The Berman Law Group, the Boca Raton-based personal injury firm, has been first out of the blocks to issue a lawsuit over the coronavirus, targeting a client as big as any they will ever sue: the Peoples Republic of China.
The China coronavirus lawsuit filed this week by attorneys Matthew Moore and Vincent Duffy alleges that the PRC failed to report and contain the virus promptly, or to disclose the number of cases.
“Given what was happening in the past few days in the United States, it seemed to the firm and Russell Berman, the head of the firm, we weren’t going to get any better,” Moore, who works in Los Angeles, told Law.com. “It seems like chaos is about to unfold on the United States. We wanted to address it, and get it out there.”
The ‘Chinese Virus’
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic this week, and President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday, while other countries have announced major measures to lockdown their cities in an attempt to control the spread of the pandemic.
President Trump has received criticism for labeling the virus the ‘Chinese coronavirus’, but the lawsuit is clear in targeting the PRC for “. . causing a pandemic, yet slowly acted, proverbially put their head in the sand, and/or covered it up for their own economic self-interest,” the complaint says. “The defendants’ conduct has caused and will continue to cause personal injuries and deaths, as well as other damages.”
The Wuhan Weapons Lab
The lawsuit, on behalf of five Floridian plaintiffs, refers also to the Wuhan-based bio-weapons lab that could have developed the virus and then negligently permitted its spread globally.
The PRC, the lawsuit alleges, created “essentially a giant Petri dish” in the region near Wuhan, creating the global COVID-19 outbreak.
The lawsuit alleges claims of negligence, emotional distress, public nuisance and strict liability for “conducting ultrahazardous activity.”
“The PRC and the other defendants knew that COVID-19 was dangerous and capable of causing a pandemic, yet slowly acted, proverbially put their head in the sand, and/or covered it up for their own economic self-interest,” the complaint says.
“The defendants’ conduct has caused and will continue to cause personal injuries and deaths, as well as other damages.”
The coronavirus class action lawsuit was filed by Logan Alters, Marta Reyes, Lawrence Wood, Stephen Clyne, and The Pitching Lab, also known as TBT Training.
Pandemic Mishandled by the PRC
They seek to represent two Classes of people affected by the outbreak — a Class of all those in the United States affected by the outbreak, and a subclass of parties in Florida affected by the outbreak.
None of the plaintiffs have caught the coronavirus, but according to the pandemic class action lawsuit, they were still injured by the outbreak.
The coronavirus class action claims that people throughout the state of Florida, and people throughout the country were injured even if they have not been infected. They say the virus has taken an economic toll on the United States, and has caused panic, emotional distress and other injuries throughout the country.
The Targeted Parties
The plaintiffs have targeted their claims by filing against the People’s Republic of China, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Ministry of Emergency Management of the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, the People’s Government of Hubei Province, and the People’s Government of City of Wuhan, China.
The Florida plaintiffs claim that COVID-19 spread from a bio-weapon lab and then into a nearby marketplace, from which it spread.
Allegedly, there are only two bio-weapon labs in the People’s Republic of China, and one of them is the National Biosafety Laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is reportedly China’s only “level 4” microbiology lab, dealing with “the deadliest of viruses.”
The lawsuit claims that it was this laboratory, located close to the marketplace where COVID-19 originated and allegedly escaped due to lax security or due to the sale of lab animals to the nearby markets.
Researchers in China have allegedly been known to do this instead of cremating them, as is required by Chinese law.
Regardless of how the disease spread, the Florida residents argue the Chinese government did not respond appropriately to the outbreak.
Lawsuit Details
The Class Members in the China lawsuit are represented by Matthew T. Moore and Vincent J. Duffy of The Law Offices of Berman & Berman PA.
The Coronavirus Outbreak Class Action Lawsuit is Logan Alters, et al. v. People’s Republic of China, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-21108-UU, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division.
What is the Coronavirus Lawsuit?
A lawsuit from a class action law firm suing on behalf of Florida plaintiffs
What does the lawsuit allege?
It alleges negligence on the part of the Chinese government in failing to contain and advise of the virus
Does it allege a bio-weapons link?
