Legal
Zhu-Zhu Toys Declared Safe Following CPSC Probe
Dec 31st
Recently, consumers held their breath as the environmental health group GoodGuide announced that the extremely popular Zhu-Zhu toys were found to have high levels of tin and antimony in the toys. Los Angeles personal inujry lawyers have been concerned about the safety of toys this holiday season, and this was an alarming announcement. Retailers are having a tough time keeping up with the demand for Zhu-Zhu pets, which are robotic hamsters that are in huge demand.
GoodGuide conducted its own investigation to test the popular toy for toxins using a handheld X-ray fluorescent gun, which is unable to measure the amount of antimony accurately. Antimony is often combined with other metals and can be used in pipe metal, batteries and animation. It can be risky to health when concentration of more than 60 parts per million are found. This announcement reminded California product liability lawyers as well as consumers of 2007, when an unusually high amount of children’s toys were found to have high lead content and were recalled.
Many people have already purchased the Zhu-Zhu toys as Christmas gifts, which lead the CPSC to quickly determine the safety of the popular toys. They confirmed that the Zhu-Zhu does remain in compliance with the metal limits set by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, although they have not conducted their own tests on the toy as of yet. Consumers are relieved, to say the least.
The testing standards used by GoodGuide and the CPSC are not the same, and GoodGuide may face scrutiny by the makers of Zhu-Zhu toys, Sepia. GoodGuides warning is appreciated by California product liability lawyers, who know that the times we live in require an added level of caution. Toy safety concerns have become a delicate issue, and federal regulators have been slammed because of their inability to clamp down on toys that are unsafe in time. GoodGuide’s announcement concerning the findings of its own testing have caused the CPSC to delve deeper into the matter, and consumers to become more aware of the dangers toys can pose.
Parents should research the safety of toys they are considering purchasing by visiting the CPSC website to learn about recalled toys. This site is updated frequently so that parents are aware of potentially dangerous toys and can avoid purchasing them for their children.
The Reeves Law Group has offices across California and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of product liability. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.
It’s The Holiday Season, and Shopping for Safe Toys is Encouraged by California Product Liability Lawyers
Dec 7th
Growing concern about the safety hazards of some toys have California product liability lawyers and parents all over the nation increasing their awareness about toy safety. This all really began in 2007, when millions of toys were found to have a high lead content and other safety hazards, and were pulled off the shelves.
It’s Thanksgiving now, which means millions of moms, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles have begun their quest for the perfect toy for the little ones. However, recently there has been much media attention focused on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, and so many headlines about toy safety that it is downright confusing. How does anyone know what toys are safe to give children as gifts? Cnet News has a list of resources available that will make shopping for safe toys a little easier.
The most recent recalls issued by toy manufacturers and other children’s products are listed on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website which is updated on a regular basis. This site shares specific, precise information about any danger risks with toys, such as small parts that cause choking hazards, lead content, and suffocation hazards, as well as other dangers related to toys. The details about each individual toy is specific, and accompanied by a color picture so that parents can be certain if a product they are considering buying has been subject to recall.
Also on this site is information on specific time periods when recalled toys were sold, along with the names of the retailers who sold them. It is hard to make a choice in children’s products or toys that is unsafe when you have a thorough, in-depth list of information at your fingertips.
Another great site is GoodGuide.com. This site rates products from green (safe) to red (high level of toxins). You can purchase personal care items, food, toys and household cleaners that are environmentally safe. The toy section is especially helpful for parents, and lists information about chemicals and the level of lead that may be in certain toys. There are also product reviews available, so that you can read others opinions before you buy.
GreenToys.com offers toys that have no toxin content and are safe for children and environmentally friendly. For those who prefer no toxins or lead content when shopping for their children, GreenToys.com is a good solution, and some toys offered have been given awards from magazines and parenting groups.
HealthyStuff.org allows you to test products. Whatever toy you consider buying, this site issues a health rating so that you know what chemicals the toy contains, and exactly where on that toy the chemical is located. MomsRising.org is another helpful site that gives free information on the toxins a toy contains. Just contact them with the name of the toy, and they will send the information back to you.
The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing clients as California wrongful death attorneys, including victims of product liability. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.
Car Seats Dangerous When Used Outside the Car According to Study
Nov 18th
Car safety seats save thousands of lives each year, and are essential for restraining a child. California product liability lawyers stress that children need to be restrained properly, but a new study reveals that some newer car seats can be used as a baby carrier as well. These new systems have caused thousands of injuries, according to a study done by pediatric orthopedist Shital Parikh. The results of this study were revealed in Washington at the American Academic of Pediatrics annual conference.
Many injuries occur every year due to car seats being placed on top of counters, tables and beds. In fact, every year over 8,700 infants are into he emergency room for treatment because of accidents that occur because of these car seats being used outside of the car. Many times, the infants are not buckled in properly and fall out of the seat. When placed on soft surfaces like beds, the risk of the car seat falling over places infants at great danger of suffocation.
