Charlottesville Personal Injury Lawyer - recall

Holiday Toy Dangers

Paul Thomson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:01:00 GMT

WPTV recently reported that hazardous toys are lurking on store shelves this holiday season. Despite increased safety standards and recalls, the Public Interest Research Group found sixteen dangerous toys during this year's annual Trouble in Toyland survey. The top concern is toys with magnets or small parts. Magnets can easily break off and, along with small parts, can be choked on. Choking is the most common cause of death from toys and took 196 children last year. Choking is one of the three main hazards the PIRG searched for, along with toys that are too loud, posing a risk of hearing damage, and toys that contain dangerous levels of lead, which can cause brain damage if ingested, or phthalates, a substance in plastic that can case developmental problems. With all the potential risks toys may hold, parents and loved ones may wonder which toys are safe to purchase for children this winter. While shopping, a list of risky toys can be accessed from smart phones at this address: http://www.toysafety.mobi/. Be sure to use this resource and keep your children safe!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Thomson

Toyota Recalling 110,000 Tundra's in 20 States

Greg Webb — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:04:02 GMT

Toyota, in yet another in what seems to be a stream of recent recalls, is recalling 110,000 Tundra pick-up trucks from the model years 2000-2003. The recall is attempting to address excessive rust on the trucks' frames, and the government (NHTSA) is urging owners to remove the spare tire from the vehicle because it is concerned the tire could drop into the roadway, which could cause hazards for motorists.

The corrosion can also cause problems with the rear brake lines, leading to brake system failures, according to NHTSA. This is, of course, a potential safety issue for motorists as well.

The recall is for 20 "cold weather" states, including Virginia and the District of Columbia. Other states include: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Owners are asked to take their trucks to a local dealer who will repair the damaged portion of the frame, or apply a rust resistant compound to the affected area, depending upon the severity of the corrosion.

This is the second major recall by Toyota in the past several months, with the other affecting Toyota and Lexus models because of safety issues concerning floor mats.

I am afraid Toyota is slipping some. I own a Toyota that has 70,000 miles on it, and I have had to have more work done to it than other Toyotas I have owned. I also think Toyota got caught up in the big truck, SUV, craze that overcame many other manufacturers, and got away some from what it did best: building high quality, high value, economical cars. I suspect, however, that Toyota will right the ship and get back on track at some point in the near future.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Webb

Misleading Toyota Recall Sparks Criticism From NHTSA

Greg Webb — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:33:15 GMT

Federal safety regulators have reprimanded Toyota Motor Corp. for issuing misleading and inaccurate statements that no defect exists in the 3.8 million automobiles it voluntarily recalled on September 29 after a 2009 Lexus ES 350 sedan accelerated out of control in San Diego County, California, killing four people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a statement that the Lexus and Toyota vehicles do, in fact, have an “underlying defect” that involves the design of the accelerator pedal and the driver's foot well. Toyota officials, however, blame the accident and other uncontrolled acceleration incidents nationwide on the gas pedal becoming entrapped by an improperly installed floor mat.

In its recall, Toyota claims there is no problem with the accelerator itself but asks consumers to instead remove driver’s-side mats if the mat is incompatible with the vehicle and not properly secured; the automaker also posted a video statement which disputed news reports that the "unintended acceleration" could be linked to other factors, such as the electronic throttle control systems. NHTSA officials were thus prompted to issue a clarification and stated the matter will not be closed until Toyota addresses the defect and suggests a solution.

This incident may affect Toyota’s credibility because the automaker was alleging it had a clean record with the NHTSA when it actually did not. Toyota claims it never intentionally mislead the American public and is still developing vehicle-based remedies to ensure unintended acceleration events do not happen again; these remedies may include changes in the placement of pedals, or a change to the engine control software in the vehicles' onboard computers. Since 2003, the NHTSA has investigated eight cases of unwanted acceleration in Toyota vehicles; two of these probes led to small recalls while the other six were closed by the agency due to no finding of a defect. In all of these investigations, the NHTSA did find that the Toyota braking system could lose most of its efficiency and power when the throttle is fully opened and that other aspects of vehicle design, such as using push-button ignitions, could add risk in sudden-acceleration events. In the San Diego County incident, officials found the pedal’s design may have had an enhanced risk of being obstructed by the floor mat.

The recall affects the 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry, the 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, the 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, the 2005-2010 Tacoma, the 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, the 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350 and the 2006-2010 Lexus IS 250 and IS 350.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Webb

Maclaren Failed to Report Finger-Chopping Danger

Paul Thomson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Maclaren recently recalled strollers made as far back as 1999 because the stroller hinge can cause a child's finger to be amputated when placed in the hinge upon opening or closing the stroller. Twelve children have had their fingers amputated! The New York Post reported that Maclaren knew about the defect as early as 2004, when the first finger amputation was reported.

Maclaren now faces fines up to one million dollars for failing to report the problem to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Companies are required to report dangers to the CPSC immediately. The fact that Maclaren failed to do so is absurd! Twelve children have lost their fingers--that's ridiculous! Customers are encouraged to take advantage of the recall and Maclaren needs to be held accountable for their lack of responsibility!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Thomson

Zero Motorcycles Recalled Due to Crash Hazard

Paul Thomson — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 GMT

About 200 Zero X and Zero MX Off-Road Motorcyles from the Model Year 2009 have been recalled because the throttle can get stuck in the open position or get disconnected. This can cause the motorcycle to go to full power when in the "Easy" or "0-25" mode without warning. This is extremely dangerous to the rider, as they can loose control and become injured. Although there have only been three reports of unexpected acceleration and only one case of minor injuries, this defect clearly has the potential to cause serious damage to a rider or bystanders. If you have a zero off road motorcycle, check for your model number here to determine if your motorcycle has been recalled. Stop using a recalled motorcycle immediately and contact Zero Motorcycles to schedule a free repair.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Thomson

Botulism Fear Shelves Plum Organics’ Baby Food

Greg Webb — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:36:02 GMT

Plum Organics, a California-based company, recently announced that it is recalling its apple and carrot flavored baby food for fear of botulism poisoning. The company stated its product does not meet FDA requirements. While there have been no illnesses reported, the possibility is not taken likely; botulism is a rare, serious paralytic illness. The baby food packages in question are 4.22 ounce pouches with a sell by date of May 21, 2010; their UPC code is 890180001221. They were sold at Babies “R” Us and Toys “R” Us stores nationwide.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Webb

John Deere Compact Tractors May Cause Injury

Paul Thomson — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:24:02 GMT

About 90 John Deere Compact Utility Tractors have been recalled because the differential that was installed is the wrong size. This causes the tractor to veer left when the brakes are applied. Clearly, this is a hazard to operators and bystanders. Although there have been no injuries reported, customers should stop using the tractor immediately to prevent any from happening. The recalled tractors are models 3032E and 3038E. Model numbers are painted on the side of the tractor. Find a complete list of serial numbers and other relevant information here. Contact a John Deere dealer for a free repair if you are the owner of a recalled tractor. Don't risk threatening the safety of others by using a defective tractor!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Thomson

Studies Show E. coli In Ground Beef Not Ceasing

Greg Webb — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Studies show that more than 70,000 Americans become sick each year due to E. coli bacterial infections. Most of these infections come from contaminated beef made into the most “American” of foods, the hamburger. Of the 70,000 infected, about 2,000 are sick enough to be hospitalized and in some extreme cases, victims become paralyzed or die; death happens in about 60 patients annually. Although the government does post regulations in order to keep the contamination at a minimum, many feel this is not enough; even the best precautions can only do so much. In a recent survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, for example, the E. coli bacteria contaminated one of every 200 samples of ground beef.

While companies and government inspectors backstop safety procedures by testing sample meat products for E. coli contamination, a procedure that usually takes at least a couple of days to show results, there are still problems. The first is that companies do not want testing conducted unless they do it themselves. According to a recent article published in the New York Times, many meat producers will not sell to processing companies who test the meat upon the delivery’s arrival, before it is mixed with meat from other companies. Producers are worried a positive E. coli test would force them to recall their entire product, including the meat they sold to other processors. Instead, meat companies require the processors only test the finished hamburger so if there is a contamination, it is impossible to trace it back to a single slaughterhouse. The second problem is that it is physically unfeasible and economically unrealistic to test every ounce of meat; it takes only a little E. coli bacteria to make someone sick. Only irradiation, in which meat is treated with a low dose of radiation, kills all of the bacteria. Though this process is deemed safe and effective, public speculation has helped prevent its spread. Many believe the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) should help to change people’s minds about irradiation in order to ensure the process is more widely used.

Because the producers, processors and government cannot guarantee the safety of meat, they ask consumers to cook it to 160 degrees to kill most of the bacteria.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Webb

Nissan and Infinity Recall 143,000 Vehicles

Greg Webb — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:38:50 GMT

Nissan and Infinity have recalled approximately 143,000 vehicles it manufactured in cold states. Road salt can cause corrosion which may affect the tire pressure monitors on the vehicles. The vehicles recalled are:

• 2008–10 Infiniti M35 and M45.
• 2009 Nissan Cube
• 2009 Nissan Murano
• 2008 Nissan Rogue

The states for which the recall applies are: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of ColumbiaConnecticut.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Webb

Ford Recalls Another 4.5 Million Automobiles for Fire Hazard - 16 MILLION TOTAL

Greg Webb — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:52:03 GMT

Ford Motor Company ("Ford"), in the continuing saga of the defective cruise control deactivation switches on its, issued the single largest recall in the history of the United States Tuesday, October 13, 2009, because of a potential safety defect in certain models of its vehicles. The faulty cruise control deactivation switches can create a fire hazard, even when the vehicle is parked and has no keys in it and is unattended.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") stated that this was the eigth recall by Ford, involving a total of 16 million Ford vehicles, regarding the cruise control deactivation switch. Sixteen Million Vehicles. (Why were these vehicles not recalled earlier? What took Ford so long to issue these recalls?)

A Ford spokesman indicated that the "risk was elevated" for 1.1 million Windstars that were subject to a government investiation. The spokesman further indicated the risk was "low", and that Ford always goes beyond recalling the cars that present a risk. (Why were the recalls strung out over a period of years?)

Ford has stated that it has not used the defective switches in models AFTER 2003. Ford further has instructed its customers to bring the offending vehicles to a dealer to have a "complimentary installation of a fused wiring harness that will eliminate the risk".

There should be no mistake about this: this is a potentially dangerous fire hazard, putting property, and possibly life, in harm's way.

For further information, contact Ford at: 1 (800) 392-3673; or NHTSA at : 1 (888) 327-4236; or visit: www.safecar.gove

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Webb