Work

Girard Sharp attorneys are investigating reports that Facebook is collecting highly sensitive personal health data through its pixel tracking technology from the websites of certain hospitals and “crisis pregnancy centers”—particularly centers within the Heartbeat International network—without notifying users or obtaining consent.

Girard Sharp is investigating reports of a recent data breach that may have affected patients of MCG Health. MCG Health is a Washington based healthcare software company. According to MCG’s data breach notice, an unauthorized individual obtained data stored on its systems, including the names, Social Security numbers, medical codes, postal addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and gender of patients.

Girard Sharp represents IVF patients of Pacific Fertility Center whose eggs and embryos were damaged or destroyed in a cryopreservation tank failure. On June 11, 2021, after a three-week trial, a jury found the tank manufacturer, Chart Industries Inc., liable for a defect in the tank and for its negligent failure to recall a part that malfunctioned, a “controller” meant to monitor liquid nitrogen levels. The jury awarded more than $14 million in damages to three women who lost eggs and a married couple who lost embryos in the catastrophic March 2018 tank failure. The three women were each awarded between $2 million and $3 million, and the couple was awarded $7.2 million. Girard Sharp represents over 80 families who lost reproductive material in the tank failure.

Girard Sharp served as co-lead counsel in a class action against the University of Southern California and campus gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall on behalf of women who were sexually abused by Tyndall during his long tenure at USC. The case generated $215 million in recoveries for survivors. In addition to requiring that USC recognize the harm done to all of Tyndall’s patients, the settlement requires USC to adopt and implement procedures for identification, prevention and reporting of sexual and racial misconduct.