Utah Personal Injury Blog - Defective & Dangerous Products

TASER International Issues Long Overdue Warning

Bret Hanna — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:46:51 GMT

It certainly took them long enough but TASER International, manufacturer of the dangerous and sometimes deadly stun guns so popular with police and some private citizens, is now telling police to avoid aiming the 50,000 volt weapons at the chests of suspects to avoid heart issues. The warning is a stunning reversal of course for the company which up until now, has steadfastly denied that the weapons can cause cardiac arrest. The company now admits that there is a small risk of an "adverse cardiac event," but still claims that the weapons do not cause cardiac arrest. According to one report, the warning was issued because the company wants users to "avoid controversy" by having them avoid targeting the chest area.

Interestingly, the warning does not appear on the home page of the company's website. What does appear prominently on the home page? An offer to upgrade to a semi-automatic Taser. Yes, you read that correctly; a semi-automatic Taser. Here is the intro:

The TASER Trade-In Program is a seamless way to trade your existing TASER® X26™ and/or ADVANCED TASER® M26™ technology and apply it toward the purchase of a new TASER® X3™ Semi-Automatic ECD. Act soon as this trade-in offer ends 12/31/2009.

And a description:

The TASER® X3™ is a revolutionary new multi-shot ECD that can engage multiple targets, display Warning Arcs™ while loaded, and deliver a calibrated Neuro Muscular Incapacitation (NMI) pulse that results in improved safety.

I'll let the "results in improved safety" claim slide for now because taking a shot at it is too easy given the injury and death history with TASER International products. So back to the warning. When I first looked at the website, I assumed such an important safety warning would appear on the home page in a prominent place. I was wrong. And then I didn't think it was on the website at all. I was wrong again. I dug a bit and the warning is there - click on "Legal" and then on "Law Enforcement Warnings." Unbelievable. Let's hope the media and other sources of safety information are more effective in getting the word out about this warning.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Two Accidental Shootings Over Weekend

Bret Hanna — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:26:24 GMT

Two accidental shootings over the weekend sent one teenager to the hospital and left one young woman dead. On Saturday, a 15-year-old boy hunting in Daggett County west of Dutch John shot himself in the stomach with his muzzleloader rifle as he stood up. He was airlifted to a local hospital and has been reported to be in serious but stable condition. He is expected to recover.

The second incident is more tragic and a lot more bizarre. It occurred yesterday afternoon in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven in Springville. Earlier, the 19-year-old woman had been in Hobble Creek Canyon camping and shooting rifles and pistols with her 24-year-old husband. As they exited the 7-Eleven, the husband opened the car door for his wife and it appears that a .22 revolver fell out of the vehicle and discharged. The bulled struck the young woman in the abdomen and once she realized that she'd been shot, she fainted. The husband and a friend immediately called 911 but rescue crews were unable to revive her. She was pronounced dead at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

Both of these incidences highlight the fact that those who carry and use guns must be hyper vigilant when it comes to safety. Legislation signed into Utah law earlier this year makes it legal for anyone over the age of 18 to carry a loaded handgun anywhere inside a vehicle; shotguns and rifles are excluded. While that may offer a measure of convenience to those with guns, owners must make sure that all guns are safely secured inside and outside of vehicles. This can include stowing them in secured compartments and/or always using safety devices which will prevent them from firing when dropped, etc.

The two accidents noted here are simply that - accidents. But they serve as sober reminders that although accidents do happen, we need be aware of how to prevent them.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Widow of Man Tasered to Death Has His Baby

Bret Hanna — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:29:30 GMT

I've posted on this tragic case before because it seems so senseless. Brian Cardall died on June 9th, after he was tasered twice by a Hurricane police officer along the side of a highway in southern Utah. His family thinks excessive force was used on Cardall who appeared manic and disoriented at the time of the tasering. The autopsy results are not in yet, but the suspicion is that his sudden death was caused by cardiac arrest.

At the time of his death, Cardall's wife was pregnant with their second child. Bella Aspen Cardall was born on September 26th, and she weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces. Bella joins her mother Anna and 3-year-old sister Ava as they move forward in life without a husband and father. The family has commented on how much Bella resembles her father ,which offers them comfort as the official investigation into Brian's death continues.

