Defective Chinese Drywall Hits North Carolina

Amanda Wick — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:28:50 GMT

As many have predicted, the Chinese drywall epidemic has been found in another Southeast state, this time North Carolina. Newsinferno just reported that the Flannigans, a family in Holly Springs, North Carolina, have sued their builder Stafford Custom Homes because their custom-built home contained defective Chinese drywall. The Flannigans reported all the common signs: their home has smelled like sulfur since they bought it in 2004, their furnace coils and other metals have corroded including jewelry and guitar strings that have turned black, and several family members have experienced chronic health problems since moving in.

The Associated Press has reported that this drywall may be in more than 100,000 homes nationwide. This was largely due to the drywall shortage that resulted during the housing boom from 2004 to 2008.

Given that the drywall seems to be exacerbated by the warm, humid climate in the south, we can only expect these cases to pop up more and more as we get closer and closer to the summer.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amanda Wick

Baby Deaths Spark Numerous Bassinet Recalls

Amanda Schlager — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:42:36 GMT

Yesterday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled almost 600,000 Simplicity Drop Side Cribs. This comes after a recent recall of almost 900,000 bassinets produced by major companies in the industry, including Graco and Simplicity, all of which were recalled as part of an ongoing list of dangerous infant beds. The CPSC issued the August 28, 2008 alert because SFCA Inc., the company which purchased all of Simplicity Inc.’s assets at public auction in April 2008, refused to cooperate with the government and recall the products. SFCA maintains that it is not responsible for products previously manufactured by Simplicity Inc.

After the deaths of two babies in Kansas and Missouri, the CPSC recalled the Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 bassinets. Both of these models are constructed with a metal bar that has lead to strangulation deaths when the baby is trapped between the bars.

Despite reports that Graco failed to alert the CPSC of defects in similarly designed bassinets, Graco spokeswoman Stacy Becker says Graco alerted the commission of the dangers on August 28, 2008. However, the company came under fire because of the convenient timing of its “self reporting” – the CPSC alert was released late on August 27, 2008. The next day, upon seeing the alert, Graco officials informed the CPSC that some 200,000 Simplicity bassinets made before 2004, bearing the Graco name, had the same design flaw as the 900,000 recalled.

Simplicity bassinets labeled with the Graco logo were sold between 2001 and 2004. The Simplicity Winnie-the-Pooh themed bassinets were sold between 2002 and 2008.

Consumers are urged to return the recalled items to the place of purchase for a refund or store credit. A list of recalled bassinets can be found on both the Simplicity and Graco websites.

PLEASE NOTE: Given the recent criticisms of the CPSC, it’s vital for parents and consumers today to monitor recalls and be aware of product risks before purchasing. Thousands of items in our everyday life have been recalled or declared hazardous. As evidenced by the appalling lack of action taken by one of the companies listed above, companies that produce these products have no obligation to contact customers beyond reporting to the CPSC. This leaves the burden on consumers. So before going to purchase a product, consider checking the CPSC website for any recalls or product notices. You can search by product type and it includes not only toys and baby products, but also common household goods.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a defective crib, or other product, consider contacting an attorney to preserve your rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amanda Schlager

South Carolina Personal Injury Blog - Product Liability

Defective Chinese Drywall Hits North Carolina

Baby Deaths Spark Numerous Bassinet Recalls