Maine Personal Injury Blog - Defective & Dangerous Products

B-Series Trucks Recalled By Mazda

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:38:00 GMT

Certain B series trucks from the 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 model years are being recalled by Mazda.

According to the recall, trucks equipped with a Texas Instruments speed control deactivation switch (SCDS) and/or anti-lock brake system (ABS) manufactured on or before December 5, 2002, may encounter a vehicle fire if the switch deteriorates and leaks. The fires can occur even when the engine is not running.

Mazda will begin notifying owners of the recall on November 13, 2009. Consumers will be advised to bring their vehicles to a dealership to have a universal fused jumper harness installed on the cruise control switch, free of charge.

For more information, call Mazda at (800) 222-5500, Option #6. Or visit www.safecar.gov

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Nissan recalls over 200,000 vehicles

Alison McKellar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:33:06 GMT

Nissan Motor Company announced a voluntary recall of over 200,000 vehicles due to a suspected safety defect in some passenger side airbags. The voluntary recall covers 2007 and 2008 Nissan Altima, Altima Coupe, 350Z, Murano and Rogue; and Infiniti G35 Sedan, G37 Coupe and EX35 built from March 12, 2007 to May 27, 2008, the company said in a notice to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Nissan reports that it began looking into the problem after receiving several complaints of flashing airbag warning lights, and, after an investigation, the company determined that in some cases, the passenger side airbag may not receive a proper signal in an accident. Nissan believes that less than 1% of vehicles are affected by the defect, but they still plan to begin the recall on November 3rd.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar

Energy drinks and caffeine dependence: a growing problem

Alison McKellar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:11:51 GMT

Energy drinks have grown enormously in popularity during thelast several years and the number of brands, labels, and manufacturers hascreated fierce competition among marketers, each looking to carve out their ownmarket niche as "the most extreme", "the fewest calories",or "the most used by celebrities".

The United States has some of themost relaxed laws regulating the ingredients and distribution of drinks such asRed Bull, resulting in products that carry anywhere from 50mg to 500mg ofcaffeine and are targeted primarily toward adolescent males as performanceenhancers. Reports of caffeine intoxication have risen sharply, andcaffeine dependence, as well as the combined use of caffeine and alcohol isconsidered to be a real concern by some researchers.

A recent study concludes that energy drinks may need to carry some type of warninglabel similar to those seen on alcohol and tobacco products advising consumersof the risk of caffeine dependence and other possible adverse reactions.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar

Target stores affected by recall of contaminated meat and poultry

Alison McKellar — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:17:00 GMT

Gourmet Boutique, a New York based food company, has announced a voluntary recall of 286,000 pounds of meat and poultry due to possible Listeria contamination, a bacteria that can cause nausea, flu-like symptoms, and diarrhea. In pregnant women, the bacteria can lead to infections associated with miscarriage, premature delivery, and stillbirth.

Most of the recalled items are sold under the brand name Archer Farms, and are sold in SuperTarget stores across the country. The USDA notified consumers of the problem after it was detected during a routine safety inspection in Florida, and the products have since been removed from the shelves of all SuperTarget locations where they are carried. For updates on the recall and a list of products affected you may visit the USDA recall listings page.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar

Youth suicide prompts the FDA to investigate asthma drug Singulair and possible link to severe mood changes

Don Briggs — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:28:11 GMT

Cody Miller was fifteen years old when he unexpectedly ended his own life on August 4th of 2007, just two weeks after starting on the popular allergy drug, Singulair, for his allergies. MSNBC reported today that Merck, the company that sells Singulair, has changed the drug's labeling four times in the past year to include information on a range of side effects such as tremors, anxiousness, depression and suicidal behavior. Although the FDA has not established a direct connection between Singulair and suicidal thoughts, and they're not recommending that patients stop taking the drug, they are launching an investigation and urging those taking the drug to consult their doctors with any concerns. Further, they encourage all health care professionals and patients to participate in voluntary reporting of side effects, which can be done here.
Thousands on the site have already reported side effects from Singulair related to abnormal behavior and thoughts.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Don Briggs

Security Breach at Hannaford Supermarkets Results in Massive Credit and Debit Card Fraud

Don Briggs — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:13:56 GMT

On February 27th, Hannaford Supermarkets became aware of a major security breach which lead to credit and debit card fraud for more than 1,800 shoppers and but another 4 million at risk. An article in the Bangor Daily News Reports that the security breach affected all of the 165 stores in the Northeast and 102 Speedbay stores in Florida. Investigators later determined that, although Hannaford Bros. only became aware of the breach on February 3rd, the data exposure had been going on since December 7th, and wasn't stopped until March 10th.

The exact root of the breach is still unknown, but according to the company, credit and debit card numbers were stolen during the card authorization transmission process, but they assure customers that no personal data like names, addresses, or telephone numbers were divulged. Hannaford doesn't collect any such information from shoppers.

Anyone who purchased items at any of the Hannaford Bros. Supermarket locations using a credit or debit card should carefully review their statements and contact their bank with any questions. In most cases, account holders have 60 days to notify their bank of fraudulent charges. You can find more information on the Hannaford Website.

