Category Archives: Product Liability or Medical Devices

Two Million More Baby Cribs Recalled

Written On June 29, 2010 By Bob Kraft

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of more than two million baby cribs from seven manufacturers. The recall is to give the companies time to investigate entrapment, suffocation, and fall hazards previously linked to drop-side cribs. The manufacturers will provide free repair kits to immobilize the drop sides of the cribs.
The recalls were [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Experts Chosen to Probe Unintended Vehicle Acceleration

Written On June 24, 2010 By Bob Kraft

The Detroit News ran a brief article about a panel of experts appointed to investigate unintended acceleration in vehicles. Here are excerpts:
The National Academy of Sciences said it had chosen a group of engineers, scientists and auto safety experts to examine unwanted acceleration and electronic systems in vehicles throughout the auto industry. The study, conducted at [...]

Posted in Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

Dispute Between Surgeon and Device Maker Shows Lack of Safety Measures

Written On June 22, 2010 By Bob Kraft

On the front page of its Sunday Business section, the New York Times described the falling out between Dr. Richard A. Berger, who “designed surgical tools and artificial joints for Zimmer Holdings,” and the company. The Times noted that this “breakup…highlights what experts say is a troubling situation for patients and doctors: when disputes arise about [...]

Posted in Medical Malpractice, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Company Involved in G.M. Recall Said the Problem is Not Solved

Written On June 15, 2010 By Bob Kraft

Last week General Motors recalled more than one million vehicles because GM said a system that heated the windshield-washer fluid could cause fires. Now there is some new troubling information. Apparently the maker of the windshield-washer system, Micro-Heat, is claiming that it is not to blame for the defect, and further says that GM owners [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

McDonald’s Will Refund $3 for “Shrek” Glasses

Written On June 10, 2010 By Bob Kraft

I wrote here about the recall of 12,000,000 “Shrek” glasses by McDonald’s. Now the company has agreed to refund $3.00 to anyone who purchased a glass from them.
This is fairly generous, as the glasses cost $1.99 with a food purchase and $2.49 alone. Of course to get the refund, customers must return the glasses to [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Watered Down Vehicle Safety Bills Reflect Influence of Automakers

Written On June 8, 2010 By Bob Kraft

New auto safety bills have been introduced in the House and Senate. These bills are basically good for consumers, but they are considerably weaker than previous versions. This is due to negotiations with the auto manufacturers. The story is reported in the Washington Post, and here are excerpts:
Automakers have reached a series of compromises with [...]

Posted in Government, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

McDonald’s Recalls 12,000,000 Cadmium-Tainted Shrek Glasses

Written On June 7, 2010 By Bob Kraft

The Associated Press is one of many news outlets reporting on the recall by McDonald’s of 12,000,000 “Shrek” drinking glasses because they may be contaminated with cadmium. The cadmium is in the paint on the outside of the glasses, which of course are intended for use by kids. If you received one of these glasses [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Congress Investigating Johnson & Jonson’s “Phantom Recall”

Written On June 3, 2010 By Bob Kraft

Here’s a strange story about a mysterious “phantom” recall of Motrin drugs by the Johnson & Johnson company. Allegedly, the company hired a contractor to go to stores and buy all the available stock of defective tablets rather than announce a recall of the product. This came up at a Congressional hearing last week as Democratic [...]

Posted in Prescription Drug Claims, Product Liability or Medical Devices

House Committee Approves Auto Safety Bill

Written On May 28, 2010 By Bob Kraft

This week, pushed on by the recent Toyota recalls and runaway acceleration issues, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a new auto safety bill that would impose stricter standards on car makers. The bill now goes to the full House, where it could pass before the end of the year.
The vote, as all votes [...]

Posted in Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

Government Now Says 89 Deaths Linked to Toyota Acceleration Problems

Written On May 27, 2010 By Bob Kraft

According to the Associated Press the government now says unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles may have been involved in the deaths of 89 people over the past decade. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that from 2000 to mid-May, it had received more than 6,200 complaints involving sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles. The reports involve 89 deaths [...]

