Toyota Pays Out $10 Million for California Lawsuit Settlement

The automaker Toyota has paid $10 million to settle a lawsuit brought against them on behalf of a state trooper who was killed in a fatal auto accident. This lawsuit was one of the initial sparks that brought attention to Toyota’s safety issues with the sudden acceleration problem on many of their vehicles. The incident that occurred in 2009 involved off-duty officer Mark Saylor, his 13-year-old daughter and his brother-in-law.

The Lexus ES sedan Saylor was driving suddenly accelerated because the accelerator pedal got stuck by the floor mat. The vehicle accelerated to 120 miles per hour and collided with another vehicle and went through a fence before coming to a stop in a field where it rolled over several times. The vehicle subsequently caught fire and all three occupants were killed. The terms of the settlement beyond the amount have not been disclosed.

According to the report, this was one of the first incidents that sparked the legal troubles for Toyota. To date, Toyota has recalled several million vehicles worldwide. Product liability is a major concern not only for automakers but for any other producers of consumer products. Incidents such as this accident have occurred all over the world and many families lose their loved ones as a result of Toyota’s inability to maintain safety precautions in their vehicles.
 

Johnson & Johnson Recalls Mylanta Product

A recent recall from Johnson and Johnson company has resulted in 12 million bottles of Mylanta and thousands of bottles of AltenaGel antacids being pulled from shelves. The company has stated that the recall was necessary in order to protect consumers and live up to their standard of quality and excellence.


The Mylanta recall was the direct result of alcohol in some of the flavoring agents that some consumers observed on the packaging. On Johnson & Johnson’s website it stated that adverse affects of using the product were highly unlikely and that they were not concerned. As many of the retail stores have already taken off these products from their shelves, the company has stated that their products are still safe to use and still encourage people to keep buying them regularly as they have done in the past. Many speculate that this recent recall has hurt the company’s image and that they may not be able to recover from it. 

Johnson and Johnson have recently been experiencing problems with recalls for their products and it has been unsettling to consumers who regularly use their products. Regardless of whether or not the company feels that the danger of their recalled product is not a cause for concern, there is still a possibility for injury or illness. If you have used the recently recalled Mylanta or the AlernaGel antacid and suffered illness as a result, then contacting a professional can help you explore options for compensation. 

 

Trader Joe's Issues Recall For Food Products with Cilantro

Most consumers of organic and natural food distributors like Trader Joe’s never suspect that anything can be wrong with their products. Trader Joe’s has alerted their customers about the recall of products that contain a cilantro ingredient that can cause serious food borne illness.

Some of the affected items are specific to certain states that distribute them. For instance, Spicy Thai Style Pasta (sku 74441) was recalled by APPA Fine Foods, which is supplied to California Trader Joes. The pasta salad may contain the affected cilantro that has salmonella, the government has stated. The pasta salad has the sell-by dates of October 31st to November 6th and bears the establishment number of “P-21030” within the USDA mark of inspection. The other products that are in danger for causing serious food borne illness include: Cilantro dressing (sku 36420) with a sell-by date of February 9th 2011, Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (sku 80947) with a sell-by date of Janruary 9th, 2011, and Cilantro Pecan Dip (sku 76986) with sell-by dates of November 20th and November 24th. Trader Joe’s have removed all the affected products and destroyed them. The chain advises customers to dispose of the affected products or return them to any store location for a full refund.

There are many health risks involved in consuming recalled food products. Most distributors are vague on the potential health risks. The symptoms of salmonella poisoning include: nausea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. The elderly and infants are more susceptible to the serious affects of food poisoning and can take longer to overcome the sickness.

Children's Shades and Cribs Recalled, May Cause Choking Hazard

Approximately 200,000 children’s window shades and 11,400 drop-down cribs are being recalled because they all pose a very serious strangulation hazard. Green Mountain Vista Incorporated’s Roman window shades and roll up blinds were recalled beginning last December.

The products were sold at specialty textile stores from 2004 to August of 2010. The cribs come from Alexander Designs Ltd and are manufactured by Jardine Enterprises Ltd. The report on the Wall Street Journal website states that the CPSC decided to ban the drop-down cribs this past summer because of the strangulation risk. The infant inside could easily get its head caught on the side that drops down and could get strangled. The report states that 36 deaths had been associated with the drop-down cribs within the past three years. The website provides information on who to contact for a repair kit for the products that are affected.

Drop-down cribs have been fired at before because of the danger they pose to infants due to the drop-down side. Several news reports on TV demonstrated how a child could easily get caught underneath the rail and easily get strangled. The CPSC’s decision to ban these cribs is understandable considering the dramatic risk they pose. Although a drop-down side is convenient for easy access to your baby, the risk is far to high to accept.
 

Fresh Express Company Recalls Lettuce

Fresh Express Company, a prominent lettuce and greens distributer is recalling 2,825 cases of Veggie Lovers Salad due to a potential contamination with the disease causing bacterium Listeria monocytogenes according to an article by the Associated Press.

 

The Ohio Department of Agriculture tested one package of Fresh Express and it tested positive for the foodborne pathogen. The exact product that is being recalled has a product code of 1208 and a use-by date of August 10th. New York and New Jersey are among the states where the greens were distributed, but it has been reported that many other states were affected by the contaminated distribution according the FDA and Fresh Express. Just last month Fresh Express recalled its Hearts of Romaine salads because of a potential E.coli contaminiation. The FDA have stated that there have been no reported illnesses as a result of the recall. Consumers of the infected lettuce are asked to throw it away. Listeria (the type of bacteria found in the lettuce) is a type of bacteria that can cause severe food poisoning and gastrointestinal problems especially with pregnant women and people with low immune systems.

Food poisoning can cause moderate to severe health problems and should never occur from a food distributer. Food poisoning can be extremely painful and costly if hospitalization and medications are involved. If you have been a victim of food poisoning and have suffered injuries as a result, contacting an Arizona personal injury attorney is your best option to receive compensation or your injuries. 

 

Honda Recalls Vehicles Due to Ignition Problem

On Monday August 9th 2010 the Honda Motor Co. stated that they were recalling more than 380,000 of its vehicles to fix an ignition switch problem. This will mark the third major consumer problem that Honda Motor Co. has had since 2003.

 

The ignition switch can lead to a vehicle rolling away and causing a collision. The ignition key interlock is problematic because they can be damaged or worn after use. When the ignition key is damaged or worn it could remove completely and cause the car to roll away.   The recall will affect 197,000 Honda Accords and 117,000 Honda Civics from the 2003 model year and roughly 69,000 Element vehicles from the 2003 and 2004 model years in the United States. Honda released a statement that said it had received many complaints about the failure and is aware of a few incidents with only one resulting in a minor injury. The company stated that they will be notifying customers about their vehicles necessary repairs by late September and encourages affected vehicles to contact a dealer as soon as possible after receiving the notification.

Vehicles are depended upon in millions of families across the country. When you purchase a new car you expect that the car will last years before encountering any problems. You certainly never expect that a manufacturer problem can potentially kill or harm any of your loved ones.  A major manufacturer like Honda has the responsibility to ensure that every part of their vehicles is safe and reliable for every family. Any negligent manufacturer must be held responsible for injuries that occur from faulty items. If you or a loved one has been injured from an item that has been recalled, contacting an Arizona personal injury attorney is your best option for compensation.

 

Bicycles Recalled Due To Defect

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a voluntary recall has been announced by Campus Cruisers because the front fork could potentially crack or break. As of the time the report was posted, CPSC had received four reports of cracks in the front forks; however, no injuries have been reported as yet.

 

The recall affects the company’s Eastside Fix, single speed bicycles with aluminum frames. The defect in the front forks could potentially cause the rider to lose control of steering and could also cause a serious fall. In order to prevent such incidents, the CPSC urges consumers to contact their local Campus Cruisers dealer and request a free repair of the front forks. Campus Cruisers can also be contacted through their website or email address. The Campus Cruisers website has also posted information regarding the recall on their website which can be accessed via the link below.

Defects such as these are common with bicycles and can easily cause serious accidents. Some of these defects could be the result of negligent manufacturing. In the case of a defect in the front fork, the crack or break in the fork could cause damage to the front tire of the bike and force the rider to lose control of the bike. It could also lead to bigger defects in the rest of the bike frame as well.

 

Children's Belts Recalled Due to Lead Paint Dangers

 PRNewswire.com is reporting that Target stores and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have announced a recall of children’s belts due to excessive levels of lead found in the belt buckles of the belts. The levels of lead in the buckles exceed the federal standard that the EPA allows. According to the report, roughly 105,150 units have been recalled as a result of the dangers from the lead levels.

 

There are two brands associated with the recall; they are Cherokee boys belts and Circo girl’s belts. The belts were manufactured in China and sold in Target stores between December 2008 and December 2009. Consumers are strongly urged to stop using the belts and return them to any Target store to receive a full refund of the purchase amount.

The federal lead standard was originally set in place to prevent lead poisoning primarily amongst children as they are the most susceptible to suffering lead poisoning. Children are particularly in danger of lead poisoning because they ingest a higher percentage of lead than adults, which greatly increases the toxicity of lead. Lead poisoning can cause brain damage, diminished bone and muscle development, damage to the nervous system as well as to the kidneys.

 

Several Lots of Tylenol, Benadryl and Motrin Recalled

Reuters reports that Johnson and Johnson recalled 21 lots of Tylenol and other medications including Benadryl and Motrin because of a musty smell in the bottles. This recall is an extension from an original recall of 53 million bottles of these and other various products in January. The report states that the musty smell has been traced to a chemical found in the wooden pallets used to transport and ship the medications.

 

The additional recall was announced as a precautionary measure after the company discovered after they determined that some of the materials used to package the products had been stored on the same wooden pallets where the chemical was found. The recalled products were reportedly sold in the U.S, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Puerto Rico and Bermuda. This is not the first time that the company has faced a recall. They reportedly announced four recalls in the past for insufficient quality control in the products. As a result of these recalls, the company has faced a lot of scrutiny from the FDA.

When a product recall involves something like medication or food for consumers, it is extremely important to ensure the safety of consumers and immediately announce a recall of any affected products. Johnson and Johnson’s actions in recalling the affected medications and their follow-up actions demonstrate that they are working to maintain the safety of consumers.

 

PCWorld Magazine Reports on Sony Vaio Recall

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of over half a million Sony Vaio laptops that could pose serious injury to consumers. The report from PC World Magazine states the notebooks could potentially overheat and cause serious harm to consumers. However, according to the report, Sony has issued an update for the affected laptops that will reportedly fix the issue.

 

The report contains information including which model numbers are affected by the recall. Sony has received roughly 30 reports of parts of the laptops melting due to excessive heat but no injuries have been reported as of yet. The report also provides information on how to obtain the update that can fix this issue with the Vaio laptops. According to the report, this is the third recall that Sony has faced regarding their Sony Vaio laptops. The previous two incidents occurred in 2006 as well as in 2008.

Product liability is an important issue when it comes to consumer products. In this case, Sony’s swift answer providing an update that could solve the issue demonstrates proper care for consumers to ensure the safety of their products.