Greensboro Personal Injury Lawyer - Defective & Dangerous Products

Pro Athlete Has His Bubble Burst by Exercise Ball

Pierce Egerton — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:15:05 GMT

Working out carries a lot of risks for injury, especially if you’re using heavy weights. But what about when a piece of exercise equipment malfunctions while you’re using it properly? We take for granted that the machines and products we work out with are built to last, but sometimes that’s not the case.

The Sacramento Kings found this out the hard way. Starting forward Francisco Garcia will miss at least four months of the season after an exercise ball accident broke his right wrist. Garcia, who weighs 195 pounds, was laying on his back on an exercise ball, lifting 90 pound weights in each hand, when the ball burst. Professional quality exercise balls have a weight limit of up to 600 pounds.

Exercise balls should deflate slowly instead of bursting, even if they’re punctured. Check out this video to see the way an exercise ball should and shouldn’t deflate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Ig0Izz23s

Reportedly, Garcia was using a Gymnic brand exercise ball. Their site has recently started advertising a new “burst-resistant” line of exercise balls.

With Garcia’s contract worth $29.6 million over 5 years, the Kings management is considering legal action and warning other teams not to use the balls.

It’s not just NBA players who are at risk, though. A faulty piece of exercise equipment can send you to the hospital and make you miss time from work. People assume that if they get hurt working out, it’s their own fault, but that’s not always the case. Always make sure you’re using your equipment properly, but if that equipment malfunctions, make sure someone knows it.

Has anyone else experienced problems with an exercise ball bursting? Leave a comment if you have. I’d like to know just how widespread this problem is.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pierce Egerton

Latest From the CDC on Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough Recall and E. Coli Outbreak

Pierce Egerton — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:54:27 GMT

The number of people believed to be infected with E. coli O157:H7 from Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough continues to climb. The CDC reported today that 72 persons in 30 states are infected with a strain of the deadly bacteria with a “particular DNA fingerprint.” Of the 72, 51 are confirmed as having the outbreak strain and confirmatory tests are pending on the others.

The CDC is reporting cases from the following states: Arizona (2), California (3), Colorado (6), Connecticut (1), Delaware (1), Georgia (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2), Maine (3), Minnesota (6), Missouri (1), Montana (1), North Carolina (2), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (1), Nevada (2), New York (1), Ohio (3), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (1), Texas (3), Utah (4), Virginia (2), Washington (6), and Wisconsin (1).

Source National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED)

The CDC is offering the following advice to consumers:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7. If consumers have any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their home they should throw them away. Cooking the dough is not recommended because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands and on other cooking surfaces. The recall does not include Nestle Toll House morsels, which are used as an ingredient in many home-made baked goods or other already baked cookie products.

Individuals who have recently eaten prepackaged, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and have experienced any of these symptoms should contact their doctor or health care provider immediately. Any such illnesses should be reported to state or local public health authorities.

Consumers should be reminded they should not eat raw food products that are intended for cooking or baking before consumption. Consumers should use safe food-handling practices when preparing such products, including following package directions for cooking at proper temperatures; washing hands, surfaces, and utensils after contact with these types of products; avoiding cross contamination; and refrigerating products properly.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pierce Egerton

Recalled DeWalt Nailers Could Cause Serious Injury

Pierce Egerton — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:28:44 GMT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is recalling DeWALT FRAMING NAILERS because the bump action trigger might be improperly assembled. An affected tool could eject a fastener unexpectedly or cause the trigger lock-off to fail causing serious injury.

The recall involves the Clipped Head Framing Nailer (model D51825) and the Full Round Head Framing Nailer (model D51850). The affected products were sold by distributors and retailers from January 2008 through September 2008.

Consumers are asked to stop using the recalled nailers immediately to avoid risk of injury.

Consumer Contact: Contact DeWalt at (877) 437-7181 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, for instructions on obtaining a replacement bump action trigger.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pierce Egerton

Single Cup Tea/Coffeemakers Recalled By Bunn-O-Matic

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:51:00 GMT

Bunn-O-Matic Corp., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is recalling Bunn Single Cup Pod Brewers because they can unexpectedly open during a brew cycle, posing a burn hazard to users.

To date, the company has received ten reports of the drawer opening, one which resulted in minor burns.

The recall involves about 35,600 Bunn Single Pod Brewers. Models included in the recall are MCP (My Café Pourover) and MCA (My Café Automatic).

Consumers are asked to stop using the recalled coffeemakers and to contact the company for a free replacement pod as soon as possible to avoid injury.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Bunn-O-Matic at (800) 741-3405 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.bunn.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

New study reveals hundreds of toys on store shelves are contaminated with lead and other dangerous chemicals

Dan Deuterman — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:34:51 GMT

As a parent, it's frightening to hear just how many toys are contaminated with lead.

A shocking new report issued today by the Ecology Center revealed that hundreds of toys still being sold are contaminated with lead, many with levels higher than the federal recall standard.

Fueled by recent toy recalls (all involving toys manufactured in China), the Ecology Center tested more than 1,200 children's products for lead and other harmful chemicals.

