IDEXX files voluntary dismissal in Vets First Choice lawsuitMay 2, 2019IDEXX Laboratories has dropped a lawsuit against two of its former staff members and Vets First Choice after alleging the employees took confidential material to their new employer. In a joint statement, Covetrus and IDEXX say they agreed to resolve the matter to an amicable resolution. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice. (Covetrus is the newly formed company after Vets First Choice merged with Henry Schein.) Last August, IDEXX announced it was taking two former employees and Vets First Choice to court. The lawsuit stated Dan Leach and Agostino Scicchitano did not reveal they resigned from IDEXX to gain employment with Vets First Choice and engaged in alleged "actual and/or threatened misappropriation of trade secrets." Further, it claimed the two employees took private information from company computers when they moved to their new employer. In the statement, Covetrus and IDEXX acknowledge "their respective obligations to their customers and employees to take appropriate measures to safeguard and ensure proper handling of confidential information." IDEXX was seeking unspecified monetary damages, punitive damages, and legal fees. The company's lawyers were also asking for an injunction to block the defendants' "actual or threatened disclosure or utilization of IDEXX's trade secrets."
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Hill's facing class-action lawsuit over excessive vitamin D levelsFebruary 22, 2019A lawsuit has been filed against Hill’s Pet Nutrition for selling dog food containing too much vitamin D.
Veterinarian guilty of illegally declawing lions at zooOctober 25, 2018A lawsuit by PETA against Rick L. Pelphrey, DVM, has been settled after the veterinarian admitted to declawing lions and tigers illegally without pain medication at Wildlife in Need zoo in Charlestown, Ind.
Top 12 toughest decisions surgeons makeSeptember 12, 2018Cynics believe that surgeons want to “cut” everything and everybody. However, did you know a surgeon’s inner monologue is a frequent struggle with hesitations and questions? Here are 12 questions surgeons sometimes ponder, either before stepping into the OR or in the middle of surgery.*
PetIQ faces unlawful merger suit filed by pet med distributorsApril 13, 2018 A lawsuit has been filed against PetIQ Inc., citing an alleged unlawful merger and other antitrust violations. The action was filed Apr. 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by Washington, D.C.-based antitrust law firm MoginRubin LLP on behalf of pet medication distributors Med Vets Inc. and Bay Medical Solutions Inc. The lawsuit claims PetIQ's acquisition of veterinary clinic operator VIP Petcare Holdings Inc., which took place in January, will harm competition in the wholesale markets for prescription and restricted pet parasiticides by allowing the manufacturer to monopolize on the distribution of wellness products like Frontline Plus and HeartGard to nonveterinary retailers, such as Walmart and PetSmart. The action seeks to permanently enjoin the alleged unlawful acquisition as a violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, which bars anticompetitive practices, seeking damages for price discrimination and attempted monopolization that is in violation of both the Clayton Act and the related Sherman Act. To view a copy of the complaint, click here.
Ohio lawsuit shows importance of wage-and-hour planningJanuary 23, 2018Legal claims for unpaid overtime or other wages can be daunting. Under federal law, an employee who prevails on such a claim typically will be awarded double damages plus his or her court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees.
Iowa lawsuit shows danger of "standard" contract termsAugust 24, 2017Practice owners are routinely asked to sign commercial contracts on the spot. “This is our standard contract” or “That’s just boilerplate language” are oft-repeated lines from salespersons eager to close the deal.
