Arizona Personal Injury Blog - Defective & Dangerous Products

Safety 1st Stair Gates Recalled For Fall Hazard

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:31:00 GMT

Dorel Juvenile Group USA, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced a voluntary recall of 100,000 Safety 1^st SmartLight Stair Gates.

The hinges that hold the stair gate in place can break, posing a fall hazard to children.

To date, the company has not received any reports of injury.

Safety 1^st SmartLight Stair Gate, model number 42111, is included in the recall. The gates are white metal with gray handles that have a motion sensor nightlight that illuminates upon approach.

The agency advises consumers to immediately stop using the recalled gates and to contact the company as soon as possible to receive a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: Consumers can call the toll-free number 1 (866) 690-2540 Mon. through Fri. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m EDT; complete an online order form on the Dorel Juvenile Group Web site at to obtain their free repair kit; email the company, or send a fax to (800) 207-8182.

* Consumers should not return product to retail stores.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Peanut Butter Recalled For Salmonella Contamination

Chrissie Cole — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:13:00 GMT

King Nut Companies recently announced a recall of peanut butter distributed under the King Nut label, made for the company by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA).

The recall was issued after salmonella was discovered in an open five-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter. The products are not sold directly to consumers; they are distributed through food services accounts to hospitals, prisons and more.

The FDA, CDC and health departments in Minnesota and Connecticut, have now confirmed that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by PCA.

Companies nationwide that received product made by PCA, have issued voluntary recalls of their products. As FDA gathers additional information about these products, the list of recalled products is expected to expand.

The salmonella outbreak has sickened 550 people in 43 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC updates information regularly.

Consumers can refer to the FDA’s online database to determine which products are included in the recall. To date there are nearly 900 products and the list is expected to grow.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

FDA Warns of Salmonella Risk in Cantaloupes

Jenny Albano — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:38:19 GMT

The FDA has put an import alert on cantaloupes from Agropecuaria Montelibano, a Honduran grower and packer, because the fruit may be associated with a Salmonella Litchfield outbreak in the United States and Canada. Cantaloupes shipped to the United States from this company are to be detained. Also, grocers and food providers are to remove the cantaloupes from this company from their stock.

Consumers who have recently purchased cantaloupes should check to see who the grower and packer are. if the cantaloupes are from Agropecuaria Montelibano then they should be thrown away.

So far there have been 50 reports of illness in 16 different states and 9 confirmed illnesses in Canada that have been linked to the consumption of cantaloupes. There have not been any deaths but 14 people have had to be hospitalized.

The FDA is taking this preventive measure while the agency continues to investigate this outbreak in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state partners. Such intervention is a key component of FDA's Food Protection Plan.

To learn more about Salmonella and its symptoms click here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Domega International Ltd. Recalls Zebra Brand Sweetened Lotus Root Seed and Zebra Brand Sweetened Coconut

Jenny Albano — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:18:50 GMT

Domega international Ltd., in conjunction with the FDA, is recalling Zebra brand sweetened lotus root seed and Zebra brand sweetened coconut because it contains undeclared sulfites. People who are sensitive to sulfites may risk serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume these products.

The recalled Zebra brand sweetened lotus root seed is sold in 6 oz. un-coded plastic bags and is a product of China, packed by Hong Kong Ever Time Food & Grocery Co. Ltd. The product was sold nationwide. The recalled Zebra brand sweetened coconut is sold in 6 oz. un-coded plastic bags and is a product of China, packed by Hong Kong Ever Time Food & Grocery Co. Ltd. The product was sold nationwide.

The problem was found after a routine sampling completed by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors. The Food Laboratory analysis revealed that there were undeclared sulfites in the recalled products. Sulfites were not listed as an ingredient on the labeling.

For people who have asthma, consuming 10 or more milligrams of sulfites per serving can result in severe reactions. Anaphylactic shock can occur for people who are sensitive to sulfites if they consume these Zebra brand products. So far, no illnesses have been reported to Domega International.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

FDA Sued for Stronger Warnings on Certain Antibiotics

Jenny Albano — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:36:04 GMT

On Thursday, December 3, a consumer group called Public Citizen sued the FDA, saying that the agency has ignored pleas for stronger warnings on antibiotics that can cause tendon injuries.

The labels on drugs such as Cipro and Levaquin, drugs in the fluoroquinolone family of antibiotics, do have warnings for tendon injuries, but they are listed among many other side effects are not emphasized. Public Citizen wants the tendon injury warnings to be upgraded to a black-box warning, the FDA's most severe warning. Also the consumer group wants patients who take this drug to recieve a pamphlet with their medication that explains the risks.

Public Citizen thinks that not very many patients who take this family of antibiotics knows they are supposed to discontinue use of their the medication if they experience pain or inflammation, before the tendon actually ruptures.

