Case Filings Alert™ reports daily on new cases filed in courts around the country, alerting you to significant new cases at the beginning of the litigation process, long before the case is settled or a decision handed down. A wide range of topics are covered, including product liability, intellectual property, antitrust, among others. A number of these cases, particularly the product liability litigation, will develop into mass torts as new cases raising similar issues are filed. Mass torts are covered in our report MDLCases.com, which deals with major multidistrict litigation (MDL) cases. Also see our litigation reports: Social Media Addiction, Copyright-Litigation.com, and Litigation Report 2026-27. Editor: Robert S. Want (rwant@LegalEditor.com).
May 18, 2026 – Product Liability
GM Cadillac Lyriq Defects Can Render Vehicles Inoperable, Lawsuit Alleges
A proposed class action filed in federal court in Tacoma, Wash., accuses General Motors of selling defective Cadillac Lyriq electric vehicles that can become “nonfunctional,” leaving owners unable to start, charge, or operate their cars.
Plaintiffs argue that the Lyriq suffers from defects in its “electrical architecture, software systems, battery management modules, and vehicle control networks,” which can cause complete vehicle shutdowns and require towing and extended repairs.
The complaint says GM knew of the issues through testing, warranty data, and consumer complaints, yet continued to market the vehicle as reliable while failing to disclose the defects. Owners nationwide, according to the complaint, have reported failures including charging issues, system errors, and total loss of functionality, with some vehicles remaining inoperable for “weeks or months.”
May 15, 2026 – Cybersecurity
Kaplan Hit With Lawsuit Over Cyberattack Exposing Social Security, Driver’s License Data
A proposed class action accuses education services provider Kaplan North America of failing to protect the personal information of students and other individuals after hackers allegedly accessed its systems and stole files containing sensitive identifying data.
According to the complaint filed in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Kaplan allowed an “unauthorized actor” to access its computer servers between Oct. 30 and Nov. 18, 2025, and obtain files containing affected individuals’ “name[s], Social Security number[s], and/or driver’s license number[s].”
The lawsuit contends that Kaplan waited nearly five months to notify affected individuals and failed to explain how the breach occurred, which vulnerabilities were exploited, or what remedial steps were taken. The suit also says Kaplan’s offer of 12 months of identity protection through Experian was inadequate given the alleged long-term risk of fraud and identity theft. The breach, plaintiff contends, may have impacted hundreds of thousands nationwide.
May 14, 2026 – Commodity Exchange Act
U.S. Sues Arizona to Stop State Regulation of Prediction Markets
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued Arizona, arguing that the state’s effort to criminally prosecute sports betting company Kalshi and block prediction-market contracts unlawfully intrudes on the federal government’s “exclusive jurisdiction” over derivatives trading. (Connecticut and Illinois were also sued.)
In a complaint filed in federal court in Arizona, the CFTC asserts that Arizona’s gambling and election-wagering laws cannot be enforced against contracts listed on federally regulated exchanges. The lawsuit asks the court to declare the state laws preempted and to bar state officials from enforcing them against CFTC-regulated markets.
The complaint centers on Arizona’s actions against Kalshi, a CFTC-designated contract market. According to the suit, the Arizona Department of Gaming sent Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter in May 2025, and the state later filed criminal charges alleging that the company ran an illegal gambling business and engaged in unlawful election wagering. The CFTC says in its suit that Arizona is wrongly treating event contracts as “bets” rather than “swaps” regulated under the Commodity Exchange Act. The complaint argues that Congress gave the CFTC “exclusive jurisdiction” over futures, options, and swaps on designated exchanges, and warns that state-by-state restrictions would create the kind of regulatory “patchwork” federal law was designed to prevent.
May 13, 2026 – Product Liability
Weber Grill Brush Lawsuit Filed Over Alleged Organ Puncture, Intestinal Injury Risks
Plaintiff has sued Weber-Stephen Products, alleging that a metal bristle from one of the company’s grill brushes broke loose during ordinary use, contaminating food cooked on his grill and becoming lodged in his pancreas.
In his lawsuit filed in federal court in New Jersey, plaintiff says he bought a Weber 21-inch three-sided grill brush from Lowe’s and used it as intended for years to clean his outdoor grill. According to the complaint, the brush’s metal bristles could “break or otherwise detach during ordinary use of the product,” creating a hidden ingestion hazard.
The complaint says that the plaintiff used the brush shortly before Sept. 1, 2025, then ate food cooked on the grill and soon developed nausea, pain, and lethargy. Doctors later determined that a 15-millimeter wire bristle had traveled into and pierced his pancreas. Surgeons attempted to remove the bristle, plaintiff says, but it was “too dangerous to be removed.” Plaintiff adds that he now requires ongoing monitoring and dietary changes. and may need future surgery.
May 12, 2026 – Labor & Employment
Female NFL Official Sues League Over Her Treatment and Firing
A former NFL on-field official has sued the National Football League and a former supervisor in Manhattan federal court, alleging that she was subjected to years of gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation before being fired in 2025 after what she says was a campaign to “push out” one of the few women to hold the role.
