litigation over the collapse of electronics retailer Dick Smith with claims worth hundreds of millions of dollars.