About half of the injuries that occur are inside the home. Head injuries, and fractures to the arms and legs account for the majority of these injuries. Between 2003 and 2007, according to the study, three babies died due to improper use of these car seats, with about 680 babies requiring hospital treatment. Parents need to be more informed about the risks associated with using car seats outside of their cars. They should always be placed on a hard, flat surface where there is less danger of the seat toppling over.
As odd as it sounds, a new condition called “container syndrome” is now being observed by the American Physical Therapy Association. This condition is caused when infants spend an excessive amount of time buckled into a car seat. This can cause their muscles to weaken, and their heads often get misshapen and flat due to spending so much time placed on their backs. Experts believe that car seats are best used only when traveling to prevent the dangers that can occur.
Placing babies in a car seat that is properly installed while traveling can reduce the risk of fatalities by as much as 75%, and California defective car seat lawyers know that these seats spare many babies from serious injury. The secret to increasing safety is to insure that the car seat is installed properly, so that risk of injuries is not actually increased.
The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of defective child seats. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.
Stronger Warnings About Safety of Botox Demanded by FDA
Nov 10th
Makers of Botox and other similar drugs have been required by the Federal Drug Administration to issue stronger warnings about unapproved uses which may have potential health hazards. Some uses such as treatment of muscle spasms, twitches and neck pain have been reported.
The danger lies in complications that could arise if the Botulinum toxin were to spread beyond the injection site and elsewhere into the body. Children suffering from cerebral palsy were administered Botulinum toxin to treat the uncontrollable muscular spasms that are common with the disease. Use of Botox in instances like these can result in the muscles necessary for swallowing and breathing to become paralyzed. Other complications could include weakness of the muscles, loss of bladder control, problems with vision and even death.
The use of Botox has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of frown lines and wrinkles and muscle spasms in the feet, neck or eye. It has also been approved for excessive sweating. Of course, millions across the world, including many well known celebrities, have used Botox to take years off of their looks. This works by freezing the muscles that are responsible for creating the lines and wrinkles. If you have been injured by bad medical products, consider contacting a San Diego pharmaceutical liability lawyer.
Allergen, Solstice Neurosciences and Medicis, according to the FDA, need to place stronger warnings on their products stating the dangers of unapproved uses of Botox. According to Allergen, who has released a statement about the safety and efficiency of Botox, reports are rare that the toxin spreads into the rest of the body from the injection site. These rare side effects were reported when Botox was used in the legs of children who have Cerebral Palsy in order to treat spasticity. Adults with neck spasms were also treated with the drug, and neither of these uses is approved by the FDA.
Doctors have prescribed drugs for purposes other than their intended use, which is allowed, so using drugs for unapproved purposes is not something new. However, promoting an unapproved use of a drug is not allowed by companies according to the FDA. Controversies surrounding Botox have been around ever since the drug came on the scene in the 1980’s, and there has not been any strong evidence that dangerous side effects have occurred.
The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of recalled products. Serving Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside County, San Bernardino, Ventura & beyond. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.
Dangers of Cell Phone Use Demonstated by Unicycling Clown
Nov 4th
A new study involving legitimate research may seem lighthearted, but it demonstrates well the dangers of driving while using a cell phone, which is a real concern for California car accident lawyers. They know all too well the increased accident rates that result from this behavior. Distracted driving is making more and more headlines in the news each day, and for good reason.
In this study, the authors watched as a man rode a unicycle across the square on campus while wearing a clown suit, to see how aware the college students were. Afterward, the authors interviewed approximately 150 college-age individuals who were walking across the campus square at the time, to learn if they noticed anything peculiar. Interestingly, the students who were talking on cell phones, when asked if they noticed anything unusual, did not. Even when the event of the clown riding a unicycle was mentioned, those who were using cell phones at the time were only half as likely to notice the peculiarity as others who were in the same area and not using electronics, or listening to music.
This study pointed out some very real findings. Walking is one of the most natural activities of a human, but those talking on cell phones did not pay attention to their surroundings. Driving a car is much more technical, so it is hard to imagine what the real dangers of talking on a cell phone or engaging in other distractions can result in. These findings were pointed out by the lead researcher of the study, Ira Hyman Jr.
It seems that listening to music on iPods is not nearly as distracting as talking on a cell phone, according to this study. Many have grouped distractions together, but it seems that this is a fallacy, and that having an actual conversation on a cell phone requires more effort than simply listening to music, as it means that the driver must listen to what the other person has to say, then concentrate on an answer. This is difficult to do while still maintaining full attention on the road.
