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Graco Recalls Jump ‘n Jive Doorway Jumpers

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:02:16 GMT

Graco, in cooperation with the CPSC, announced a voluntary recall of Jump ‘n Jive Doorway Jumpers.

The recalled doorway jumpers include detachable toys that are attached to the jumper straps with strips of hook and loop fabric. The strips of fabric are not permanently attached to the toys and can become detached during use, posing a choking hazard.

As of this date, the company has received one report in which a child removed the fabric strip and was placing it in his/her mouth. There has been no reported injuries.

The recalled items are Jump ‘n Doorway Jumpers with Model Number: 1755544. They were sold at Babies R Us and other specialty retail stores nationwide from April 2009 through July 2009.

Consumers can contact the manufacturer for a replacement set of toys. In the meantime, consumers stop using the recalled jumpers and remove and discard the detachable toys and fabric strips.

Consumer Information: Contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit www.gracobaby.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Spa Factory Aromatherapy Kits Recalled Due to Projectile Hazard

Chrissie Cole — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:08:00 GMT

JAKKS Pacific Inc., in cooperation with CPSC, announced a voluntary recall of Spa Factory Aromatherapy Fountain & Bath Benefit Kits.

Pressure from the buildup of carbon dioxide in the jars of Bath Bombs/Balls or Bath Fizzies can cause the caps on the jars to blow off, posing explosion and projectile hazards. The mixtures also can contain citric acid, which can get into the eyes during an explosion, posing a risk of eye irritation.

To date, the company has received a total of 88 reports of exploding jars, including 13 injuries. Injuries to children include irritated eyes and eye injuries. And injuries to adults include 4 reports of bruising and a swollen joint amongst others.

The following models are included in this recall. The item number can be found on the bottom of the product packaging.

Model	Item Number
Spa Factory™ Bath Benefits™ Kit	37836
Spa Factory™ Deluxe Spa Fantasy Aromatherapy Fountain	37908
Spa Factory™ Spa Fantasy Aromatherapy Fountain	37837
Spa Factory™ Spa Fantasy Aromatherapy Fountain	54892
Spa Factory™ Spa Fantasy Aromatherapy Fountain	54857

Consumers are advised to take the toy’s jars and caps away from children immediately and to contact JAKKS for free replacement caps with vent holes.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact JAKKS toll-free at (877) 875-2557 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, visit the firm’s Web site at www.myspafactory.com, or email the firm at caps@jakks.net

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance - The most valuable insurance that you know nothing about

James Kramer — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:44:38 GMT

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance

The most valuable insurance that you know nothing about.

Think about all the cars that pass by you every day. If one of them hit you, would it be insured? There are far too many drivers who either have no automobile liability insurance or inadequate insurance. They may not be able to afford insurance because of bad driving records, convictions for drunk driving, or they may just be irresponsible. They may be illegal aliens. If one hits you and you or your passengers sustain bodily injuries, you are on your own. Even though they may be legally liable for your personal injury damages, Good Luck collecting anything from them. Drivers with no or minimum insurance don’t have assets to pay for the damage they cause. This is when you will need coverage for personal injuries caused by an uninsured driver. If they have the minimum required insurance, it probably won’t cover your losses. This is when you need underinsured motorist coverage. Do you have this coverage? Do you have enough coverage?

You are probably paying extra premiums for collision insurance and comprehensive insurance to protect your vehicle. Do you have insurance to protect the people in your vehicle? This coverage is called Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage. It could be the most important insurance that you will ever purchase. It is very inexpensive. You need it before you have that life-changing accident.

In Iowa and in many other states, your automobile insurance agent is required to offer you Uninsured/Underinsured coverage. All too often, a customer may decline the coverage in order to save a few dollars on the premium and will refuse to pay a small additional premium for adequate coverage. Money is tight. A few dollars could cause the customer to buy their automobile insurance elsewhere. After all, you don’t understand Uninsured/Underinsured coverage and you probably won’t need it. WRONG!

Because there are so many uninsured drivers out there, you do need this insurance! You want your own insurance company to provide the same coverage to you and your passengers as you provide to anyone else. Uninsured motorist coverage means that, if the other driver has no insurance, your insurance company may pay you and your passengers for personal injuries, the same as it would pay for the personal injuries to passengers riding in a vehicle that you hit. The maximum amount that it would pay is limited to the coverage amount that you purchase. Underinsured motorist coverage is an additional coverage that protects you if the other driver has insurance, but the policy limit for paying damages isn’t enough to cover the actual damages sustained by you and your passengers. Underinsured coverage can pay for damages that are not covered by the other driver’s insurance, limited by the maximum amount of coverage that you purchase.

We are seeing more and more cases where people sustain severe injuries in automobile accidents and where there is no insurance or inadequate insurance for the driver at fault. When our clients have Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage, they have frequently been able to recover from their own insurance companies. Isn’t that what you want insurance for?

I urge you to check your policy. Do you have this coverage? Do you have enough insurance? Talk to your agent. You will never regret paying a few extra dollars for Uninsured/Underinsured insurance. Ask your agent if this coverage covers you and your own family members, not just your passengers. You may need to shop around to find the most extensive coverage. Pay for a higher limit. It doesn’t cost that much more.

Be aware that different companies offer different policies and that the actual coverage and exclusions are not all the same. Small changes may make a big difference. There are also time limits on making claims for losses. If you are in a serious accident, you need to seek legal advice immediately and have your policy reviewed in order to protect yourself and to recover your losses.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Kramer

Ford Recalls Nearly Half-Million Mustangs Due to Air Bag Issue

Jenny Albano — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:06:09 GMT

Just 3 months after Ford Motor Co recalled 1.2 million trucks and SUVs, the automobile company is recalling 470,000 Ford Mustangs due to safety concerns with the deployment of air bags on the passenger side.

The sports cars have been recalled due to a much needed air bag software update that will adjust the force with which the passenger side airbag deploys, the models affected are from 2005-2008.

The airbag could potentially deploy and injure a passenger not wearing a seat belt. So far Ford has not received any reports of injury from consumers. Ford is recalibrating the force of the air bag.

Just Auto said "the recall come about after an internal test found that the air bags could injure a small passenger not wearing a seat belt".

Owners of Ford Mustangs will be notified by Ford Motor Co. through the mail.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Brian Smith Recalls Serene Float Tanks

Jenny Albano — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:16:28 GMT

Brian Smith, in conjunction with the FDA, is recalling 5 units of Serene Float Tanks due to an electrocution hazard.

Electrical components in the float tank are not grounded, which can prevent the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) from tripping when needed, posing an electrocution hazard to consumers.

The recalled product is a Serene Float Tank, which is a water tank that is light and soundproof and the temperature is insulated and ventilated. The tank allows the consumer to float on top of the water effortlessly because of the water and dissolvent that fills the tank.

So far the company has not received any reports of injury and the Serene Float Tanks were available on the company's website from August 2007 to October 2007.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Feingold - Johnson 2007 Eliminates Binding Arbitration Clauses

Courtney Mills — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:18:46 GMT

Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA) introduced legislation in July 2007 that will preclude big companies from including binding arbitration clauses in contracts with ordinary citizens. As the law now stands, consumer credit lenders use private arbitrators to litigate debt disputes with cardholders.

Most consumers do not even realize that they have signed away their rights to conventional litigation until it is too late, because the binding arbitration clause is buried deep in the cardholder agreement signed when the cardholder first receives the credit card.

The Feingold - Johnson Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007 aspires to achieve many goals, the primary among them being the wresting of binding arbitration out of the hands of credit card companies. Consumers do not receive a fair review in the arbitration process because the consumer always stands at a disadvantage compared to creditors. Creditors namely are essentially footing the bill for the arbitration process because the consumer credit lenders are responsible for sending business to arbitration groups. In this sense, binding arbitration is inherently biased toward big business.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Courtney Mills

Car Seat has Death Risk for Infants

Jenny Albano — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:02:02 GMT

Findings from a study published online by Archives of Disease in Childhood claim that there is a small risk of sudden death for babies who use car seats. The study is based on an analysis of cases of sudden death in infants up to 12 months in Quebec, Canada, that happened between 1991 and 2000.

Of the 508 deaths that were investigated, 17 of these deaths happened when an infant was seated in a car seat. The risk was larger for babies less than a month old. The authors of the study state that the risk is very low and that car seat safety should not be questioned.

But doctors from the University of Auckland in New Zealand recommend that parents do not let very young babies sleep unattended in their car seats.

In a study by these doctors, 43 babies turned blue from lack of oxygen while in car seats. Most of these cases occurred in babies at an average age of five weeks. The infants head was flexed forward with the jaw pressed into the chest, which caused the babies to have difficulty breathing. This may have been due to the fact that babies this young lack head control.

The researchers urge parents to take extra care when putting young infants in any type of car seat.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

"Popcorn Lung" Lawsuit Settled

Jenny Albano — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:34:47 GMT

A man who filed a lawsuit claiming he incurred lung damage from a chemical in the flavoring of microwavable popcorn has reached a settlement with the popcorn flavoring company.

John Weimer Jr., who claims he suffered lung damage from a chemical called diacetyl found in buttery popcorn flavoring, filed a lawsuit against the International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. for being negligent. Weimer stated that the company knew that the flavoring posed a health hazard, but did not fulfill its duty to inform the public and governmental agencies.

The chemical diacetyl is linked to a respiratory disease called popcorn lung. The vapors from the flavoring cause lung damage in popcorn plant workers, but pose no risk to regular consumers. Weimer says he was injured when he worked at the Snappy Popcorn Company plant in Breda, Iowa as a manager.

The amount of the settlement cannot be released due to provisions prohibiting both sides from discussing the terms. Other workers from the plant have filed similar lawsuits for undisclosed amounts and the Snappy Popcorn plant discontinued their use of the product.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Million Dollar Dog Bite Lawsuit Filed

Stu Cochrane — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:22:00 GMT

A Knoxville, Tennessee man who was attacked by an Akita has filed a dog attack lawsuit against the animal's owners. The dog had traveled over six miles when it arrived at the home of Charles Wood, who was playing catch in the yard with his daughter.

"The dog just walked up and grabbed my glove first and then went for my hand and it's all kind of a blur from there."
Wood suffered several puncture wounds and deep cuts from the dog's bite. "I finally took my right hand and clamped it over his muzzle trying to open it up."
After breaking free, Wood rushed to the hospital. He received 40 stitches and surgery.

Since the attack, Wood can not fully open or close his hand, and authorities have classified the Akita as a dangerous dog.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Stu Cochrane

Woman Awarded $12.2 Million in Slip-and-Fall Lawsuit

Christina Cole — Wed, 02 May 2007 02:27:47 GMT

A jury awarded a woman over $12.2 million in a slip-and-fall lawsuit after she was not able to return to work after slipping and hitting her head while at a gas station convenience store.

In August 2003, the woman was walking into Miller Mart to buy a newspaper and pay for gas when she slipped on a small puddle that was caused by a leaky awning. When she fell, she landed on her chest and chin. Witnesses later said the impact sent her head snapping back.

She returned to work days later at her job as a stylist only to find she was unable to concentrate or do more than one thing at a time. Doctors were able to conclude that she was suffering from post-concussion symptoms.

On April 24, a jury found Miller Mart and its insurance company liable for her injury and they awarded her more than $12.2 million. This is said to be one of the highest ever slip-and-fall verdicts in history.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole