Attorney Leigh Martin May's Legal Cases

Consumer protection

US ex rel. Bibby & Donnelly v. JPMorgan Chase, et al.

Nov 19, 2012

OUTCOME: Cash Settlement--$161,700,000

Six banks have settled claims under the False Claims Act brought by two whistleblowers for recovery of money on behalf of the U.S. Government. The banks which have agreed to settle are JPMorgan Chase ( ... $45 million), Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. ($45 million), PNC Bank ($38 million), First Tennessee Bank ($16 million), SunTrust Mortgage ($10.2 million), and CitiMortgage ($7.5 million). The case alleges that eight banks cheated military veterans and taxpayers out of millions of dollars by hiding illegal fees in veterans' home mortgage refinancing transactions and then sought to collect on void government loan guarantees. The case is still pending against Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Mortgage Investors Corporation-the biggest defendants with 70% of the total damages exposure.

Defective and dangerous products

Bates v. Michelin North America, Inc.

Mar 30, 2012

OUTCOME: Cash Settlement--Amount Confidential

On Christmas day 2008, Mr. Bates was paralyzed and suffered a brain injury when a Uniroyal Laredo tire manufactured by Michelin suffered a tread separation and came apart, causing the vehicle to go out ... of control and roll over. Plaintiffs alleged the tire contained numerous design and manufacturing defects, including the absence of a nylon cap. The case was plagued by Michelin's unrelenting and unrepentant discovery abuse leading to a meticulously detailed and documented 60-page order issued by Judge Totenberg finding that Michelin had "engaged in a pattern of subterfuge and withholding relevant and responsive documents," "acted willfully in violating the Court's discovery orders," and "engaged in a pattern of prejudicial discovery abuse ...throughout the course of this litigation." The Court held these serial abuses warranted the substantive sanction of issue preclusion. The case settled for a confidential amount.

Defective and dangerous products

Heavrin v. Bridgestone/Firestone

Mar 21, 2012

OUTCOME: Cash Settlement--Amount Confidential

On November 10, 2005 Leonard and Nancy Heavrin were killed when a Firestone Steeltex Radial R4S II tire on another vehicle suffered a belt/tread separation, causing the vehicle to go out of control, cr ... oss the median and strike the Heavrin vehicle head-on, decapitating both Mr. and Mrs. Heavrin, who were on their way to visit family members in Florida. The Firestone Steeltex tires at issue were manufactured at Firestone's now-closed Decatur, Illinois plant. Other tires manufactured at the Decatur, Illinois plant were recalled by Firestone and the plant was shut down shortly after the tire at issue was manufactured due to quality problems. In addition to manufacturing defects, one of the design defects claimed by Plaintiffs was Bridgestone/Firestone's failure to include a nylon cap in the design of the tire. The case settled for a confidential amount.

Leigh Martin May's Legal Cases (3)

US ex rel. Bibby & Donnelly v. JPMorgan Chase, et al.

Bates v. Michelin North America, Inc.

Heavrin v. Bridgestone/Firestone