RECALL ALERT: Cradle Gliders Recalled Due to Infant Fall Hazard

Dream On Me Recalls Cradle Gliders Due to Infant Fall Hazard
Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed.
Recall date: November 13, 2013

Hazard:
The mattress support board can fall out or slide out of the bottom of the cradle glider posing a risk that babies can fall out and suffer injuries.




Incidents/Injuries
Dream On Me and CPSC have received reports of two incidents while infants were asleep inside the cradle. A one-month old infant fell to the floor when the mattress support board partially fell out, but the child was uninjured. A second report involved a four-month old infant who did not fall out of the cradle after the mattress support board became partially disengaged.

If you have been injured due to a defective product call the experienced product liability lawyers at Buttafuoco & Associates 1-800-669-4878

Baby Thrown From 2nd Floor Apartment Windown Survives

A 58-year-old woman, Arlene Pickett, was killed in an apartment fire in Ambridge over the weekend.  She was attempting to get out of the burning building and was found in a stairwell.

Neighbors said they saw smoke pouring out of the windows and could hear people screaming from inside.
 “It was amazing, little kids crying for their mother. It was terrible, terrible. The flames were coming straight out like a furnace,” witness Mike Vougias said.

People living nearby said they piled up mattresses so those trapped could jump to safety. A baby was also thrown out the window and was safely caught by a man standing by.

“We grabbed the mattresses and piled them up below the window and they jumped out one-by-one and tossed the baby down,” neighbor Siera Mixter said.

 “The mother finally jumped out first. The dad threw the baby out. There was a gentleman that caught the baby,” witness A.J. Mixter said.

“I caught the baby. I just put my arms out and he fell into my arms,” Bob Dunn said.

Keyless Remote Triggers Car to Explode

A woman, named Jackie, in Massachusetts tried to unlock her car trunk in the parking lot of a supermarket using a keyless remote... and then, just like out of a James Bond movie, the car exploded.

The blast destroyed the woman's Honda Civic and sent people running to the parking lot to see what had happened.

After a bomb squad thoroughly investigated the car it was determined the woman's boyfriend put welding equipment in the trunk. The keyless remote set off a tiny electrical charge that caused it to blow up.

The explosion was so great that it jolted nearby shoppers and neighbors who rushed to the scene. Jackie says she’s just thankful that no one was hurt. "There was a guy parked right next to me loading up his car so I don’t know how he didn’t get hurt,” she said. ”My trunk went flying over this whole row of cars into the next row, so I’m just thankful no one got hurt because it could have turned out really bad.”



If you or someone you know has been seriously injured due to a manufacturers defect or defective car part call the experienced product liability lawyers at Buttafuoco & Associates 1-800-669-4878

Toyota Agrees to $1.1 Billion Settlement Tied to Sudden Accelerations

DETROIT — Toyota Motor Corp. agreed on a $1.1 billion settlement toward the class-action lawsuit related to issues of sudden acceleration in its vehicles. A suit was filed in 2010 after numerous complaints were made that Toyota automobiles were accelerating suddenly and causing accidents and injuries.  Since then more then 8 million vehicles in the US have been recalled for problems related to floor mats that could become entangled with accelerator pedals, or pedals that could stick with the throttle open.

While there are still individual personal-injury and wrongful death lawsuits pending against Toyota, in addition to an unfair business practice case brought by the attorneys general of 28 states, the class-action case was the largest legal action related to economic losses by vehicle owners and is one of the largest settlements of its type in automotive history.   Once approved Toyota would make cash payments for the loss of value on these vehicles on up to 3.2 million cars.

The lawsuit was a lingering obstacle for Toyota which had long enjoyed a pristine reputation for quality, safety and reliability.  The settlement appears large but may be part of Toyota’s longer-term strategy to move beyond the acceleration scandal.  Christopher P. Reynolds, Toyota’s chief legal officer in the United States, said "This agreement marks a significant step forward for our company, one that will enable us to put more of our energy, time and resources into Toyota’s central focus: making the best vehicles we can for our customers,”.

Under the proposed settlement, Toyota agreed to:

1. Create a fund of $250 million to pay claims to former owners of cars affected by the acceleration recalls. The company also agreed to install so-called brake override systems on cars whose pedals could stick or become trapped in floor mats. The company said it had already installed the systems on 2.6 million vehicles but that an additional 550,000 cars had not received the equipment.
   
2. Provide a customer support program for more than 16 million current Toyota owners, who will be eligible for free repairs on certain parts for up to 10 years.
   
3. Contribute $30 million to finance automotive safety research related to driver behavior and unintended acceleration. 

The company’s sales in the United States have increased 28 percent this year, about double the pace of growth for the overall market. One industry analyst said the proposed class-action settlement would help Toyota continue to rebuild its reputation and market share. 

“Toyota wants to put its sudden acceleration recalls behind it once and for all,” said Jesse Toprak, an auto research analyst. “As costly as it may be, this settlement will allow them to remove most of the lingering financial uncertainty.” 

If you or someone you know has been injured due to the unintended/sudden acceleration defect in your car call the experienced defective product attorneys at Buttafuoco & Associates 1-800-669-4878

generic Lipitor (atorvastatin) recalled after glass discovered...

Ranbaxy Laboratories (generic drug maker) will stop manufacturing its version of Pfizer Inc's cholesterol fighter, Lipitor, while it gets to the bottom of the cause of a recent recall.

Earlier this month, after the company discovered contamination with tiny glass particles, Ranbaxy recalled certain lots of the widely used cholesterol lowering medicine known generically as atorvastatin at doses of 10 milligrams, 20 mg and 40 mg.

During its first six months on the market, when it enjoyed marketing exclusivity, atorvastatin generated sales of nearly $600 million for Ranbaxy, according to Bhagwan Singh Chaudhary, a research associate at the brokerage IndiaNivesh

FDA said it will continue to oversee the recall process and work with the Ranbaxy to resolve pharmaceutical quality issues.

The recall is the latest in a series of manufacturing problems at Ranbaxy, which is operating under heightened scrutiny due to past problems that nearly derailed it ability to sell atorvastatin in the United States.

In 2008, the FDA banned the company from importing about 30 drugs after it found manufacturing deficiencies at two of the company's facilities in India, and Ranbaxy was later accused of falsifying data used in drug applications.

Under a proposed settlement earlier this year, Ranbaxy agreed to engage a third party to conduct a review of its facilities, implement procedures to ensure data integrity in its marketing applications, and ensure it meets good manufacturing practices.

If you or someone you know has suffered injury due to a defective drug/medication call the experienced defective product attorneys at Buttafuoco & Associates 1-800-669-4878

Every 46 minutes a child is injured by a Bounce house in U.S.

According to a new study inflatable bouncers (Bounce houses, castles, moonwalks, etc) are injuring U.S. children at "alarming" rates.

Just a few short months after pediatricians sounded the alarm on trampoline injuries, a study from the November 26th issue of Pediatrics outlines the number of injuries from bouncy castles and similar party fare has climbed 15-fold over the past 17 years.  These injury traps have been responsible for more than 5 injuries per every 100,000 American children. (child injury statistics)

"The medical and public health community has yet to provide recommendations on the safe use of inflatable bouncers," study author Dr. Gary A. Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital, who is also a professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.   "The growing epidemic of inflatable bouncer injuries make it clear that it is time to do so."

After analyzing records between 1990 and 2010 from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, Smith and colleagues identified almost 65,000 injuries tied to inflatable bouncers.

The rate increase was more rapid in recent years, with the annual injury rate doubling between 2008 and 2010, with 31 children treated daily in a U.S. emergency room for an injury caused by a bouncer. That's one child every 46 minutes nationally.

Falls accounted for 43 percent of injuries, followed by stunts and collisions. Forty-four percent of the injuries occurred at a recreational setting and 38 percent occurring at home. More than 27 percents of injuries were fractures, with another 27 percent reported as strains or sprains; nearly 33 percent occurred to the lower extremities, while nearly 30 percent occurred to the upper ones. About one in five injuries occurred to the head and neck, which could lead to potentially serious problems like concussion.  About three percent of all injuries required hospitalization, mostly for broken bones. The majority of patients were male (about 55 percent) and average age was about 7-1/2 years old.

"It is time for us to take action to prevent these injuries," said Smith. "Ensuring that parents are aware of the potential risks, improving surveillance of the injuries, developing national safety guidelines and improving bouncer design are the first steps."

Smith's study recommends keeping kids under 6 out of the bouncy houses and castles, allowing only one child in the bouncer at a time, and having parental supervision at all times. If more than one child will be on the bouncer at the same time, make sure they are about the same age and size.

"Because children are the end users and because companies typically do not provide the supervision on rented inflatable bouncers, the burden of safety falls ultimately on the parents' shoulders," Dr. Tigran Avoian, an orthopedic surgeon at Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital who was not involved in the research.  He said bouncers can be fun and safe when used properly. "Parents should be familiar with the risks and dangers and should receive proper supervision instruction."

If your or someone you know was injured on an inflatable bouncer call the experienced injury lawyers at Buttafuoco & Associates 1-800-669-4878

When is it safe to turn the car seat to a forward-facing position

Six months, one year, two years... The rules change quickly when it comes to child safety. It wasn't that long ago that the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) advised that children remain in the rear-facing position for one yer.

In March 2011, the AAP extended it's recommendation to two years or until the child is no longer in the safe height and weight range for the seat। The Highway Traffic Safety Administration is similarly recommending that children remain rear facing until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer.

Bjork Shiley Heart Valve a Ticking Time Bomb

Worldwide, 619 valve fractures have been reported to Shiley with approximately two thirds of the cases resulting in death following the valve fracture. Since 1979 approximately 86,000 BSCC valves have been implanted worldwide with over 40,000 being implanted in America alone.

In 1986 the FDA finally forced the Bjork-Shiley Convexo-Concave heart valve off the market.

If you have suffered injured as a result of a defective heart valve call our experienced New York Heart Valve Attorneys at 1-800-Now-Hurt (1-800-669-4878)

Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits Mounting...

If you or someone you know suffered complications as a result of the transvaginal mesh for pelvic organ prolapse you need to call our office RIGHT AWAY. Before the statute of limitations expire on your claim call our qualified attorneys for a free consultation. We can help you. 1.800.Now.Hurt (1.800.669.4878).

Jennie-O Recalls 55,000 Pounds of Turkey Burger Over Salmonella

Fox News reports....

Jennie-O Turkey recalled 55,000 pounds of turkey burger this weekend after being linked to a dozen cases of salmonella in 10 states.

The raw, frozen turkey burgers were sold nationwide exclusively at Sam’s Club stores. They were sold in boxes of 12 individually wrapped burgers labeled “Jennie-O Turkey Store All Natural Lean White Meat Turkey Burgers.” Each carton weighs four pounds.

The recalled cartons have a use-by date of Dec. 23, 2011, and an identifying lot code of 32710 through 32780 printed on the side panel of each box. The consumer UPC is 042222-261081. The products were packaged on Nov. 23, 2010.

The Willmar company is advising that consumers who have the burgers in their freezer to avoid eating them.

“Instead we are asking that consumers return this product to a Sam’s Club store for a full refund,” the company said on its website.

Jennie-O has established an online resource center at www.jennieo.com/recall to provide more information to consumers about the voluntary recall.

Hormel Foods, the parent company of Jennie-O, also operates a toll-free Consumer Response Center at 1-800-621-3505.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service began investigating after the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services reported a case of salmonellosis, which is caused by salmonella bacteria and is usually foodborne.

The investigation then widened to include Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Washington in addition to Wisconsin. Twelve people became sick. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, three of those who were sickened specifically reported eating Jennie-O turkey burgers before the onset of illness and hospitalization.
All the illnesses occurred between December 2010 and March of this year. The last case was reported on March 14.

Salmonella hadar, the type of bacteria reportedly involved in the outbreak, is most often found among poultry.

The USDA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health agencies are continuing their investigation. Authorities said that as more information is collected, the recall could widen to include additional turkey products.

The government is advising consumers to use extra caution when preparing raw turkey. To prevent salmonellosis and other foodborne illnesses, people should wash their hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within six to 72 hours of infection. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to one week.

Salmonellosis can be especially severe, and possibly life-threatening, to infants, the elderly and individuals with a compromised immune system.

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