Not surprisingly, Peter Stirba, the attorney hired by the Hurricane Police Department immediately after Cardall's death, claims that officers acted appropriately in deploying Tasers on on Cardall. But the facts just don't add up to such a conclusion. Yes, Cardall was behaving erratically when he was tased. His behavior is what led his wife to call 911 to begin with - she was concerned for his safety. But at the time of the tasing, Cardall had removed all of his clothes and was standing along the highway. Who was he going to hurt and how? Was Taser deployment really necessary? There was not a less forceful method to diffuse the situation?

It will be interesting to see the results of the investigation being conducted by the Washington County Critical Incident Task Force, but I think anyone who pays attention to these types of cases can predict them. How many times have you heard or read that after an exhaustive investigation, investigators have cleared officers of all wrong-doing and no charges will be pursued or disciplinary action taken? For the sake of the Cardall family, I hope that is not the case here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

The Onset of Fall Brings Space Heater Danger

Bret Hanna — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:01:33 GMT

As Fall settles in and the temperatures begin to drop, the use of space heaters will increase and so will the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning and fires caused by them. Accordingly, the Consumer Products Safety Commission encourages consumers to be careful when it comes to space heaters:

Choose a space heater that has been tested to the latest safety standards and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters will have the most up-to-date safety features, while older space heaters may not meet the newer safety standards. CPSC worked to upgrade industry standards for electric, kerosene, and vented and unvented gas space heaters. An automatic cut-off device is now required to turn off electric or kerosene heaters if they tip over. More guarding around the heating coils of electric heaters and the burner of kerosene heaters also is required to prevent fires. CPSC worked to upgrade the industry standard for unvented gas heaters to provide an oxygen depletion sensor to shut off the heater if the oxygen level drops too low. CPSC and industry amended the vented heater standard to provide a spill switch to turn off the heater if the vent is blocked or disconnected.

Select a space heater with a guard around the flame area or heating element. Place the heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture, or other flammable materials.

Keep doors open to the rest of the house if you are using an unvented fuel-burning space heater. This helps prevent pollutant build-up and promotes proper combustion. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to provide sufficient combustion air to prevent CO production.

Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep. Never place a space heater close to any sleeping person.

Turn the space heater off if you leave the area. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

Have a smoke alarm with fresh batteries on each level of the house and inside every bedroom. In addition, have a carbon monoxide alarm outside the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area.

Be aware that mobile homes require specially designed heating equipment.

Have gas and kerosene space heaters inspected annually.

In these hard economic times, it is tempting to find ways to supplement or replace more expensive heating methods with relatively inexpensive space heater options. Don't be discouraged from doing so, just be careful and up to date on how to use them safely.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Finally a Positive Taser Case?

Bret Hanna — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:46:14 GMT

A bull escaped from its owner in South Jordan yesterday and, among other things, ran over an 80-year-old man. People attempted to subdue the raucous animal but were unsuccessful so police tased it. It was also shot it with a tranquilizer so that the owner could get it into a trailer. The injured man was taken to an area hospital to be checked out but his injuries were minor.

The bull did not fare so well - it died after being subdued. The question now is why did it die? Was it because of the tasering (it is unclear how many Tasers were used), the tranquilizer, a combination of the two, or something else entirely? If it was the Tasers or the Tasers were a significant contributing factor, we had all better be careful around Taser wielding police - if Tasers can kill a bull, that certainly bolsters the mounting evidence that their use on humans is dangerous and often deadly.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

"New" Chrysler Announces it Will Accept More Liability Claims

Bret Hanna — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:08:10 GMT

According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, Chrysler Group LLC announced yesterday that it will now accept liability claims for faulty and defective products manufactured before the company exited bankruptcy on June 10th. What led to this change of heart? Chrysler Group senior vice president of external affairs and public policy, John Bozella, said that the company now has a better understanding of its economic viability and these claims won't sink the company.

But there is still a hitch. If you have a claim arising from an accident which occurred before the company's bankruptcy, your personal injury or wrongful death claim or suit will still be against the assets of the "old" Chrysler which remain in bankruptcy.

This is great news for some, but the status quo remains for those caught in the "donut hole" of being a victim of Chrysler's negligence at the wrong time. There has to be a way to provide those people and families with adequate redress for such corporate errors.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Burley Recalls 2,700 Bicycle Trailers

Bret Hanna — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:26:52 GMT

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that Burley Design LLC of Eugene, Oregon has voluntarily recalled approximately 2,700 of its trailers that attach to bicycles. The recall applies to all 2009 d'Lite ST and Solo ST trailers. The full CPSC recall notice can be found here and the full notice from Burley can be found here - it includes a consumer handout on the recall, answers to frequently asked questions and an instruction sheet if you want to fix your trailer yourself.

The trailers are being recalled because a defect in the axle system can cause one of the wheels to fall off, resulting in serious injury to the bicyclist and passengers in the trailer. Accordingly, consumers with trailers subject to the recall are being asked to stop using them immediately and to not use them until they are properly repaired.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Local Skin Care Products Company Raided by U.S. Marshals

Bret Hanna — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:22:59 GMT

According to a report today in the Salt Lake Tribune, Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory in Roy was raided last Friday by U.S. Marshals. The raid comes on the heels of an FDA inspection which revealed that the company's production process were not in conformity with FDA's Current Good Practice Manufacturing regulations.

Clarcon makes skin care products marketed as antimicrobial agents designed to treat open wounds, areas of damaged skin and ward of certain infectious diseases. But the inspection indicates that the products themselves contained bacteria causing contaminants which can cause infections and, potentially, permanent damage. The company issued a voluntary recall in June but then apparently did not destroy the contaminated products and raw ingredients which led to the raid in which an estimated 2.7 million worth of goods was seized.

The text of the FDA warning is:

Consumers Warned Not to Use Clarcon Skin Products

Risk of bacterial contamination has led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to warn consumers to not use any products made by Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc.

The Roy, Utah, firm voluntarily recalled some skin sanitizers and skin protectants sold under a variety of brand names after a recent FDA inspection found that the products contained high levels of disease-causing bacteria.

What products are consumers being warned not to use?

Consumers should not use any Clarcon products. Examples of these products include

• Citrushield Lotion

• Dermasentials DermaBarrier

• Dermassentials by Clarcon Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer

• Iron Fist Barrier Hand Treatment

• Skin Shield Restaurant

• Skin Shield Industrial

• Skin Shield Beauty Salon Lotion

• Total Skin Care Beauty

• Total Skin Care Work

What should consumers do with these products if the have them?

Stop using them immediately and throw them away in household refuse.

What specific concerns does FDA have about these products?

Analyses of several samples of over-the-counter topical antimicrobial skin sanitizer and hand protectant products revealed high levels of various bacteria, including some associated with unsanitary conditions.

Some of these bacteria can cause opportunistic infections of the skin and underlying tissues. Such infections may need medical or surgical attention, and may result in permanent damage.

FDA finds the inspection results particularly concerning because the products are promoted as antimicrobial agents that claim to treat open wounds, damaged skin, and protect against various infectious diseases.

The inspection uncovered serious deviations from FDA’s requirements.

How can consumers report adverse events resulting from these products?

Health care professionals and consumers may report serious adverse events (side effects) or product quality problems with the use of this product to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.

Date Posted: June 8, 2009

The future of the company is unclear at this time; the company is not commenting on the situation and did not answer calls yesterday. And today I received an error message when I tried to visit the Carcon labs website (www.clarconlabs.net).

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna

Tobacco, Chimney Sweeping, and Tanning Beds

Mark Williams — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:12:25 GMT

What do these things have in common, you ask? Cancer. Scientists now have determined unequivocally that the ubiquitous tanning parlors pose a very real danger, particularly to the tanning public of under the age of 30. In an AP article found in the Salt Lake Tribune, the risk of ultraviolet light used in tanning beds as been upgraded from "probable carcinogens" to a definite cancer causing activity. A recent international journal, Lancet Oncology, completed an analysis of about 20 studies , and concluded the risk of skin cancer increases by 75 percent when people begin visiting tanning beds before age 30.

Tanning beds emit mainly ultraviolet radiation, which causes skin and eye cancer. With the increased popularity of tanning parlors with people under 30, doctors have noticed a rise in the numbers of young people with skin cancer, though most types of skin cancer are benign. Even more concerning, however, there has been a 20 percent increase in deadly melanoma cancer during this time.

The advice these reasearchers give to the tanning public: Try bronzing creams or spray on "fake bake" applications. If you really must look bronze, don't risk skin cancer. Parents should make sure there teens are aware of these risks before they follow this deadly trend.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mark Williams

Kidde Announces Smoke Detector Recall

Bret Hanna — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:28:43 GMT

Kidde, along with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has voluntarily recalled certain P12000 model smoke detectors manufactured between August 2008 and May 2009. It is believed that an installation problem may render them ineffective in detecting smoke. A complete copy of the news release which includes information on how to identify the detectors subject to the recall can be found on the Kidde website.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Bret Hanna