In November 2019, Van Osdol obtained a “no liability” verdict for Central Mine Equipment Company, a leading drill rig manufacturer near St. Louis, Missouri. The Plaintiff suffered an amputation when performing maintenance on the rig’s running power unit. In his closing argument, Plaintiff asked the jury to award $3.1 million for his amputations, …
Van Osdol News
Who’s Your Momma?
We all have or had Moms. “Mommas” is a term which connotes a broader meaning to the idea of motherhood. It often encompasses women to whom we have no biological connection, but who have nurtured and led us in important ways. Those ladies should be recognized this Mother’s Day for their impact on our lives. Aside from our personal Mommas, there are …
How Will San Francisco’s Family Leave Legislation Affect Missouri Employers?
Here in the Heartland, we consider ourselves guardians of the notion of family values. But San Francisco, California, may be even stronger on a portion of that concept. In a state where family leave is automatically granted to qualifying employees together with a state-funded 55 percent of salary for 15 weeks, city legislators are purportedly …
A Constitutional Balancing Act: 1st Amendment Free Speech and 14th Amendment Civil Rights
In the past year, there has been a continual call for "safe spaces" to be available to students on campuses across the nation. According to The Safe Space Network, a "safe space" is a "place where anyone can relax and be able to fully express, without fear of being made to feel uncomfortable, unwelcome or unsafe on account of biological sex, …
Weston, the Queen of the Platte Purchase
When Anne Hendrickson, one of our partners, moved to Kansas City from Omaha after law school, she wasn’t familiar with the city. Anne was going to be working in downtown Kansas City for a Jackson County Circuit Court Judge and decided to live up north, as she didn’t know any of the neighborhoods closer to town. Anne is an adventurer at heart and …
Preparing for the Worst: What to do if an Active Shooter Comes to Your Office
Run, Hide, Fight: These are the lessons to take away from the Department of Homeland Security on what to do in the unfortunate event that you find yourself in the midst of an active shooter. It may be an uncomfortable or even frightening prospect to prepare oneself for, but as the saying goes, it is always better to be safe than sorry. The …