Posted in Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

More Good News on Drop-Side Cribs

Written On May 25, 2010 By Bob Kraft

Word is finally out on the dangers of drop-side cribs. The industry has started phasing out production of the cribs, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has pledged to ban the sale of them by the end of the year, and now legislation is to be introduced in Congress to outlaw the manufacture, sale, and re-sale [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

FDA Warns Tylenol Manufacturer About Quality Concerns

Written On May 20, 2010 By Bob Kraft

The Johnson & Johnson company, manufacturer of Tylenol and many other similar medications, has come under pressure recently due to quality control problems at one of their plants. The drug maker voluntarily recalled certain lots of children’s liquid Tylenol and Motrin this month.
The plant under scrutiny is in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, and had been inspected by [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Crib-Makers Approve Tougher Safety Tests

Written On May 17, 2010 By Bob Kraft

Major crib manufacturers on Wednesday agreed to perform tougher safety tests on cribs before they are sold, a victory for consumer advocates who have pushed for years for stronger tests in the wake of babies’ deaths. That’s the lead sentence of an article in the Chicago Tribune last week. Of course I’ve written many times [...]

Posted in Product Liability or Medical Devices

Claire’s Recalls Children’s Metal Charm Bracelets Due to High Levels of Cadmium

Written On May 12, 2010 By Bob Kraft

This information is from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: “Best Friends” Charm Bracelet Sets
Units: About 19,000
Importer: Claire’s Boutiques [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

CPSC Plans to Ban Drop-Side Cribs – Finally!

Written On May 11, 2010 By Bob Kraft

Maybe the Consumer Products Safety Commission read my most recent post on drop-side cribs? I said, “At this point I wouldn’t recommend buying any drop-side crib. It seems every one of them will eventually be recalled for safety reasons.”
Now the consumer agency has, according to the Chicago Tribune, has “committed to enacting a mandatory safety [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Lexus ‘Don’t Buy’ Warning Is Lifted

Written On May 8, 2010 By Bob Kraft

In a bit of good news for Toyota, finally, Consumer Reports magazine has dropped the “Don’t Buy” warning from the 2010 Lexus GX460 SUV. This follows a dealer update to the software controlling the vehicle’s electronic stability control system.
Toyota had stopped sales of the GX460 after the “Don’t Buy” warning was issued last month. The [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

More Drop-Side Cribs Recalled for Safety Risk

Written On May 8, 2010 By Bob Kraft

This is getting ridiculous. At this point I wouldn’t recommend buying any drop-side crib. It seems every one of them will eventually be recalled for safety reasons. This is the latest problem, as reported by the Associated Press:
About 170,000 drop-side cribs are being recalled after six infants were injured.
The cribs recalled were manufactured in Italy, [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Auto Safety Overhaul Introduced in Senate

Written On May 7, 2010 By Bob Kraft

The AP (5/5, Thomas) reports that the Senate Commerce Committee “proposed a major overhaul to the nation’s auto safety requirements” that “would force car companies to meet new safety standards and face stiff penalties for failing to report defects,” just a week after a similar bill was released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, “underscoring [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

Nissan Recalling Infiniti G35 Cars to Repair Air Bag Defect

Written On May 6, 2010 By Bob Kraft

Nissan Motor Co. said this week that it will recall almost 135,000 Infiniti G35 sedans and coupes to repair a problem that could cause the passenger air bag not to deploy in a wreck. The recall involves G35 Coupes from the 2005 to 2007 model years and G35 Sedans from the 2005 to 2006 model [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Vehicle Law or News

Johnson & Johnson Recalls Children’s Medicines

Written On May 4, 2010 By Bob Kraft

Johnson & Johnson has issued a massive recall of children’s liquid medications, primarily cold and sinus drugs.
The CBS Evening News reported, “The FDA…is advising consumers to avoid more than 40 liquid medications for children that are being recalled by the manufacturer because of quality problems.
The products include children’s and infants’ Tylenol, children’s and infants’ Motrin, [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Prescription Drug Claims, Product Liability or Medical Devices