Although it's still too early to say exactly what the consequences will be of the incident, which ranks as one of the largest retail security breaches on record, there are already murmurings of class action suits.. So far, any lawsuits filed have been on behalf of people whose credit and bank accounts were not affected, which is drawing criticism from many as an example of the frivolous lawsuits that sometimes give lawyers a bad name. Still, others argue that without the lawsuits, companies like Hannaford lack the motivation to improve security and prevent future breaches.

So far, Hannaford is cooperating with customers and federal investigators to identify those responsible for the incident and help restore confidence in the supermarket chain.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Don Briggs

Energy Drinks Bad for Maine's Teenagers?

Alison Mynick, RN, Esq. — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:56:44 GMT

Need a caffeine boost to get through the afternoon? If you're under the age of eighteen and live in Maine, you may soon have a tough time buying that can of Red Bull or Monster Energy. State Representative Troy Jackson has filed legislation that would make it illegal for Maine vendors to sell energy drinks containing 80 or more milligrams of caffeine per 8 fluid ounces to minors. If passed into law, violators would face hefty fines, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Jackson is not standing alone on his side of the fence regarding this issue. Public health advocates and local educators have expressed concerns that there are numerous downsides to the supposedly uplifting thirst quenchers. Some say the drinks contain not only too much caffeine, but too much sugar as well. For example, a 16 oz. can of AMP delivers the equivalent of 14 teaspoons of sugar. The short term effects of that much sugar and caffeine could lead to disruptive behaviors in school, in addition to increased levels of heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety, dehydration, and insomnia. Long term, Maine teenagers face the possibility of increased weight, dental cavities, and a dependency on caffeine. The problems and risks would be greater with increased consumption.

Not surprisingly, beverage industry groups and teenagers don't know what all the buzz is about. The American Beverage Association contends that the drinks contain about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee and teenagers say they don't know or care what's in the stuff.

It may all be a moot point in the end, since many young Mainers find the price tag of these much-ballyhooed beverages beyond the limits of their wallets. Some are finding the perfect solution to the problem...that inexpensive plastic bottle of water.

by Anne M. Fennessey
Briggs & Counsel

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison Mynick, RN, Esq.

How Safe Is Maine's Meat Supply?

Alison Mynick, RN, Esq. — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:40:20 GMT

Some things we know for sure.

We know for sure that on February 17, 2008, the USDA ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of beef that had been processed at California's Westland/ Hallmark Meat Co., dating back to February 1, 2006.

We can be sure, thanks to videotape evidence given to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service by the Humane Society of the United States, that some cattle at Westland/ Hallmark were not properly treated and inspected before they were slaughtered.

We also know for sure that the recalled meat made its way into our nation's food supply and that approximately 37 million pounds of it was distributed to schools and public nutrition programs, most likely in the form of ground beef, meatballs, and burrito fillings.

We don't know (yet) how much of the tainted meat is here in Maine, but we can be fairly sure that much of the tainted meat has been eaten since its introduction into our food supply in 2006.

And what we can't be sure of is whether any of that meat made anyone sick in Maine.

No public official, in Maine or elsewhere, has come forward with a report linking meat from Westland/Hallmark "downed" cattle to an increased risk of E. coli, salmonella, or mad cow disease in those who ate any of the meat or meat products. On the other hand, how can we believe blanket assurances from the USDA saying that this situation is believed to have caused little or no hazard for consumers?

Could what happened in California happen in Maine?

While we count up the question marks and think about what to cook for the kids tonight, the USDA is "continuing its investigation" into the matter.

by: Anne Fennessey
Briggs & Counsel
Rockport, Maine

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison Mynick, RN, Esq.

Bombardier Recreational Products Recalls Snowmobiles Due to Crash Hazard

Jenny Albano — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:44:08 GMT

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc., in conjunction with the CPSC< is recalling about 480 Ski-Doo Model Year 2008 MXZ X 600 RS Snowmobiles because there is a crash hazard.

A defect in the carburetor can prevent the throttle from freely returning to the idle position. This can result in an unexpected loss of control leading to a collision and cause serious injuries or death.

The recalled Ski-Doo snowmobiles have their model name located on the side panels and they come in yellow or black/slate. So far the company has not recieved any reports of injury, but there have been three reports of snowmobiles with stuck throttles. The recalled product was manufactured in Canada.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Shain's of Maine Ice Cream is Recalling Kahlua Brownie and Double Fudge Brownie Ice Cream

Jenny Albano — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:55:17 GMT

Shain's of Maine Ice Cream, in conjunction with the FDA, is recalling all quarts and 3 gallon tubs of Kahlua Brownie Ice Cream and 3 gallon tubs of Double Fudge Brownie Ice Cream because these products may contain egg which is not listed on the label. People who are allergic or have a sensitivity to egg could have severe allergic reactions or could face death if they consume this product.

The Kahlua Brownie and Double Fudge Brownie Ice Cream products were sold in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire and were available in retail stores, for home delivery, or through distributors.

Kahlua Brownie ice cream quarts can be identified by the red, black and white labeled cardboard round quart container. This recall affects all lot codes. Kahlua brownie ice cream and double fudge brownie ice cream 3 gallon tubs can be identified by its 3 gallon round bulk cardboard container with the flavor stamped on the top of the container. This recall affects all lots codes.

So far there have been no illnesses or problems reported to Shain's due to the unlabeled ingredient. The company decided to recall the product when it discovered that these kinds of ice creams contained egg and the ingredient was not listed on the label.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano