Florida Accident Attorney Blog

A trip to a Florida hair and nail salon is supposed to be an enjoyable experience. Consumers expect to emerge from a Fla. beauty shop looking better than when they went in. However, as experienced Miami, Florida product liability lawyers know from their work with clients, things can sometimes go horribly wrong.

For example, last fall, a woman from Southwest Ranches, Fla. filed an injury lawsuit against a Florida beauty salon after she claimed a hair dye procedure left her with a burnt bald spot on her head. According to news reports, the woman has a permanent bald patch on her head due to her injury sustained at the beauty shop. (Source: Salon sued after woman burned during procedure, WSVN-TV, Oct. 7, 2011)

While consumers may not always be aware of these kinds of incidents at hair, nail, and beauty salons, a Miami, Florida personal injury attorney knows of the potential dangers of the chemicals used in hair dye, highlights, perms, and straightening treatments. Body waxing and eyebrow waxing, as well as hand and foot soaks used in manicure and pedicure shops, can also pose risk for infection and other health and safety hazards.

Now the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is targeting Florida beauty salons for reportedly using the chemical formaldehyde in hair treatments, putting hair stylists and other employees, as well as consumers, at risk. They have also cited Florida hair care products manufacturers and distributors for the same issue. According to an OSHA news release,

OSHA also has issued citations to two Florida manufacturers and two Florida-based distributors of hair products containing formaldehyde for failing to protect their own workers from possible formaldehyde exposure as well as to communicate the hazards of formaldehyde exposure to salons, stylists and consumers.

Florida is among several states targeted by OSHA for using formaldehyde in hair straightening and hair smoothing products. According to a warning issued by OSHA earlier last year, formaldehyde can cause serious health risks if breathed in or if the chemical comes in contact with the eyes. OSHA believes this chemical poses both a work related hazard to stylists and other hair salon employees, as well as to the customers. The OSHA investigation reportedly stemmed from complaints by employees who had concerns over exposure to the chemicals.

Miami, Fla. product liability attorneys follow industry developments such as these, where manufacturers, distributors, and service providers may be held liable in cases where people are injured due to toxic products and/or negligence.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also involved in this investigation over Florida hair care products. The FDA issued a warning letter to the importer and distributor of Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution -- citing mislabeling of products as "formaldehyde free" and danger of formaldehyde being released during use of the products.

Florida Accident Attorney resource:

Hair and Beauty Salon Accidents Including Eyebrow and Bikini Waxing Injuries

Sources:

US Department of Labor continues to cite beauty salons and manufacturers for formaldehyde exposure from hair smoothing products
OSHA News Release Dec. 8, 2011

Hair Smoothing Products That Could Release Formaldehyde
OSHA Hazard Alert Update Sept. 22, 2011

If the unthinkable -- a serious traffic accident -- occurs in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, or elsewhere here in South Florida, drivers want to count on their autos' safety equipment to perform as the manufacturer intended. A current automotive safety recall affects just such a piece of safety equipment. It's one Florida drivers normally forget is there -- until a motor vehicle crash occurs and it deploys. We are talking about air bags. And an ongoing problem with Honda airbags has a Florida connection.

Media reports state that Honda is recalling more than 300K vehicles around the world due to a concern that the air bag could malfunction and cause injury during an auto accident. (Automotive equipment recalls are related to product liability issues.)

According to news reports, the current Honda air bag recall is an expansion of safety recalls of previous years -- over concern that the wrong chemicals were used to make the air bags inflate. This problem could cause airbags to inflate with too much pressure during deployment in an auto crash, causing the inflator to rupture. Drivers and passengers may be at risk of being struck and injured by flying plastic and metal debris (what USA Today calls "shrapnel") traveling through the ruptured airbag, if the faulty airbags deployed during serious car accidents.

Florida Connection to Honda AirBag Safety Recall

USA Today reported that, "The latest injury happened in Florida on Aug. 1, and that prompted Honda -- which thought the four previous recalls had covered all suspect vehicles -- to announce the latest expansion." A Detroit automotive news source added that the Florida Honda airbag accident with injury occurred in a vehicle that had not been recalled, prompting Honda to look at the recall again. The initial Honda air bag recall reportedly took place in Nov. 2008. The combined recalls related to the air bag problem now amount to some 2.8 million vehicles worldwide -- 2.5 million of them in the U.S.

A Fort Lauderdale auto product liability attorney has knowledge pertaining to automotive manufacturer liability and Florida consumers' rights. When a traffic accident with injury or death occurs in Broward County, Fla., an experienced defective product lawyer can work with families to help determine if they may have a case or claim -- when they think their vehicle or auto equipment malfunction may have played a part in the serious traffic accident.

