Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer - Defective & Dangerous Products - Most Commented

Emergency Alert Regarding MTD Snow Throwers

Jamie Sheller — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:32:37 GMT

Winter is quickly approaching, and snow has already fallen in parts of the country. Along with snowfall, comes the use of snow throwers. However, some snow throwers should not be used. In 2006, there was a recall of snow throwers manufactured by MTD. The snow throwers were recalled due to the risk of injury from bursting wheel rims when the tires are inflated. Exploding plastic wheel rims have caused numerous injuries, including lacerations and fractures. The snow throwers involved in the recall are two-stage compact snow throwers with Troy-Bilt, Yard Machines or Craftsman printed on the snow thrower's housing. Yard Machine and Troy-Bilt brand snow throwers were sold at independent dealers, home improvement and hardware stores. Craftsman brand snow throwers were sold at Sears and Kmart stores. Snow throwers involved in the recall were sold between July 2004 and March 2006. The MTD snow thrower recall was done in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Despite the fact that the recall was done in 2006, people are still using the recalled machines, and being injured. Anyone who has one of the recalled MTD snow throwers should not try to inflate the tires. There is a risk of injury caused by the tire rim exploding.

If you have been injured by an MTD snow thrower, contact Jamie Sheller, at Sheller, P.C. to discuss your potential legal rights. The Sheller firm has a long history of successfully representing individuals and classes of individuals who have been injured by defective products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Homeopathic or "Natural" Remedies Carry Risks

Jamie Sheller — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:21:56 GMT

Several recent recalls illustrate the dangers that can be posed by homeopathic or "natural" health remedies, which generally aren't required to go through the same kind of FDA-approval process as prescription drugs. Often, people mistakenly believe that products labeled homeopathic or "natural" are automatically safe.

In May 2009, Hydroxycut dietary products were recalled from the market after the products were linked to liver damage. Hydroxycut products are used for weight loss, as energy enhancers and fat burners. Iovate Health Sciences Inc. marketed Hydroxycut, and the products were widely distributed in grocery stores, health food stores and pharmacies. At the time of the recall, the FDA recommended that people immediately stop using Hydroxycut products.

In June 2009, consumers and doctors were notified by the FDA and Hi Tech Pharmaceuticals that Stamina Rx products were recalled. Stamina Rx was sold nationwide in health food stores and drug stores, and was marketed as a natural male enhancement product. The FDA determined that Stamina Rx contained an undeclared ingredient - the drug benzamidenafil, which is in the same class of drugs as some that are FDA-approved to treat erectile dysfunction. Benzamidenafil is not FDA-approved, and may interact dangerously with some other drugs and cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Consumers are urged to stop using Stamina Rx products immediately.

Another recent homeopathic remedy recall involved Zicam. Some Zicam nasal cold remedies were recalled by Matrixx Initiatives in June 2009, after the FDA warned that the products were unsafe. The FDA issued its warning about Zicam after hundres of reports that people lost their sense of smell after using Zicam. According to the FDA, Zicam products were also unlawfully marketed. Over the past several years, Matrixx, the maker of Zicam, has settled hundres of lawsuits regarding Zicam. Matrixx is also being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For over 25 years, Sheller P.C. has aggressively represented individuals and classes of individuals who have been injured by defective products, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices. We also represent those who have suffered injuries due to other causes, such as inadequate medical treatment , improper business practices, or accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Dangerous Women's Robes Recalled

Jamie Sheller — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:54:59 GMT

A women's robe made by Blair LLC, based in Warren, PA, is believed to have killed at least six people. Due to the danger, a second robe recall notice has been issued by Blair and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The first robe recall notice was issued in April 2009, following reports of the robes catching fire. Since the first recall, Blair and the CPSC have received reports of six deaths caused by the robes catching fire. Most of the women who died, had been cooking while wearing the robe.

The recall involves 162,000 robes made of a certain type of chenille. Consumers should stop wearing the recalled robes immediately. The following item numbers are involved in the recall: 3093111, 3093112, 3093113, 3093114, 3093115, and 3093116. The recalled robes were made in Pakistan and sold by Blair from January 2003 and March 2009. Blair sold the recalled robes in its Warren, PA, Grove City, PA, and Wilmington, DE stores, as well as on the Blair website and in Blair catalogs. Consumers can receive a full refund or a $50 gift card when they return a recalled robe.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

1.5 Million GM Vehicles Recalled

Jamie Sheller — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:40:17 GMT

Recently, General Motors recalled almost 1.5 million passenger sedans. The mid-sized and full-sized vehicles involved in the recall are: 1997-2003 Buick Regals; 1998-2003 Chevrolet Luminas, Monte Carlos and Impalas; 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigues; and 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix. The recall was issued because of the potential for oil to leak in the engine area, under certain conditions. The leaking oil could get very hot and cause a fire when the hot oil spreads to the channels that hold spark plug wires. GM will replace the bracket that holds spark plug wires, for free. Notices will be sent to owners and dealers of affected vehicles.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Tainted Drywall Thought To Injure Homeowners

Jamie Sheller — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:01:51 GMT

A construction material, manufactured in China, is believed to be sickening homeowners in a number of states across the U.S. Sulfur-tainted drywall may have been installed in tens of thousands of homes, likely between 2004 - 2006. It is claimed that the defective Chinese drywall emits a foul odor and corrodes the homes' wiring. Some inhabitants claim to suffer physical ailments, such as respiratory problems, headaches and nosebleeds caused by the tainted Chinese drywall. Lawsuits have been filed in Florida against several drywall manufacturers, distributors and home-building companies, seeking compensation for personal injuries and property damage that homeowners claim are linked to the Chinese drywall. Florida health officials are trying to determine whether the drywall is a medical hazard.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Yamaha Rhino Defective Design

Jamie Sheller — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:26:35 GMT

Hundreds of people have been hurt or killed in Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents. The Yamaha Rhino is an all-terrain vehicle or ATV, which is a vehicle used for "off-road" riding. Many ATV's are susceptible to accidents, and many of those accidents result in serious and potentially life-threatening head or spinal cord injuries. Children are particulary vulnerable to fatal injuries in Yamaha Rhino accidents. Some consumer advocates say that Yamaha Rhinos are more prone to accidents and injuries, due to its defective design. Examples of the Yamaha Rhino design defects include top heaviness, extremely narrow tires and lack of leg protection. Many victims of Yamaha Rhino accidents sustain broken or crushed legs, feet or ankles. Despite the large number of accidents, Yamaha has not recalled the Rhino, but instead has offered some free modifications to Rhino owners. It remains unclear whether these modifications will reduce the number of accidents and injuries related to the Yamaha Rhino. Sheller, P.C. has a history of successfully representing people injured by defective products, from medical devices to automobiles and other vehicles. Contact us at 215-790-7300.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Contact Lens Solution Recalled Due to Possible Contamination

Jamie Sheller — Wed, 30 May 2007 17:05:44 GMT

Advanced Medical Optics, of Santa Ana, California has recalled its Complete MoisturePlus Multipurpose Solution. The FDA recommends that consumers stop using Complete MoisturePlus, throw away all unused solution and replace their lenses and contact lens storage container. This product is used for cleaning soft contact lenses. The recall comes after the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, identified a possible link between the Complete MoisturePlus Multipurpose Solution and increased risk of infection with Acanthamoeba keratitis. This infection is caused by a parasite, and can lead to vision loss and the necessity of a corneal transplant. A recent investigation by the CDC showed that even though this infection generally occurs in two of every one million U.S. contact wearers, users of Complete MoisturePlus had a seven times greater risk. Symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis may include blurred vision, eye pain, excessive tearing, light sensitivity, eye redness and the sensation of something in the eye. Consumers should seek immediate medical attention if they have symptoms of an eye infection.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

New Defibrillator Warnings

Jamie Sheller — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:06:09 GMT

Recently, the FDA warned that about 300,000 defibrillators manufactured by Cardiac Science Corporation have potential malfunctions. According to the FDA, these malfunctions don't show up on device self-tests, but may prevent delivery of life-saving shocks.

The devices affected by the warning include some Powerheart and CardioVive models of AEDs, manufactured between August 2003 and August 2009. Some of the potential problems include failure to recognize pad placement during use, interference from background noise, and interrupted electrocardiography analysis. Though the FDA is not issuing a recall of these devices, it is urging users to take certain precaution if they are currently using affected AEDs. Some of those recommendations include using an alternate AED if available, until the malfunctioning model has been replaced or repaired, for at-home use, only use the device when necessary, in clinical settings, use a manual defibrillator if available.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Bacteria In Vicks Nasal Spray

Jamie Sheller — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:41:44 GMT

Vicks Sinex nasal spray has been recalled in the United States, Britain, and Germany. Proctor & Gamble announced the recall after discovering that some of the Vicks nasal spray was contaminated with bacteria. According to Proctor & Gamble, the bacteria was found during routine quality control at a manfacturing plant in Germany. The company states that, so far, the contamination is limited to a single batch of raw material mixture. Three lots of the product, sold in the United States, Britain, and Germany are affected by the recall. Proctor & Gamble asserts that the bacteria does not pose a great risk to healthy people, but that people with weakened immune systms or chronic lung conditions could develop serious sinus infections from the bacteria.

If you have the recalled Vicks nasal spray, you should discard it and contact Proctor & Gamble for a replacement coupon or refund. In the United States, the affected product is Vicks Sinex Vapospray 12-hour Decongestant Ultra Fine Mist, with lot number 9239028831.

Proctor & Gamble is based in Cincinatti, Ohio.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Public Service Alert - Strollers Recalled

Jamie Sheller — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:02:02 GMT

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of about 1 million Maclaren strollers. The stroller recall came after an investigation of 12 reports of the strollers' hinge mechanism amputating the fingertips of children. Strollers affected by the recall have been sold since 1999 by Target, Babies "R" Us and other stores. The recalled Maclaren stroller models include: Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, Techno XLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno, and Easy Traveller. There is a risk of children having their fingertips amputated if their finger is placed in the Maclaren stroller's hinge mechanism while the stroller is being unfolded. The finger tip can be cut off when the stroller locks into place. To prevent future incidents, Maclaren is offering free hinge covers, which should not be removed unless the stroller is being cleaned. Parents and caregivers should immediately stop using the recalled Maclaren strollers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller