Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Link Between Chemical in Plastics and Metabolic Syndrome Found - Friday, September 5, 2008

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have shown a link between bisphenol A (BPA), the principle chemical used to make hard plastics, and the occurrence of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is really a combination of factors that leads to increased risks of higher blood levels of sugar and lipids and lowers the body's response to insulin. This can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, and strokes if left untreated. The American Heart Association believes a quarter of the U.S. population has metabolic syndrome. But scientists have estimated that over eight in ten people tested have significant levels of BPA in their bloodstream.

Dr. Nira Ben-Jonathan, lead researcher on this link at UC, states, "People have serious concerns about the potential health effects of BPA. As the scientific evidence continues to mount against the chemical, it should be given serious attention to minimize future harm."

The concern over BPA and its link to future problems should be noted by new mothers because the chemical can be found in things like baby bottles and sippy cups. In April, 2008, Canada began banning the import, sale, and advertising of baby bottles that contain BPA. It has also been known to leach out of the plastic lining in canned foods.

If you believe that you or your loved one's medical problems may be linked to this chemical, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Tire Valve Recall - Thursday, September 4, 2008

Faulty tire valve stems may be the cause of millions of tire blowouts a year, according to Consumer Reports. The tire valve stem is the rubber tube used to inflate the tire. The faulty valve stems have been linked to a fatal SUV rollover in California. The SUV rolled when its right rear tire blew out. A lawsuit blames a cracked tire valve. As a result, a recall has been issued by Tech International, a U.S. company that has distributed as many as six million tire valve stems.

Don Mays, who works for Consumer Reports, says, "If you've replaced your tires since 2006, there's a chance that your tire valves are affected by the recall."

The cracks may leak air slowly, which result in a flat tire. However, when traveling at highway speeds, "you could have sudden air loss, and that can be a serious problem."

Consumer Reports states that, while it is not easy to determine if you have one of these faulty valves, there are things you can do. The first is to check your tire pressure once a month and inspect the valves for cracks. To do this, flex the valve toward the tire, rotating it to look for cracks along the stem. If the valve is good, there should be no cracks. If you find a crack, you should take the car to a mechanic and have all tire stems replaced. If you are unsure if you have a valve that has been recalled, really the only way to check is to have a mechanic take the tire off and look for the valve's model number from the inside.

The recalled valve models distributed in 2006 are:

  • TR-413
  • TR-413CH
  • TR-414
  • TR-415
  • TR-418
  • TR-423

If you or a loved one has been injured due to a defective product, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Deadly Bassinets Recalled - Friday, August 29, 2008

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking retailers to stop selling bassinets made by Simplicity Inc. of Pennsylvania after two infants died recently due to strangulation. The CPSC has called for a recall of Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 Convertible Close-Sleepers.

Just two days ago on August 27, 2008, the CPSC issued a safety alert after SFCA Inc. (the company that bought Simplicity's assets in April 2008 at a public auction) after SFCA refused to cooperate and recall the products insisting they were not responsible for previously made Simplicity products.

The alert did not cover bassinets produced recently that have fabric permanently attached over the lower bar. According to the CPSC, six large retailers have agreed to recall the product and provide a full refund to customers who return the defective bassinet to the store where it was purchased. Those retailers include: Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, Toys R Us, and J.C. Penney.

Please click here to learn how you can return your defective Simplicity bassinet for a full refund.

If you or a loved one has suffered or died due to a defective product, please find an experienced personal injury attorney in your area as soon as possible.

African-Americans Have Been Target Audience of Cardiac Risk Avandia - Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Type 2 diabetes drug, Avandia, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, has been under fire for presenting serious cardiovascular risks in those taking the drug. After analysis of dozens of trials, it has been concluded that Avandia increases the risk of heart attack by 43% and cardiac-related death by 64%. GlaxoSmithKline is facing additional problems with these recent reports due to the fact that the company was warned seven years ago that Avandia showed a trend toward "cardiovascular deaths and severe adverse events," yet the manufacturer failed to adequately warn prescribing doctors and consumers about the potential risks of the drug.

Now, GlaxoSmithKline is facing additional scrutiny by the African-American community because the company has long placed a marketing focus on African-Americans--much more so than any other maker of diabetes drugs. Because Type 2 diabetes is a disease twice as likely to affect African-Americans as Caucasians in the United States, GlaxoSmithKline thought it prudent marketing strategy to hire a celebrity African-American as the Avandia spokesperson. Della Reese, legendary jazz singer and actress, who most recently starred in the television series "Touched By An Angel," has Type 2 diabetes and signed on with GlaxoSmithKline in 2004; Ms. Reese remained Avandia's spokeswoman until the end of 2006.

But now that Avandia has been shown to cause such serious adverse events, Glaxo's advertising strategy could certainly work against the drug giant. Avandia has been on the market for eight years and has been the world's best-selling diabetes drug at approximately $3 billion a year. Glaxo's marketing strategy has won the company praise in the advertising industry and from African-American doctors who state Glaxo put a friendly face on a drug for a disease that often goes untreated in the African-American community.

Although the makers of Avandia have allegedly known about the serious cardiovascular events associated with the drug for almost seven years, they have continued to sell the drug and target the African-American community in their advertising campaign. Lawyers for Glaxo sad they are already getting calls from Avandia users and predict future lawsuits that could run into the tens of billions of dollars. The Chief Executive of GlaxoSmithKline, Jean-Pierre Garnier, has said it is much too early to tell if these calls will lead to the company being sued, and Garnier is confident that the safety of Avandia will be vindicated.

Accutane tied to IBD - Friday, August 22, 2008

Roche Holding AG, a Swiss drug manufacturer with U.S. operations in Nutley, New Jersey, has been ordered to pay $2.5 million in damages to a 36-year-old man who developed severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) after taking the acne medication Accutane.

IBD refers to chronic diseases that cause inflammation in the form of painful swelling and diarrhea. Other common symptoms of IBD are abdominal cramps, blocked bowels, bloody stool, fever, dehydration, and extreme weight loss. IBD is also considered to be a major risk factor for developing colon and/or rectal cancer. Once you have IBD, symptoms can flare up without warning leaving sufferers constantly worried about when the next episode of pain and diarrhea will strike.

Accutane is a very powerful acne medication that Andrew McCarrell took in 1995. After taking the drug, he developed chronic diarrhea and incontinence, and, after multiple surgeries, finally had to have his colon removed. McCarrell was awarded $2.5 million and an additional $119,000 to cover his medical expenses. To date, there have been approximately 400 lawsuits in the United States involving Accutane, which has been on the market since 1982.

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