Plaintiff Robin DeLorenzo, who worked for the NFL from April 2022 through February 2025, says she rose through high school and major college football and was, at the time of her hiring, “one of only three women in history” to become an NFL on-field official. Her complaint names the NFL and former Senior Vice President of Officiating Walter Anderson as defendants.
In her lawsuit, DeLorenzo claims that she was singled out from the start, including over her appearance and uniforms. The suit says Anderson repeatedly pressed her to wear her hair in a ponytail and that the NFL failed to provide women’s gear that fit, forcing her to buy her own clothing. The complaint also accuses the league of humiliating and undermining her professionally, including requiring her to attend a low-level college officiating clinic that she says “served no purpose other than to humiliate her and hinder her NFL career.” She says no male NFL official had been required to do the same.
May 11, 2026 – Intellectual Property
NFL Players Union Sues Leaf Trading Cards Over Alleged Unauthorized Use of Player Likenesses
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) has accused Leaf Trading Cards of unlawfully using NFL players’ names, images, and likenesses without proper licensing, in violation of trademark law and Virginia publicity rights statutes.
Filed in federal court in Richmond, Va., the complaint claims that Leaf “knowingly and deliberately” misappropriated players’ identities for commercial gain by featuring multiple athletes in trading card products without obtaining group licensing rights. In its complaint, NFLPA asserts that it serves as the exclusive licensing agent for such “Group Player Rights,” which are required when six or more players are depicted together.
Leaf released several recent trading card sets that allegedly included more than five players without authorization, according to the complaint, which called the conduct “a brazen violation” of licensing rules. The union contends that these trading card products mislead consumers into believing the products are officially licensed or endorsed, creating confusion in the marketplace and undermining the value of legitimate agreements.
May 8, 2026 – Civil Rights
Feds Challenge Minnesota Policy Allowing Transgender Participation In Women’s Sports
The Trump Administration has filed a lawsuit against Minnesota education authorities, alleging that policies allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports violate Title IX of the Education Act by denying female students equal athletic opportunities.
The state’s policies “require girls to compete against boys” and permit access to “intimate spaces, such as multi-person locker rooms and bathrooms,” thereby constituting unlawful sex discrimination, according to the complaint filed in Minnesota federal court. The government argues that Title IX is intended to ensure equal opportunities based on biological sex and that Minnesota’s approach “creates unfair competition” and exposes girls to “heightened risks of physical injury and psychological harm.” The suit emphasizes physiological differences that it says give male athletes an inherent advantage.
The complaint highlights specific examples, including a male student who competed in girls’ softball and achieved standout statistics and postseason honors, which the government says displaced female athletes and affected competitive outcomes.
May 7, 2026 – Constitution
Homeschooled Virginia Runner Sues To Compete in High School Track
A Virginia family has sued the Virginia High School League and the Roanoke County School Board, alleging that a policy barring homeschooled students from interscholastic sports unlawfully prevents their 14-year-old son from competing in track and cross country.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Roanoke, Va., says the ninth grader “loves to run and desires to do so competitively,” but is excluded “simply because he is home schooled by his parents.” The family argues that there is “no rational basis” for the policy and that it violates equal protection guarantees under the U.S. Constitution. Plaintiffs say they homeschool their son in part because of their Christian faith and contend that the athletic ban also violates the Virginia Constitution and the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The family believes that home instruction best allows their son to learn “in ways that are consistent with and not contrary to his faith,” according to the complaint, which adds that the boy has posted standout academic results and previously competed in Virginia-sanctioned meets as a middle schooler. The lawsuit says that without access to sanctioned high school events, he has “no generally accepted way of proving his running abilities to college recruiters.”
May 6, 2026 – Disability Act
DOJ Sues SeaWorld and Other Theme Parks Over Wheeled Walker Ban
The U.S. Department of Justice has sued SeaWorld owner United Parks & Resorts, alleging that the company violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by barring guests from bringing wheeled walkers with seats into several Florida parks and forcing some to rent or use less suitable alternatives.
Filed in federal court in Orlando, the complaint says the company adopted the policy in November 2025 after allowing such devices for decades. In its lawsuit, DOJ alleges the ban, applied at SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens, Aquatica Orlando, and Discovery Cove, unlawfully denied guests with mobility disabilities “full and equal enjoyment” of the parks. Guests were told that rollator walkers with seats were not allowed and instead directed to wheelchairs or electric convenience vehicles, some of which cost as much as $110 to rent, according to the lawsuit. The department says the ADA bars public accommodations from imposing surcharges that unnecessarily exclude disabled patrons.
The complaint cites multiple examples of alleged harm, including a child whose medically prescribed device was rejected and two military veterans who were stopped at SeaWorld Orlando. One veteran, DOJ says, “had to use a wheelchair against his physician’s medical guidance,” while another left rather than enter the park. The suit alleges a “pattern or practice of discrimination” and says the case raises an issue of public importance.