Also noted in the study is the fact that even those who are walking while talking on a cell phone are more distracted, walk more slowly, and generally weave in different directions more often. It generally took someone talking on a cell phone 83 seconds to cross the square, while those listening to music or walking without any devices took an average of 74 to 75 seconds. This study touches on another subject that California pedestrian accident lawyers have been aware of, which is pedestrian distractions.
The Reeves Law Group has offices across California and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of pedestrian accidents. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Announces Recall of Little Tikes Clubhouse Swing Sets
Aug 13th
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recently announced a recall for the Little Tikes Clubhouse Swing Set. The company, which is based out of Ohio, has voluntary agreed to the recall and is encouraging their consumers to stop using the product immediately. The product is not defective, in the traditional sense of the word, but with improper assembly the swing set can allow for falling injuries to occur. The Clubhouse Swing Sets do not come with any directions for assembly on one of the swing seats, requiring consumers to figure out assembly on their own. For the most part the assembly does not seem to be difficult, but if one of the swing seats in the set is not assembled properly, the harness will detach the seat from the rest of the set, leading to falling injuries. Consider contacting a San Diego personal injury lawyer if you have been injured by this product. Since very little children typically play on these sets, the consequences could be severe.
For the most part, the swing set can be assembled properly for extended use and play by little children. In fact, the only portion of the product that is being recalled is the blue swing seat. The set also comes equipped with a yellow swing seat, a slide, and even a climbing wall, none of which are being recalled along with the blue swing seat. The Clubhouse Swing Sets were sold at a number of major retailers around the United States between October 2008 and March 2009. The swing sets were manufactured here in the United States.
The recall of the Little Tikes Clubhouse Swing Sets is just one of a number of recalls that has occurred this year. In July there was a clothing distributor that was required to recall over 7,000 hooded children’s sweatshirts because of the risk of strangulation. Those sweatshirts were sold in late 2008. There was also another recall in July in which Brown Shoes Co., based out of St. Louis, recalled over one million clogs for children because of choking hazards. Apparently the clogs were designed to look like cars and decorated with car accessories, such as wheels and other embellishments. The shoes were supposed to mimic characters from the popular children’s movie “Cars.” The wheels and other embellishments on the clogs, however, were able to be easily removed by small children. It is no surprise that this could be hazardous because a child’s first reaction to such an occurrence would often be to place the removable piece in his or her mouth.
If you have a child who has been injured because of a defective toy or any other product used for children, you should contact a product liability lawyer quickly. Los Angeles product liability lawyers have expertise in cases where injuries have occurred because of defective products. It is the responsibility of companies to ensure that the products they sell to consumers will be safe, especially when those products are being made for children. If you purchased defective products for your child that caused him or her injury, a personal injury lawyer can help you reach a settlement.
Driver Arrested in Oxnard for Role in Fatal Bike Accident
Jul 21st
Just last week a man was killed in a bicycle accident outside in Malibu, California when he was hit by a man driving a vehicle. The victim was riding a bicycle with his son peddling alongside him on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The father and son team were returning home after taking part in the Los Angeles Wheelmen Grand Tour that occurs in the area every year within both Ventura County and Santa Barbara County. The father was a mere 45 years old, while his son is only 14 years old. The boy sustained serious injuries which included a number of broken bones. His father, who was thrown from his bicycle when the vehicle struck him, incurred such severe injuries that he died at the scene of the accident. People involved in injuries such as this should contact a Los Angeles personal injury attorney to help with their case. His son was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where he is currently in stable condition.
Without giving any regard to the two bicyclists which he hit, the driver of the vehicle sped away from the scene of his crime. He was found by police only a mile or so away from where he hit the father and son duo. It is suspected that the man was planning to ditch his vehicle to avoid taking responsibility for his crime. However, the police found him shortly after the accident next to his vehicle. He was apparently drunk. Police arrested him immediately for hitting the father and son and leaving the scene of the accident. It is against the law in California to leave the scene of a vehicular accident, and it is unspeakable that he would leave a dying man and his injured son on the side of the road without so much as calling for help. He is now being held for a bail of $100,000.
There are hundreds of Los Angeles bicycling accidents happening every year in California. As residents of this sunny state are biking to reap its many health benefits and save money on gasoline, the number of bicycle injuries caused by vehicles is increasing significantly. Many factors can contribute to the injuries being incurred by bicyclists. Many times, as was the case in Malibu last week, motorists are often reckless in their driving or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sometimes bicyclists are difficult to see on the road at night. This can often be linked to the lack of street lights or other visibility variables, leading to serious accidents. There are also a number of bicyclists who are injured by vehicles each year because there are often no bicycle lanes available for their use. In instances such as this, local city and county governments may be to blame for not taking the responsibility of making our roads safer for all who use it, including bicyclists.
If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, you should seek a reputable personal injury lawyer to handle your claim. Your lawyer will be able to help you determine who is most likely to blame for the injuries you’ve received. It may be the driver of the vehicle that hit you, but it could potentially be another source altogether.
Recent Recall of Defective Baby Cribs and Baby Swimming Floats
Jul 16th
Just last week it was announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission that there are new recalls for a number of different children’s products on the market, including defective baby cribs and baby swimming floats. Already these defective items have been related to a number of safety violations and at least one death of an infant in the Houston, Texas area. The cribs that are being recalled were manufacturers by a company call Simplicity Inc. The CPSC has already announced that over 400,000 of these cribs, which are manufactured in China, are being recalled for defects in the drop sides. If you are the victim of a recalled product liability, contact a Los Angeles liability products lawyer. Apparently the material from which these cribs are made is prone to breakage, which can lead to the drop side of the crib falling off or detaching from crib. An infant could easily fall out of the crib entirely or fall into the space between the crib mattress and the drop side piece that has detached.
The infant who died in Texas was a victim of one of these drop side cribs manufactured by Simplicity Inc. It was reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission that the 8-month old baby became trapped between the defective drop side piece of the crib and the crib mattress. It was also reported by the CPSC that there have been at least 25 other cases in which the drop side of these cribs detached from the crib itself, creating a potentially dangerous situation for infants. The cribs in question were purportedly sold between January of 2005 and June of 2009.
In addition to defective baby cribs, millions of inflatable baby floats have also been included in the recent recall. The floats were manufactured by a company called Aqua Leisure Industries based out of Massachusetts. It has been reported that there is a defect in the portion of the float that straps around the child’s leg. The strap could easily tear, causing the child to fall into the water and potentially drown. The floats, like the cribs, were manufactured entirely in China. They sold from a number of stores and in a variety of colors and styles between December of 2002 and June of 2009. There have been over 30 reports so far of children falling into water because of these float defects, but thankfully there has not yet been a single injury. Aqua Leisure Industries is asking that their consumers discontinue use of these defective floats immediately and contact the company to receive a refund.
If you are a parent whose child has been injured because of defective baby products, you undoubtedly need the help of a personal injury lawyer. Personal injury lawyers have much experience dealing with claims and cases regarding defective products for children and adults alike. Your personal injury lawyer can help you and your child receive the compensation necessary to cover the medical costs of injuries. You can also receive compensation for the pain and loss you’ve incurred in the instance that your child has died because of a defective product. Also, if you are a lawyer, attorney or own a law firm; consider hiring a law firm internet marketing company to help you improve your online visibility so that you can obtain new clients easily online.
Some Defective Medtronic Pacemakers Recently Recalled by FDA
Jul 2nd
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently announced a recall of some defective Medtronic Inc. pacemakers. In fact, the recall has been classified as a Class I recall. This type of recall is the most serious in that it determines the defective product being recalled as able to cause severe injury and possibly even death. This is a serious concern for those who depend on these types of pacemakers for their hearts to continue functioning properly. If the pacemaker malfunctions and can no longer help their heart beat successfully, these patients could sustain serious injury and/or die.
The defect in these pacemakers is attributed to a possible separation of wires that connect the battery to the circuit. If the wire connection between the two separates, battery power will be lost and the pacemaker will cease to work. This is not the first time that Medtronic Inc. has been the producer of defective products that required recall. In fact, it was only two years ago that the company was forced to recall another product used as part of cardiovascular implants. The Sprint Fidelis, an electrical wire that attaches a defibrillator to the heart of the patient, was recalled in 2007 because it broke easily and could cause an entire cardiovascular implant to stop working. Hundreds of thousands of patients had been equipped with the Sprint Fidelis, at least thirteen of which died from the malfunctioning wire. Several of these victims actually died during the surgery to have these defective wires removed and replaced with functional wires.
There are several types of Medtronic Inc. pacemakers that have been included in the recall, and if you’re unsure of whether or not yours is one of them, you should consult your cardiologist immediately. Defective products such as those that have been produced by Medtronic in the past few years should not be implanted into cardiovascular patients. It is obvious from these last two recalls that Medtronic Inc. is not taking enough precautions to ensure that their products are safe for short term and long term use in cardiovascular patients. Cardiovascular surgery is risky enough as it is and only becomes more hazardous to perform when defective products need to be removed and replaced with reliable parts.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of a defective product that has been recalled, you should seek out a Los Angeles personal injury attorney to discuss your rights. You have the right, as a medical patient, to be implanted with cardiovascular equipment that is going to help your heart works at its most productive level, rather than hinder or halt that progress. Don’t allow companies like Medtronic to continue producing defective products in Los Angeles that are detrimental to your health and the health of millions of other people across the country. Get a personal injury attorney that will help you fight for your right to reliable healthcare and reliable healthcare products, especially those on which you depend in order to live and thrive.