Defective & Dangerous Products

• Recall of Fentanyl Pain Management Patches

  Jamie G. Goldstein | February 20, 2008 4:14 PM | 0 CommentsChicago, IL

  The FDA announced on February 19, 2008 that Actavis Inc. is recalling certain Fentyl transdermal patches. These patches may be defective causing an excess amount of medication to be administered to the patient. This overdose of medication can lead to respiratory depression and possible fatal overdose. The recall extended to patches with doses of 25, 50, 75 and 100 mcg/hr. It is not known at...

• Aloha Portable Heaters Recalled for Fire Hazard

  Chrissie Cole | February 20, 2008 2:40 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  Aloha Housewares, in cooperation with CPSC, announced a voluntary product recall of its portable heaters due to a fire hazard.The company has received 29 reports of the heaters melting, catching fire or smoking, including 18 reports of property damage. One consumer suffered minor burns to the hands and feet.The recalled heaters include electric oscillating tower heaters that display "Aloha...

• Defect in Chimney Caused Fire

  Shannon Weidemann | February 20, 2008 12:29 PM | 0 CommentsGreenville, OBX & Rocky Mount, NC

  A townhome community in Bedford County in Virginia may have a construction defect in all of the chimneys that is a potential fire hazard. A fire in January destroyed six units of the Waterways community. The fire started in one unit and spread to five others. The fire started due to rust holes in the chimney that allowed sparks to exit the chimney.The rust holes allowed sparks from the...

• Beef Recall Does Not Affect Alabama Schools

  Shannon Weidemann | February 20, 2008 9:50 AM | 0 CommentsMontgomery, AL

  A huge recall of 143 Million pounds of beef has many parents worried after finding out that some of the meat went into the national lunch program serving public schools. According to the Director of Child Nutrition Programs none of the recalled beef were served in Alabama schools. The beef was recalled over fears of mad cow disease after reports surfaced that the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co....

• Reno Judge Slashes Damage Award

  Steve Klearman | February 20, 2008 8:05 AM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  Washoe District Court Judge Robert Perry has reduced the recent landmark jury award against pharmaceutical giant Wyeth arising from Wyeth's development and marketing of Prempro.Judge Perry cut the award from $134 million to $58 million. $23 million is allocated toward compensatory damages and $35 million is punitive damages. Wyeth wanted the Judge to reduce the total award to $4 million.Wyeth...

• Deficient Kevlar Military Helmets Result In $2 Million Accord

  Greg Webb | February 19, 2008 10:11 PM | 0 CommentsCharlottesville, VA

  Sioux Manufacturing of Fort Totten, a manufacturer in North Dakota has agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle a lawsuit, originally for $159 million in damages, brought when the company shortchanged the armor in about 2.2 million military helmets, including the helmets worn by the first troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. Two former plant employees claimed the Kevlar woven at the manufacturer...

• Consumer Advocacy Group Asks For A More Efficient CPSC

  Greg Webb | February 19, 2008 10:04 PM | 0 CommentsCharlottesville, VA

  Public Citizen, a District-based advocacy group, criticized the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for sometimes taking more than six months to inform the public about dangerous products. The advocacy group also complained that it took some companies almost three years to report hazards to the commission. Forty-six cases, from 2002-2007, were taken into consideration in Public Citizen's...

• CPSC Proposing All Home Furnishing Products Be Nonflammable

  Greg Webb | February 19, 2008 9:57 PM | 0 CommentsCharlottesville, VA

  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is pushing a proposal to require all home furnishing products sold in the United States be nonflammable. The CPSC has been trying to get this proposal passed for more than ten years because they believe such a standard could save about one hundred lives and prevent one hundred and thirty injuries annually. It would require consumer upholstered...

• ATV Rollover Accidents - Yamaha Rhino's Defective Design

  Jean Martin | February 19, 2008 6:53 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  Despite its unsafe reputation, the Yamaha Rhino ATV is still being sold. With several fatalities, accidents, and serious injuries, the Rhino is considered among the most dangerous all-terrain vehicles available. From severed limbs and head injuries to broken bones and numerous deaths, the list of those who have experienced a traumatic event as a result of the Yamaha Rhino continues to...

• FDA Issues Heparin Warning

  Rick Patterson | February 19, 2008 3:24 PM | 0 CommentsLancaster, CA

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning regarding heparin. At this time, Baxter Healthcare Corporation has stopped manufacturing multiple-dose vials of the blood-thinning drug. And not a moment too soon. In addition to the well-published reports of hospital staff mixing up the look-alike viles of heparin with disastrous results, there have also been reports of serious...