Cherry Hill, New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer - Defective & Dangerous Products

Blair Women's Robes Recalled for Serious Burn Hazard - 9 Deaths So Far

Mike Ferrara — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:47:55 GMT

As nine deaths have now been linked to women’s full-length chenille bathrobes sold by Blair LLC, the company is expanding its garment recall.

These robes have failed to meet federal flammability standards, and will catch on fire quickly and easily when near an open flame. These robes have burned and killed nine women—most of whom were wearing them while cooking—and have injured several more.

Blair initially recalled the full-length chenille robes in April, after receiving reports of three of them catching on fire. Now that the death toll has reached nine, Blair is also recalling similar products as well:

Full Length Women’s Chenille Robes

Women’s Chenille Jacket

Women’s Chenille Lounge Jacket

Women’s Chenille Top

All products were manufactured by A-One Textile & Towel, of Karachi, Pakistan.

If you have any of these products, please don’t wear them, and discard or return them. For more information about the recall, call Blair at 877-392-7095 or visit http://www.blair.com/recall or http://www.cpsc.gov.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Target, IKEA Window Blinds Recalled after Strangulation Deaths

Mike Ferrara — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:33:17 GMT

After three children have suffered strangulation deaths on window blind cords, six companies are recalling their products.

According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, Lewis Hyman blinds caused two out of the three deaths. The company is recalling 4.2 million of its roll-up blinds with plastic slats (sold nationwide from 1999-2003 for $6 to $20) and 600,000 Woolrich Roman shades (sold at Target from 2006-2008 for $25 to $43).

A Vertical Land Inc. blind product caused the third death, and so this company is also recalling its blinds and shades, sold in Florida stores from 1992-2006 for $60 to $200.

Pottery Barn Kids/Williams-Sonoma Inc. is also recalling 85,000 Roman shades, sold at Pottery Barn Kids from 2003-2007 for $30 to $60.

IKEA is recalling 120,000 Melina Roman blinds, sold from 2006-2008 for $20 to $40.

About 245,000 Lutron Shading Solutions fabric roller shades (sold at specialty dealers nationwide from 2000-2009 for $200-$2000) are being recalled, as are 163,000 Victoria Classics Roman shades in “thermal sailcloth” and “matchstick bamboo” styles. These shades were sold at Target from September-June 2009 for $15 to $40.

If you have blinds from any of these companies in your home and are worried about the potential for strangulation (particularly if you have young children), please contact them to learn more about the recall.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Tanning Beds Cause Cancer as Much as Smoking Does

Camryn Hansen — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:37:27 GMT

Jersey girls, listen and lighten up: tanning beds have been shown to cause cancer at the same rate that smoking does.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has now re-classified the UV rays used in sun beds (the same as those in actual sunlight) from “probably” carcinogenic to a flat-out “carcinogenic to humans.” That’s because a recently published cancer study found that a person’s risk of developing melanoma (a type of skin cancer) is 75% higher if he or she starts tanning before the age of 30.

Sun beds and all types of ultraviolet rays are now ranked in the highest risk group by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, putting them in the same group as plutonium and radium, researchers said in a paper published today in the medical journal Lancet Oncology.

“Some people feel the need to tan to compete. My advice to them is: don’t do it with a sun bed, don’t even go get the tan outside,” Vincent Cogliano, the head of the IARC Monographs program, a World Health Organization unit, said in a telephone interview yesterday. -Bloomberg.com

The American Cancer Society estimates that out of the 68,720 patients that will contract melanoma this year, nearly 9000 will die from it.

This is more than enough reason to stop frequenting the tanning salon. Instead of striving to look like wrinkled leather by the age of 40, wear sunscreen and enjoy the skin you were born with. Not only will it last longer, you’re more likely to, too.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Camryn Hansen

Something Smell Fishy? If You’re Taking Zicam, No Way to Tell

Mike Ferrara — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:05:48 GMT

Maddeningly, it has taken the FDA a full ten years to issue a warning about Zicam Cold Remedy, a homeopathic nasal gel manufactured by Matrixx Initiatives, letting us know that this drug can permanently damage our sense of smell.

According to the FDA website,

The products are:
--Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel
--Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs
--Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product)

The FDA has received more than 130 reports of loss of sense of smell associated with the use of these three Zicam products. In these reports, many people who experienced a loss of smell said the condition occurred with the first dose; others reported a loss of the sense of smell after multiple uses of the products.

Despite having settled hundreds of lawsuits over the past few years over this same issue, Matrixx seems to be petulantly insisting that Zicam is safe, listing on its website no side effects apart from drowsiness and stinging.

Losing a sense of smell doesn’t just mean getting less pleasure out of coffee in the morning, either, though this certainly happens too. People without a sense of smell are often unable to detect smells that may signal a life-threatening situation, such as a gas leak or a fire in the house. Something as simple as being able to tell whether the food you’re about to eat is rotten can mean the difference between getting violently sick or not.

So why hasn’t Zicam been flat-out recalled if it poses such a threat to safety? Zicam is a homeopathic drug, which means that it doesn’t receive FDA approval to begin with; it’s possible that this is why the agency is laying relatively low. As of now, the FDA has only asked the company to stop marketing Zicam, and to submit data on its safety and effectiveness.

FDA non-regulation of homeopathic remedies in itself is a fact that needs to be questioned and dealt with, since homeopathic remedies are not only booming in this country—who can afford doctor-prescribed medicine these days?—but are often imported and sold over the internet with little attention to quality or contamination. Particularly disturbing findings have emerged concerning Ayurvedic herbal products sold on the internet, which have been shown to contain toxic levels of mercury, lead, and arsenic.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

State Farm Teddy Bears Recalled for Choking Hazard

Camryn Hansen — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:39:39 GMT

Today, State Farm Insurance Company, together with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, announced a voluntary recall of its “State Farm Good Neigh Bears,” the marketing-oriented teddy bears it gave away for free at company sponsored events from 2005-2007.

State Farm testing has shown that the bears’ black plastic eyes easily detach from the face, presenting a choking hazard to children. There has been at least one reported incident of an eye coming off in the mouth of a child. Fortunately, the child wasn’t injured.

Depending on the model, the bears are either 11 inches or 18 inches in height. Each wears a red and white State Farm logo t-shirt, with a “Good Neigh Bear” logo on the back. They were manufactured in China, and about 800,000 were given away in the United States (27,000 in Canada).

Any consumer with such a bear in his or her possession is urged to take it away from children and dispose of it immediately. The company is not offering a bear recycling service at this time, and will not replace your bear.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Camryn Hansen

Nutro Recalls its Dry Cat Food – Cat Owners Be Vigilant

Camryn Hansen — Sun, 24 May 2009 18:46:19 GMT

On Thursday, Nutro Products, one of the nation’s most popular pet food manufacturers, announced a voluntary recall of almost all its dry cat food products.

Unlike many recent pet food recalls, this one is not due to contamination, but to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium, two essential nutrients for cats that if consumed at improper levels, can cause illness.

The recalled cat food is sold under the brand names Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care and Nutro Max dry cat foods with "Best If Used By” dates between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. No dry dog food or canned dog or cat food has been affected.

Nutro is advising consumers who have purchased these products to immediately stop feeding them to their cats, and switch to another food containing a balanced nutritional profile.

The company has not yet received complaints in connection with the nutrient imbalance, but asks that cat owners consult their vets immediately if their cats exhibit symptoms such as loss of appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea.

Customers may return any unused portion of recalled Nutro cat food to the store for a full refund or exchange.

Read the full press release here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Camryn Hansen

A Little Late, FDA Issues New Safety Guidelines for Companies Using Peanuts

Mike Ferrara — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:59:24 GMT

In the wake of a salmonella outbreak in peanut products from the now bankrupt Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which, according the CDC, sickened at least 683 people and killed 9, the FDA issued safety guidelines this week to all companies using peanut products. It said that it may begin to seize whose products which test positive for salmonella bacteria.

The FDA advises that although salmonella bacteria are generally heat-sensitive, they can become heat-resistant in high-fat environments such as peanut butter. Salmonella can also survive in products like peanut butter or peanut paste when the peanuts used to make them are not roasted properly. Baking peanut butter into cookies and crackers can be insufficient to kill the bacteria if the temperature is too low, or is not kept constant. And products like ice cream, which are both frozen and high in fat, actually protect salmonella bacteria.

In light of these facts, the FDA is urging food manufacturers to buy peanut products “only from suppliers with validated processes in place to adequately reduce the presence of Salmonella species.” It’s also urging companies to check for salmonella in the products they manufacture.

We have to ask ourselves: why only now is the FDA recommending that manufacturers pay attention to where their products come from and whether or not they’re tainted with life-threatening bacteria? They should have been doing this already. We trust them (with our lives—literally) to do it. Because they did not, a total of 3,235 products have been recalled, and a full two months after the discovery of salmonella in PCA’s products, consumers are still reporting serious illness from salmonella complications. It’s unconscionable that it should take these kinds of events for the FDA to “urge” companies to take responsibility for the safety of their products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

King Nut Peanut Butter Recalled for Ties to Salmonella Outbreak

Mike Ferrara — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:21:46 GMT

In response to a salmonella outbreak that has infected nearly 400 people in 42 states, Ohio-based King Nut Companies has issued a recall of all the peanut butter it distributes.

The recall came after salmonella was discovered in an open 5-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter at a nursing facility. Now, all peanut butter under the King Nut and Parnell’s Pride labels are being removed from the market until the distributor can ensure that its products are salmonella-free.

"We are very sorry this happened," Martin Kanan, president of King Nut Companies, said in the statement. "We are taking immediate and voluntary action because the health and safety of those who use our products is always our highest priority."

In its statement, King Nut said it distributes peanut butter "only through food service accounts. It is not sold directly to consumers."

The statement added, "King Nut does not supply any of the ingredients for the peanut butter distributed under its label. All other King Nut products are safe and not included in this voluntary recall." -CNN

According to Minnesota public health officials, the salmonella in King Nut peanut butter has already contributed to one death in that state. Fifty five cases of salmonella infection have been reported in California; 53 in Ohio; 39 in Massachusetts; 30 in Minnesota and 20 in Michigan. Other states are reporting fewer than 20. About 18 percent of people infected had to be hospitalized.

Symptoms of salmonella infection generally begin with nausea and vomiting, and progress to abdominal pains, cramps, and diarrhea which can last anywhere from two days to a week. Typically patients can recover without treatment, but young children, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems can require hospitalization for dehydration and other complications.

If you were the victim of this or any other salmonella outbreak, contact attorney Mike Ferrara at info@ferraralawfirm.com to learn more about your right to compensation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Johnson & Johnson Recalls Duralgesic Pain Patches due to Potential Fatal Opiate Overdose

Mike Ferrara — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:28:02 GMT

For the second time in less than a year, Johnson & Johnson is recalling some of its pain patches due to problems that could cause users to overdose on fentanyl—a highly addictive opiate 80 times stronger than morphine. The pain patches contain this drug to treat serious chronic pain.

Fentanyl has been labeled a Class II subtance by the Drug Enforcement Administration for its high risks of abuse and fatal overdose.

The patches being recalled are the Duralgesic and Sandoz Inc. 50 mcg/hr fentanyl transdermal system patches. They were manufactured by ALZA Corporation of Mountain View, CA, an affiliate of PriCara (of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a unit of Johnson & Johnson). PriCara’s press release reports that other patch strengths, such as 12.5, 25, 75 and 100 mcg/hr, are not damaged and may be used as directed.

The company has identified a condition in the manufacturing equipment that has since been corrected. The condition resulted in a cut-system defect in a small number of affected patches in the lots being recalled. (…) DURAGESIC 50 mcg/hr (fentanyl transdermal system) patches and Sandoz Inc. 50 mcg/hr fentanyl transdermal system patches being recalled may have a cut along one side of the drug reservoir. The result is possible release of fentanyl gel from the gel reservoir into the pouch in which the patch is packaged, exposing patients or caregivers directly to fentanyl gel.

DURAGESIC 50 mcg/hr patches being recalled: lot number 0817239.

Anyone with 50 mcg/hr DURAGESIC patches from this lot should call 800-547-6446.

The Sandoz Inc. 50 mcg/hr patches being recalled: lot number 0816851.

Anyone with 50 mcg/hr Sandoz Inc. patches from this lot should call 800-901-7236.

Exposure to the opiate gel can lead to serious conditions including respiratory depression and possible fatal overdose.

If you have either of the affected pain patches, please check the box or foil pouch to see if they come from the recalled lots. At the risk of serious health problems, do not touch patches with cut edges directly. If you accidentally come into contact with fentanyl gel, wash the exposed skin with lots of water only, since soap, alcohol, lotions, oils and other skin products may only increase the skin’s permeability. Please dispose of cut patches by flushing them down the toilet, being very careful not to touch them directly. According to PriCara, the defective patches will not provide effective pain relief, and only pose health risks.

Apparently, since 2005 the FDA has received hundreds of reports of death from Duragesic Pain Patch fentanyl overdose, but has refused to say how many.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Supreme Court Decides - No Federal Preemption Protecting Tobacco Companies.

Camryn Hansen — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:31:04 GMT

For those of you who have been keeping a cynical eye on the case of Altria v. Good, worried that the outcome would confirm your worst fears about the behemoth that has become federal preemption, you can go ahead and open your other eye in celebration: the tobacco companies lost!

In a 5 to 4 decision today, the US Supreme Court stated that federal law does not preempt, or destroy legal grounds for, lawsuits against tobacco companies for defrauding the public with misleading advertising claiming that their “light” cigarettes offered lower levels of tar and nicotine than “regular” cigarettes.

Justice Stevens’ majority decision reads:

"When addressing questions of express or implied preemption, we begin our analysis with the assumption that the historic police powers of the States are not to be superseded by the Federal Act unless that was the clear and manifest purpose of Congress." "Thus," it continues, "when the text of a pre-emption clause is susceptible of more than one plausible reading, courts ordinarily accept the reading that disfavors preemption."

The tobacco companies’ argument, in Altria v. Good, was that federal law preempted plaintiff claims that Phillip Morris had violated Maine laws prohibiting misleading advertising in the case of their “light cigarettes.”

The tobacco companies contended that the plaintiffs' claims were: (1) expressly preempted by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act and (2) impliedly preempted by the "efforts of Congress and the [Federal Trade Commission] for 40 years to implement a national, uniform policy of informing the public about the health risks of smoking." The Court firmly rejected both express and implied preemption.

This is great news for all of us who are ready for the states to be allowed to fight for consumers who are harmed by dangerous products and deceptive marketing. To read the Atria decision for yourself, click here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Camryn Hansen