Rhode Island Personal Injury Blog - Defective & Dangerous Products

Spiderman Water Bottles Sold at Sears Recalled Due to Choking Hazard

Jenny Albano — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:16:22 GMT

Fast Forward LLC, in conjunction with the CPSC, is recalling about 6,600 Spiderman Water Bottles due to a choking hazard.

Screws under the bottle's lid can come loose and fall into the cup, posing a choking hazard to children. The firm has received three reports of screws coming loose under the water bottle's lid. No injuries have been reported.

The water bottles have a picture of Spiderman on the drinking bottle and there is a Spiderman figure on top of the kid. The water bottle is red, black, blue and white and is night inches high.

The recalled product was sold at Sears stores across the U.S. from July 2007 to August 2007 and was manufactured in China.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Careful Using Space Heaters During the Winter

Jenny Albano — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:16:11 GMT

Space heaters can pose a significant risk of fire or electrical shocks if they are not used properly and safely. Space heaters are the leading cause of home fires during December, January and February-but such disasters can be prevented with a few simple precautions.

When used improperly, space heaters-gas-fueled, kerosene-fueled or electric, fixed or portable, wood stoves and fireplaces can all lead to fires. Portable kerosene heaters, which are illegal in some states, have the highest rate of fire deaths per household. Room gas heaters pose a similar risk of death from unvented carbon monoxide.

If you are in the market for a space heater this winter you should follow these safety tips from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

â€¢ Make sure and read the instructions and warning labels before using the heater.
â€¢ Place the heater on a level, flat surface, so that it cannot fall or become damaged.
â€¢ Do not use the heater in a damp or wet area unless it is designed for outdoor use or in bathrooms.
â€¢ Keep combustible materials, like furniture, bedding, curtains, at least 3 feet from the heater. Also, do not block the air intake or outlet on a heater.
â€¢ Don't use a heater near any flammable materials such as paint, matches, etc.
â€¢ Make sure the heater is out of the reach of children and pets.
â€¢ Check for a secure plug/outlet fit and if the plug does not fit perfectly into the outlet or if the plug becomes very hot do not use that outlet.
â€¢ Never plug another electrical device into the same outlet or extension cord as your heater because it could result in overheating. Also inspect the electric cord occasionally so there is no safety risk.
â€¢ Never leave an operating heater unattended and make sure to unplug the heater when it is not being used.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

President Bush Vetoes Children's Health Insurance Program

Courtney Mills — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:31:15 GMT

President Bush exerted his veto power for the fourth time of his presidency today, upsetting legislation that would expand a children's healthcare program.

Democrats in Congress appeared undaunted about overriding the President's veto of the legislation, but Democratic senators on the hill are not likely to muster the 2/3 majority required to reverse the veto.

This law would benefit lower income children by ensuring federal healthcare grants to states. Over a period of five years the government would spend an additional $35 billion on the Children's Health Insurance Program, funded by an increase in the tobacco tax to 61 cents per pack. The new bill would also decrease funding availability to states that allow CHIP families at more than three times above the poverty level, or about $60,000 for a four member family.

Democratic groups such as MoveOn.org have organized rallies in the coming weeks to register their complaints with the President over his veto of the legislation. Such groups are insisting that Mr. Bush is entirely indifferent to the health care needs of lower income children.

Republican opposition groups maintain they were left out of key policy negotiations, so that the veto will offer the opportunity to revisit these parts of the bill in session.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Courtney Mills

Shaw's Supermarkets Beef Patties Recall Across New England

Courtney Mills — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 09:27:18 GMT

Fairbanks Farms, a large national retail supplier of ground beef patties and retail packaged meat products, has recalled certain lots of its packaged beef patties due to fear of E. coli contamination.

Fairbanks announced the recall of the beef patties in the New England distribution area on Wednesday. The patties might have been purchased by consumers between 7am and 11am in Shaw's Supermarkets across New England under the store's brand name label.

Most of the tainted meat supply was halted at Fairbanks storage warehouses before shipment to Shaw's Supermarkets, but some product did reach stores. Consumers are advised to throw out any Shaw's Supermarket meat purchased yesterday morning.

According to reports, Shaw's Supermarkets in Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts received shipments of the affected beef patties, and the affected product was coded on the nutrition information label with a time stamp between 17:05 and 17:25.

E . Coli is a very serious gastrointestinal illness and can be fatal in young children, the elderly, and the immunosuppressed.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Courtney Mills

Hip Protectors Don't Stop Fractures in Falls

Jenny Albano — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:44:56 GMT

A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that padded hip protectors worn by the elderly do not prevent fractures if a person falls.

The study monitored 1,000 nursing home residents at an average age of 85. The researchers had the participants wear the protector on one hip and leave the other one free to compare the results. After 20 months, the fracture rate between the protected hip and the unprotected hip was no different.