May 5, 2026 – Antitrust
Ski Resorts Face Class Action Over Lift Ticket Prices
A proposed class action filed in federal court in Colorado accuses Vail Resorts Inc. and Alterra Mountain Company of orchestrating an anticompetitive scheme that allegedly drives up ski prices and forces consumers into costly season passes.
The complaint argues that the two companies dominate the North American ski industry, controlling the vast majority of major “Destination Ski Resorts” through ownership or partnerships, leaving “two — and only two — behemoth ski resort owner/operators in the United States.” Plaintiffs claim this market power has allowed the companies to reshape pricing across the industry.
Both companies, plaintiffs contend, promote multi-resort “Mega Passes” — including the Epic and Ikon passes — while deliberately inflating single-day lift ticket prices. The lawsuit alleges that lift tickets are priced “to induce (or coerce) customers into buying the Mega Pass bundles,” making both options artificially expensive. The complaint cites statements from Vail’s leadership acknowledging the strategy, including that lift-ticket pricing was “‘intentionally’ aggressive” and helped push customers toward season passes. Plaintiffs say this pricing model has spread industrywide.
May 4, 2026 – Freedom of Information
Digital Privacy Group Sues Medicare for Access to AI-Medical Care Records
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has sued the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for access to records regarding a multistate program that utilizes artificial intelligence to assess requests for medical care.
The foundation filed for injunctive relief under the Freedom of Information Act in San Francisco federal court after Medicare failed to respond to a request to find out more about a program called WISeR, or Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction, because, the foundation argues, “there is little information about how the AI algorithms used in WISeR model work, including what training data they rely on.”
According to the complaint, “Health care experts, care providers, and lawmakers have raised alarm that the model may cause serious harm to patients by relying on AI to make important coverage decisions, potentially without the safeguards necessary to do so safely.” Despite this widespread criticism, the complaint says, the model is now being deployed in six states. In using AI to evaluate prior authorization requests from Medicare beneficiaries, it’s unclear “whether this program includes meaningful safeguards against algorithmic bias, privacy violations, and wrongful denials of care,” the foundation contends.
May 1, 2026 – Product Liability
Frigidaire Dehumidifier From Walmart Caught Fire, Causing More Than $2M in Damages, Lawsuit Alleges
An insurance company has filed a lawsuit claiming a Frigidaire dehumidifier sold through Walmart malfunctioned and caused a devastating fire at a New Jersey home.
The complaint was filed by MIC General Insurance Corporation in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, naming Midea America Corporation and Walmart Inc. as defendants. The insurer alleges that the dehumidifier malfunctioned during normal use, causing a house fire that resulted in more than $2.3 million in property damage.
The insurance provider brought the suit, according to the complaint, after paying substantial losses on behalf of homeowners whose property was severely damaged in the fire. The insurer now seeks to recover those costs through subrogation, arguing that the fire was caused by the defective dehumidifier.
April 30, 2026 – Antitrust
Santa Barbara Sues Fire Truck Makers, Alleging Scheme to Restrain Trade
The city of Santa Barbara has sued major fire truck manufacturers and related private equity interests in Los Angeles federal court, alleging defendants carried out a yearslong scheme to consolidate the fire apparatus market, drive up prices, delay deliveries and restrict access to replacement parts for critical emergency vehicles.
The complaint accuses REV Group, Oshkosh Corp., Pierce Manufacturing, and others of using acquisitions and exclusive practices to reduce competition in the market for fire trucks, custom chassis, and parts. This conduct, the complaint says, harmed not only Santa Barbara but also fire departments and taxpayers nationwide.
The lawsuit further argues that private equity firm American Industrial Partners helped orchestrate a “roll up” strategy that combined once-independent manufacturers under common ownership, allowing the companies to cut output and raise prices. According to the complaint, the defendants “reaped extraordinary profits on the backs of fire departments, taxpayers, cities, and counties.” The city says in its suit that the consolidation led to “substantial overcharges and lost equipment value,” along with worsening delays for new apparatus.
April 29, 2026 – Product Liability
Lyft Driver Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman Riding With Her Children
A Texas woman has filed a lawsuit against Lyft, alleging she was sexually assaulted by a driver and accusing the company of failing to implement adequate safety measures despite longstanding knowledge of similar incidents.
The complaint, filed in San Francisco federal court, claims that plaintiff was attacked by a Lyft driver while traveling with her children who were in the back seat. The driver, according to the complaint, forced sexual acts on plaintiff after stopping in an isolated area. Plaintiff says she told him to stop and tried to push him off, while her children, realizing what was occurring, cried in the back seat.
The suit claims Lyft has known since at least 2015 that drivers were sexually assaulting passengers but failed to take meaningful action. It alleges the company “has been fully aware of these continuing attacks” and prioritized growth over passenger safety. Plaintiff argues that Lyft has relied on inadequate background checks, failed to monitor rides, and allowed drivers accused of misconduct to continue working.
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