The lawsuit alleges a Wuhan-based bio-weapons lab negligently released the virus through the sale of lab animals to local markets
Recent News on LawFuel
- How To Overcome Lawyer BurnoutImage by Tara Winstead from Pexels When lawyers suffer from burnout, they may not know it… Read more: How To Overcome Lawyer Burnout
- Australian Businesses’ Fear Of UK Class Action Law FirmPogust Goodhead’s Arrival Down Under The arrival in Australia of UK-based class action law firm Pogust… Read more: Australian Businesses’ Fear Of UK Class Action Law Firm
- LegalTech Startup Focuses on Small Law Firm AILawhive Raises Millions For AI Legal Platform Why should small law firms miss out on the… Read more: LegalTech Startup Focuses on Small Law Firm AI
- Which Law Firms Enjoy the Highest Google Law Firm Domain Rank AuthorityLaw Firm Domain Rank Authority Leaders Sonia Hickey, Law marketing contributor Domain rank authority is one… Read more: Which Law Firms Enjoy the Highest Google Law Firm Domain Rank Authority
- Death of Baker McKenzie Lawyer Reignites Workplace Stress IssueLawyer Burnout Crisis Remains The tragic death of a Baker McKenzie lawyer in Sydney has reawakened… Read more: Death of Baker McKenzie Lawyer Reignites Workplace Stress Issue
Anyone can read this but ultimately I would like Jeremy Alters to read it as well please.
How did 24 million people keep their mouths shut?
Hi. My Name is Neil Armstrong (true), I live in New Zealand, I am 73 so I’m in the top ‘scary’ bracket for Coronavirus. Help!
Please do me the honor of reading this communication. You may learn something vital for your mission to make China pay for their crimes. I want you to win and I believe I can offer a different perspective so I am doing my best to help you achieve your best result.
It is fair to say each country has a different story, different approach, different philosophy, and with different outcomes. I have to say I am proud to be in New Zealand as we have done so exceptionally well in the way we managed our situation. I was, however, born in the UK and came here in ‘74.
I like to think that (NZ success) buys me a few minutes of your time. Thank You.
I wish to bring to your attention a comparison of 2 of those outcomes which comprehensively defy rationale. And, in the process, provide you with incredible valuable information I hope. It is between Australia and Taiwan. This comparison has been done already, but only comparing populations and results. I have gone way beyond that.
Living in NZ I know a lot about Australia, having been there for 7 holidays completing the entire Eastern Seaboard from Port Douglas to around Apollo Bay near Adelaide (had to do that) and enjoyed a multitude of sporting contests over the past 5 decades. So please bear with me. I am sure you will be amazed.
So to start, could you please find a map of Australia, then look at the island of Tasmania at the bottom right. Tasmania is twice the size of Taiwan. Imagine if every single person in Australia were to be in one half of Tasmania. That is what Taiwan is like, and to make matters worse for the inhabitants, 65% of Taiwan is mountainous rainforest, so the ‘living area’ is 0.15 the size of Australia, or 1/6th the size of Tasmania. 24 million people. Shudder the thought.
Therefore, Being so cramped, Taiwan should be a haven for the Corona disease to spread, whereas Australia, massive in comparison, should be the exact opposite. Yet there is an incredible anomaly.
Here are the statistics. Australias’ 25 million compared to Taiwans 24 million should have similar stats, and if anything slightly better for Australia. You would think.
So why do Taiwans figures equate to ONLY a minute % of Australias?
Australias’ DEATHS are over EIGHTY.
Taiwan’s DEATHS are only SIX. Which is about 7.5% of Australias.
Now for the case numbers
Australia is 6,800,
Taiwan only 430. Once again, less than 6.5% of Australias. So pretty much the same ratios.
Have I aroused your imagination yet? Well we all know the Chinese tell lies, and that is what you are about to prove in your class action. Either non existent info, or misleading or untruthful info.
There is one other incredible anomaly which should be right up your street, so as the saying goes,
Wait, there’s more.
I am sure you are aware that China claims Taiwan is part of itself. The Taiwanese don’t think so as they have an elected government of their own. Plus they are in fact listed as a separate country for Coronavirus stats. But, as China insists they are all one, no reason for them to notify Taiwan of the virus. They are one and the same! No need also as most families have relatives in both countries, in fact the population is 95% Chinese, and they have a different system of communication between them. The jungle telegraph. Texts, emails, phone calls etc. Not social media – too exposed.
Now as far as I can recollect the first I knew of the virus was early March, and as you claim, information was scarcer than Mink Whales, and any info that existed needed to be squeezed out of them. If anyone could.
So are you aware then that the Taiwanese closed their borders (partially) to incoming Chinese on December the 31st? In fact the news was leaking through to Taiwan a few days earlier, as the border control would not jump to it in just a few short hours, they would need to be sure the problem was real and the only practical proof would be ‘numbers’. Sufficient underground rumblings suggested a volcano was about to erupt. So the border squad were testing people on or before December 31st, probably only for temperature, based on similar previous scenarios from China. I read this in on my phone from a newspaper and remembered, as I was flabbergasted, so I decided to make a folder.
That is a full TWO MONTHS before I even heard of the virus, and I am sure your case (USA) is similar. The Taiwanese early warning telegraph system alerted them all to a ‘well known’ situation, with China being expert at creating pandemics. So their Taiwanese relatives ran for cover. Perhaps that is why their stats are less than 10% of Australia. It could also be a 2nd massive cover up as they too, mostly Chinese after all, and would cringe if their stats were worse than China (per capita).
They either did a brilliantly incredible job of containing the virus, and for 4 whole months, with hardly a murmur, or they have massively doctored their figures, (as has China) so as not to look so bad to their mainland brethren, or in fact the world. Pride has no limits it seems, especially with these people. Example shortly. I have to say I myself find this so hard to believe. But the stats are there for all to read. I just took a different route.
So Taiwan had an early warning in 2019, which would have really hurt Mr. Li, and may be the reason he has had a battleship trawling within Taiwans’ territorial waters. But the main thing I am trying to tell you, is if you can get proof that Taiwan got warned as early as Dec 2019, even if it was unofficial, or that the border guards were screening inbound travelers, this is massive evidence in your favor.
Special jungle telegraph early warning. Pretending nothing happened. 24 million saying nothing, unbelievable figures compared to a similar population. And, if both sets of figures are correct, I will eat one of my 25 hats!
I have further information – which I believe may also be to your benefit. I will wait to see what happens with this section as you may think I am a crank.
The key point is that China detests Taiwan, so they didn’t need to warn them officially. China recently assisted many nations with aid, but only those that do not recognize Taiwan as an independent nation.
Pure prejudice. This I believe is the motivation behind Mr. Li doing what he did. He is a very jealous and deceptive person. I am fairly good at body language / facial expression, even on TV.
W.H.O. have now said the world should have listened to it’s advice at the end of January. Well even that was a month late so there is an admission already. Look what happened within 1 month in Italy.
I personally hadn’t even heard of the pandemic until early March and I follow the news every day. Normally it was to check weather, and tides for swimming, the world was quite safe. Since then it’s become a mantra – How many dead? How many new cases?
This revelation about Taiwans Super early warning raises questions. Yet we were innocently, if not obliviously, still playing sport up until 14 March. Dec 31st to March 14 is 73 days – OVER 10 weeks.
What exactly were the warnings to the Taiwanese people? When exactly did the Airport start screening incoming travelers from China late December? Were the terms – Isolation – lockdowns – PPE – Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 mentioned? Taiwan seem to have done a 4 month cover up since then. Unbelievable.
If you have got this far thank you so much. I have the British Newspaper apps on my phone and this is where I get my info, mainly. I believe I can offer a different perspective. I want you to kick butt.
Finally on TV the Chinese diplomat in Australia. The news reporter said we are not happy with you not returning emails and keeping us in the dark (Nnnnooooo) The lady diplomat said “Oh! you shouldn’t say things like that if that gets out the students might not want to come here.”
They have just destroyed the world economy and they only care about saving face.
All I can say is they have a remarkably high opinion of themselves.
Kind regards
Neil Armstrong.
I am lucky to be locked up at home with my wife Phyl. We bought a new house 1987. 3 months later the Stock market crash made me jobless and we eventually lost the house with a huge debt, and 10 years of odd jobs. So we are still renting. I know what financial hardship means but we have persevered. Now we get the Asians dictating our health, our economy, our welfare, and they only care about saving face.
Go hard.