These are the results:

- 35 percent contained lead

- 17 percent of the children's products tested had levels of lead above the 600 parts per million federal standard that would trigger a recall of lead paint

- Only 20 percent of the toys and other products had no trace of lead or harmful chemicals

The issue of lead in toys has been in the news a lot lately, and this isn't the case of the media being alarmist. Lead exposure and ingestion is very dangerous to children, and they're at a very high risk when they play with lead-tainted toys and put them in their mouth.

Lead poisoning can cause irreversible learning disabilities and behavioral problems and, at very high levels, seizures, coma, and even death.

For a full list of the toys tested and their lead levels, check out The Consumer Action Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys. (You may have to try the link several times. Not surprisingly, traffic to the site has been very heavy and the link has been down some.)

For more information on this subject please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Deuterman

Toy recalls worry parents, make them more cautious

Dan Deuterman — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:51:59 GMT

Worried about the safety of your kids' toys? Join the club.

Even if you haven't had to take Thomas, Dora or Elmo away from your little one, you're probably questioning whether the toys that he or she is playing with are safe. As parents, we're all wondering what toys might be included in the next toy recall.

And there's that lingering fear that our children are at risk for lead contamination every time they pick up a toy that's made in China.

As most parents are aware, it's the presence of lead paint that is fueling the recalls. Lead is banned in paints in the United States, but most children's toys are now manufacturered in China, which doesn't have the same standards. As a result, Fisher Price, Mattel and other toy companies are discovering that imported toys contain unsafe levels of lead, which can cause headaches, hearing problems, behavior problems and even brain damage in children.

There have been several toy recalls over the last few months, affecting hundreds of toys, and it can be quite a task to weed through which toys are safe and which ones have been recalled.

To help ease parents' confusion and anxiety over which toys are safe for children, the Chicago Tribune offers some good pointers regarding safe holiday toy shopping.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Deuterman

Proposed Arbitration Bill Would Give Consumers Their Day in Court

Dan Deuterman — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:04:28 GMT

Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) have introduced legislation in Congress that would put an end to forced arbitration and allow consumers to take their complaints against employers, car dealerships, credit card companies and insurance companies and HMOs to court.

I urge you to support The Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007.

Arbitration is often billed as a less costly option than going to court, but Public Citizen discovered just the opposite. What's more, mandatory arbitration typically doesn't end up being a good deal for consumers, who are often forced in accepting unfair settlements that are not in their best interests.

If the Act becomes law, it will offer consumers the same protection afforded car dealers and other businesses.

Precedent was established five years ago, when Congress said car manufacturers could not force automobile dealers into binding arbitation. The Feingold-Johnson bill now allows consumers the same protection.

Along with members of the Givemebackmyrights.org campaign, U.S. Public Iinterest Research Group supports the legislation.

People over Profits has a grassroots online campaign urging consumers to contact their members of Congress to support the Act.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Deuterman

Avoiding Food Made in China

Dan Deuterman — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:58:38 GMT

I blogged yesterday about the ongoing concerns about the safety of foods and ingredients imported from China.

The knee-jerk solution would be to avoid all such foods and only buy products that are made in the United States from American ingredients. But as Associated Press writer Dirk Lammers discovered, avoiding products "Made in China" is virtually impossible.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Deuterman

Is Food From China Safe? Cardboard Found in Street Vendor's Stuffed Dumplings

Dan Deuterman — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 08:41:58 GMT

InjuryBoard bloggers from Parker & McConkie in Salt Lake City have an interesting post about a disturbing discovery in China.

A street vendor was caught selling baozi, a popular dumpling-like snack, that was stuffed with cardboard and soaked in an industrial chemical.

Stories such as this one illustrate why the U.S. government needs to take a firmer stand on food imported from China. First the pet food recall, then the toothpaste recall, then reports of melamine fillers in food and now this. Is any food product imported from China safe? What assurance do we have that it's even "food" that is being imported?

China appears to be taking a hard stance on the food safety issue. China executed its former top food and drug regulator for taking bribes to approve untested medicine. Obviously, such actions are meant to signal to the U.S. that China takes food safety seriously.

But does it really? Or is China just trying to protect its economic interests? And should the U.S. accept imports from a country that imposes such Draconian punishments? I'd love to hear what you think about this issue.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Deuterman

Gerber recalls organic baby cereals

Dan Deuterman — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:41:01 GMT

Gerber has announced a voluntary recall of its organic rice and oatmeal baby cereals because they could pose a choking hazard.

The baby food recall affects 8 oz. boxes of Gerber Organic Rice and Oatmeal Cereals.

Gerber is taking a proactive approach after receiving complaints about the cereal. Thankfully, there have been no reported injuries yet.

Here's Gerber's reasoning for the recall:

A limited quantity of product may contain lumps of cereal, which do not dissolve in
water or milk and pose a potential choking hazard. Gerber has received choking complaints, but no reports of
injury. The FDA is aware of this recall. No other Gerber Products are affected by this recall.

If you have a box of the recalled cereal, call Gerber at 1-800-443-7237. The company will send you a label so you can return the product, and you'll also receive a coupon for a replacement box of cereal.

If you have this type of cereal, do not feed it to you child. Return it to the manufacturer or throw it away to avoid injury.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to our section detailing Products Liability.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Deuterman