Hip fractures are especially dangerous for older people, and can lead to serious illness and death. The researchers suggested that as new materials were invented, better protection might be possible.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

FDA Stops Import of Chinese Fish

Jenny Albano — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:10:35 GMT

On Thursday, June 28, the FDA banned the import of five different kinds of fish and shrimp from China. The seafood contained drugs that have been found to cause cancer.

The species include catfish, shrimp, eels, basa -- a kind of catfish -- and the carp-like dace. The FDA is not ordering that the products be pulled out of restaurants or from supermarket shelves but said that all incoming shipments would be stopped immediately. The chemicals found in the food "could cause health problems if consumed over a long period of time," said David Acheson, the FDA's assistant commissioner for food protection.

This ban on imports comes after numerous different products have been recalled from the country over the past couple of months. The Chinese government has recently been trying to enforce safety regulations more strictly in food processing plants.

The chemical found in the banned seafood was called malachite green. The drug is used to cure fungal infections in fish. The FDA states "there is no imminent threat to the public". There have been no recorded illnesses and the chemicals found in the fish were just over detectable levels.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Rat Poison Found in Recalled Pet Food

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 22:26:24 GMT

The nationwide recall of Menu Foods dog and cat food received one answer this week. Rat poison was found in the food and explains why pets that have eaten it are suffering from kidney failure. It is not known how the rat poison got into the food. The recall covers over 90 brands of canned and foil pouch dog and cat food.

Last weekend, Menu Foods recalled 90 brands of dog and cat food it manufactures after scores of animals became sick. The international recall covered about 60 million packages of "cuts and gravy" style pet food that were sold in cans and pouches.
Days before the company announced the recall on March 17, Menu Foods contracted with toxicologists at the state Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University to try to identify what was causing kidney failure in dogs and cats that had eaten the food in a taste study. When Cornell failed to find a cause, it called in the state Food Laboratory, which identified the poison Thursday night.
"As for the disease in cats, it makes sense that this would be responsible for what we have seen," said Dr. Dan Rice, director of the laboratory.

The FDA reports that 15 animals have died so far, but people fear the number could go into the thousands. If you believe that your pet ate the recalled food, you should contact your veterinarian and discuss with them whether or not your animal should be tested.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Huge Nationwide Recall of Dog and Cat Food

Shannon Weidemann — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:47:44 GMT

Menu Foods has issued a recall for over 60 million cans and foil pouches of dog and cat food across the nation. The food has the potential to cause kidney failure and death in some animals.

Menu Foods of Canada on Friday announced the recall of 60 million cans and pouches of gravy-style dog and cat food.
No dry dog or cat food has been implicated.
The recall covers dog food sold throughout North America under 51 brands and cat food sold under 40 brands, including Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba.

The problem may come from the wheat gluten used as an ingredient in the food. Retailers are pulling affected brands off of their shelves and offering refunds to people that bought the food. Signs to watch for in your pet are increased thirst, loss of appetite and vomitting. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice any of those symptoms.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Know Symptoms of Salmonella Poisoning from Peanut Butter

Shannon Weidemann — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 15:05:20 GMT

The recent recall of peanut butter made by ConAgra may have you wondering if you should throw out all peanut butter and what to look for. Specific lots of peanut butter made at the plant may have been contaminated with Salmonella.

It does mean that consumers should check the brand and product code of peanut butter they have on hand and, if it matches the recall, discard the potentially contaminated product.
The potential contaminant, Salmonella Tennessee, can cause foodborne illness, Blakeslee said. Symptoms, which include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, typically appear within 12 to 72 hours after ingestion. The illness usually lasts four to seven days and most people recover without treatment. Those with severe diarrhea, however, may need to be hospitalized.
Salmonella can be particularly dangerous for children, whose immune systems are not yet fully developed, older adults whose immune systems are weakened by age and others who may be suffering from chronic illness or undergoing medical treatment such as chemotherapy that has weakened their immune system.

If you suspect you have salmonella poisoning contact your doctor and preserve the jar of peanut butter for testing.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Contaminated Acetaminophen Recalled

John Foley — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:01:48 GMT

One of the largest manufacturers of store-brand acetaminophen recalled 11-million bottles of the popular pain reliever yesterday after discovering that some bottles were contaminated with metal fragments.

Perrigo Co. was conducting quality control checks when it discovered the metal in approximately 200 of 70 million caplets it ran through a metal detector. Various counts of 500 mg caplets were involved in the recall.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., CVS Corp., Walgreen Co. and Costco Wholesale Corp. are among the companies Perrigo supplies with health care products, according to company Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Perrigo said the pills contained raw material purchased from a third-party supplier and affected 383 batches.

Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in the brand-name Tylenol. However the recall does not include Tylenol products.

The company has not received any reports of injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Foley