Public Citizen filed a petition seeking the stronger warning in August 2006. The state of Illinois had filed a similar petition the previous year. The FDA is violating its own statutes and putting patients at risk in taking so long to settle the issue, Public Citizen said in the suit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

When Public Citizen first filed this petition there were 262 reported incidents of ruptured tendons from November 1997 to December 2005, and there were a few hundred reports of other tendon problems in patients who took these kind of antibiotics. Since the end of 2005 the FDA has recieved 74 more reports of tendon ruptures. These numbers probably do not account for most of the tendon problems because only a fraction of drug side effects are typically reported to the FDA.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on FDA and Prescription Drugs.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Collins International Co. Recalls Oscillating Ceramic Heaters Sold at Menards Retail Stores

Jenny Albano — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:20:30 GMT

Collins International Co., in conjunction with the CPSC, is recalling about 20,000 oscillating ceramic heaters because the heaters can overheat, smoke, or may ignite which poses a fire hazard to consumers.

This recall involves 1500 watt oscillating ceramic heaters model EB38005. The heater has a white plastic housing with the name "Heat-Wave" in black on its top. A label on the bottom of the product contains the model and the control number "ETL 3090262."

So far the company has not received any reports of injury, but they have received seven reports of the heaters overheating, smoking, or igniting, which includes four reports of property damage to consumer's carpets and floors.

The product was available Menards' stores across the country from September 2006 to March 2007. The heaters were manufactured in China.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

More Thomas & Friends Toys Recalled for Excessive Levels of Lead

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:06:39 GMT

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), RC2 Corp. announced a second voluntary toy recall of Thomas & Friends Wood Railroad Toys due to excessive levels of lead.

The latest toy recall includes approximately 200,000 toys. In June, 1.5 million Thomas & Friends toys recalled for the same reason, excessive levels of lead in the paint.

The latest recall includes five toys from the Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway toy line: toad vehicle, olive green sodor cargo box, all-black cargo car and all-green maple tree top and signal base accessories.

The front packaging label has "Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway" in the top corner. A tracking code can be found on the bottom of some of the toys. Toys that are marked with the codes "WJ" and "AZ" are NOT included in this recall.

Consumers are advised to take the recalled toys away from small children immediately and return them to RC2 Corp for a free replacement.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact RC2 toll-free at (866) 725-4407 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at http://recalls.rc2.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Chrysler Recalls Jeep Commanders and Dodge Nitros for Brake Problem

Chrissie Cole — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:06:07 GMT

Chrysler announced an automobile recall of about 300,000 trucks due to a delay in braking when drivers step on the brake pedal.

Chrysler Dealers will be reprogramming the control module on the antilock brake systems of 2007 Jeep Wranglers and Dodge Nitros and 2006-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Commanders free of charge.

The company has received one report of a crash, with no reported injuries.

The brake delay commonly happens when the vehicle goes up hill or prepares for a turn, according to a company spokesman.

While the occurrence is rare, they have received reports of drivers experiencing problems when they take their foot from the accelerator.

For more information, please visit our section on Product Recall Information.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Recent Safety Recalls Highlight Continuing Fight for Accountability

Staff Writer — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:05:27 GMT

Have you heard about recent recalls of tainted pet food involving food safety? How about toy recalls involving possible lead paint exposure? Have you heard about even more toy recalls involving choking hazards for small children? How about laptop computer batteries recalled due to a fire hazards? After hearing about all of these recalls, do you believe that consumer products are safer or more dangerous today when compared to years past?

I hear two different perspectives about product safety. First, I hear that litigation risks have forced companies to voluntarily recall products which would not have been recalled in past years. I hear people argue that safety risks involving a small percentage of consumers should not form a basis for product recall decisions. Alternatively, I hear that consumer products are increasingly becoming more dangerous as manufacturers outsource product design and assembly to locations which do not prioritize product safety.

What do you think? Do you believe products are safer today than they were twenty years ago? Do you believe that the dangers have not changed but that companies simply disclose more information today than twenty years ago? Should information disclosure and product recalls continue or should we simply make our own decisions to buy products instead relying on sellers and manufacturers to design and manufacture them safely? Do you trust that product manufacturers and sellers in business to make a profit will always design and market safe products? When confronted with less costly yet less safe design alternatives, absent some form of accountability, will sellers and manufacturers always choose safety over the bottom line? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Signature Gourmet / Kitchen Gourmet Coffeemakers Recalled

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:53:30 GMT

The Signature Gourmet and Kitchen Gourmet 12-cup coffeemakers, made by Atico International USA, are being recalled for an electrical failure that can pose a fire hazard.

The coffeemakers are white and have a glass coffeepot. Signature Gourmet or Kitchen Gourmet is printed across the front of the maker. Model Number (XQ-673B), Item Number (W14A4984) and date code are located on the bottom of the unit. Only units with date codes from May 2003 (0503) through July 2006 (0706) are affected by this recall.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled coffeemakers and contact Atico International USA for information on how to receive a full refund.

For more information on this subject matter please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole