Plaintiff’s Counsel Ordered to Pay $25,665 in Sanctions in Neb. Federal Enbrel Action

OMAHA, Neb. — A Nebraska federal judge has upheld a magistrate judge’s order imposing $25,665 in sanctions against a plaintiff’s attorney in an Enbrel action on the basis that the lawyer ignored or re-litigated the court’s discovery rulings and disregarded the proper procedures for objections and appeals.

In a July 17 docket note, Judge John M. Gerrard of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska ordered attorney Keith Altman to pay the sanctions by Aug. 17.

Steve Vallejo was prescribed Enbrel in 2004 to treat his rheumatoid arthritis. He later developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), leading to his death …