Honda reportedly disclosed that about 20 traffic accidents related to the air bag recall have occurred, including two auto accidents with deaths in the United States. The current vehicles affected are Honda from model years 2001 and 2002: Accord, Civic, Odyssey, Pilot, CR-V and other models. See links below to official Honda website resources for vehicle owners.

Sources:

Honda Recalls 304,000 Vehicles Worldwide For Air-Bag Problem
Huff Post Business Dec. 2, 2011

Honda expands 'shrapnel' air bag recall -- again
USA Today Dec. 2, 2011

Safety group wants Honda fined over recall
The Detroit News Dec. 5, 2011

Related Web Resources:

Honda Automobile Recall Information (look up your VIN here)

Statement by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Regarding Driver’s Airbag Inflator Recall Expansion (PDF)
Honda Recall Press Release Dec. 1, 2011

With Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday past us -- and the December holidays coming up fast -- Florida parents will be scrambling to get all their holiday gifts purchased and wrapped for their children. Every holiday season brings product liability related warnings about toys that could pose potential safety and health hazards to children. Consumer advocacy groups have come out with their annual lists of potentially dangerous toys to avoid.

As Broward County, Florida child birth injury attorneys -- and parents ourselves -- we know how precious these little ones are to their families. Here's a brief rundown of a few toys and related hazards that made consumer watch lists, due to their potential danger to children's safety.

The U.S. Public Interest Group (USPIRG) published its annual Trouble in Toyland report (see links below). The product liability problem areas the group discovered in toys on store shelves included toys and products that…

• contain toxins (which can be found in some plastics) that may be hazardous to children's health


• emit loud sounds that may be harmful to growing children's sensitive ears


• have small and/or removable parts (such as magnets and "button" batteries) that pose potential choking hazards

The PIRG reports that for 2010, more than 250,000 kids required emergency room treatment for toy-related injuries, many of which the group says could have been avoided. Choking is the number-one cause of toy related accidental child death, the group reports. Strangulation is also a serious and life-threatening hazard (e.g., by toys that have cords or lines including baby mobiles, as well as clothing with drawstrings). The group offers toy research and buying tips for parents, including a mobile phone app that they may use to get info while shopping. (See links below.)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Administration (CPSA) offers information on product warnings and recalls across a range of child safety related categories, including toys, car seats, cribs, helmets, as well as swimming pools and clothing. (See link below).

In addition, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that Boston-based World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH) issued its own list of potentially dangerous toys. Items that made that list include a Godzilla figure with dagger-like attachments and a Power Rangers toy Samurai sword, as well as a fold-up trampoline, a toy bow and arrow set, and a pull-toy duck with a long cord.

The Sun Sentinel reported that a toy manufacturers association spokesperson stated that toys are saver than ever before. If your child is injured while using a toy, it's best to consult an experienced Fort Lauderdale, Florida child accident injury lawyer to help determine possible liability and whether you may have a case or claim. See the links below to lists of possibly dangerous toys and well as resources for how to research and make wise toy purchases.

Sources:

Survey Finds Toxic or Dangerous Toys on Store Shelves
US PIRG Press Release Nov. 22

26th Annual Trouble in Toyland Report

USPIRG Toy Safety 2011 mobile app

U.S. consumer group flags 10 most dangerous toys
South Florida Sun Sentinel Nov. 17, 2011

2011 "10 Worst Toys" List
WATCH World Against Toys Causing Harm

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission home page

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation, released its automotive equipment, tires, and vehicle safety recall list for Sept. 2011 on the Safercar.gov website.

There were no recalls for defective tires for the month of September. However a number of makes and models of cars, trucks, and SUVs, as well as commercial trucks and equipment, made the list. Are any of these vehicles parked in your South Florida driveway? Sept. automotive safety recalls include certain models of…

> Volkswagen Jetta sedans 2011 - 2012 for stainless steel exhaust tips which extend outwards too far, posing a burning risk if someone were to come in contact with them.

> Honda 2006 CR-V passenger cars for a problem with the driver's side power window switch, which could cause the window's up and down motion to fail; NHTSA also lists a melting hazard, which could cause smoking and/or burning.

> Honda 2011 CR-Z for a problem with the engine control unit (ECU) software, which may cause the hybrid system's electrical motor to move the vehicle unexpectedly in the opposite direction, which could lead to a car crash and personal injury to pedestrians or others in the path of the vehicle.

> Volvo Trucks VNL and VNM 2011-2012 for a problem with the fifth wheel lock, which could compromise the trailer security, posing risk for the trailer coming loose and resulting in a truck accident.

> Subaru Impreza years 2002 - 2007 and Subaru Forester years 2003 - 2008 over concern that front lower control arms may break at the hanger brackets due to corrosion if the hanger bracket is exposed to salty and humid environments such as roads containing snow melting agent. (While snow is obviously not a concern in Florida, Subaru owners who purchased vehicles in Northeastern and Midwestern snow belt states may be affected.)

Experienced Fort Myers, Florida tire and auto defect attorneys stay current on consumer safety recalls such as these. Vehicle safety recalls may be initiated by the auto manufacturer themselves or ordered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which tracks safety recalls. Manufacturers are obligated to attempt to notify consumers when motor vehicle recalls including their vehicles or equipment take place. Personal injury lawyers in Fla. who handle car accident cases are familiar with laws related to consumer protection and product liability -- including automotive product safety and vehicle recalls.

When you get behind the wheel of your car, minivan, SUV, or pickup truck in Florida, you expect it to operate safely. Motor vehicle safety recalls are intended to notify consumers when a safety hazard may exist in their vehicle -- so the manufacturer can offer a repair before a defect causes an auto accident to happen.

The cars and trucks listed above represent just a portion of the vehicles listed by NHTSA under Safety Recalls for last month. You can download a PDF of the full list of auto equipment and vehicle recalls for Sept. 2011 and subscribe to email alerts for your vehicle via the NHTSA site. See links below.

Related Florida Accident Attorney Article:

Florida Tire Safety : NHTSA Releases Consumer Guide to Uniform Tire Quality Grading (Sept. 19, 2011)

Source:

NHTSA, Office of Defects Investigation, Safercar.gov:
Monthly Recall Report : Sept. 2011 (PDF)

Related Web Resource:

NHTSA : Safety Recalls (portal)
Search product safety recalls (including equipment, vehicles, child car seats, and tires) and/or subscribe via email or RSS

If you live in South Florida and own a small step stool that you purchased at a Target store, better check the brand. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced that retail giant Target is recalling wooden step stools that could break or collapse under the user's weight -- putting users at risk of injury from falls.

Consumer Reports reported that Target is recalling more than 200,000 wooden step stools after consumers complained of falling accidents when the products malfunctioned and collapsed. The wooden step stools came in red and honey colors, featured a storage compartment, and were sold under the brands Circo and Do Your Room (DYR) at Target between 2007 and 2010.

According to Consumer Reports, Target has received 26 reports of the stools breaking or collapsing: 14 incidents involved children, 7 involved adults, and in 5 of the cases, the age of the fall accident victims was unknown. These product-related falling accidents resulted in people receiving bruises, scrapes, and broken bones, including a woman who fractured her hip and pelvis. Target has promised a refund to anyone who purchased one of the affected foot stools. (See article link below for list of product numbers and how to contact Target with questions.)

A Fort Lauderdale, Florida Product Liability lawyer stays current on product safety recalls that may affect consumers in South Florida. Fla. personal injury attorneys who work in the area of product and premises liability and slip, trip and fall accidents may provide legal representation to families where someone has been injured or killed in a fall.

Slip and fall accidents -- including falls off step stools and ladders -- can cause serious, life-changing injuries, including broken bones and head, neck, and back injuries. Senior citizens are particularly at risk for injuring themselves in a fall, as their bones are often frail and thin. Bone breaks in seniors can be devastating, even deadly (risk of falls in Florida nursing homes is always a concern for our Fla. senior citizens). A fall even from the relatively low height of a step stool is enough to cause broken bones and other injuries, as is the case in the consumer reports of product-related injury to Target.

Consumer product recalls are, unfortunately, not uncommon. A visit to the Target website reveals a section devoted to consumer product recalls in multiple categories -- including children's clothing, baby formula, pet food, electronics, defective pharmaceutical products, and toys (see link below).

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website maintains an extensive, searchable database of consumer product safety recalls in multiple categories. You may also sign up for email alerts regarding consumer product safety recalls -- and you may report a product that you believe is unsafe in your home for your family to use. The CPSC reports on a myriad of consumer issues, such as swimming pool safety and drowning risk, problems with drywall (a documented and serious problem with toxic building materials in South Florida -- see article link below), and defective cribs and other children's products.

Related Florida Accident Attorney Articles:

Slip, Trip or Fall Accidents in Florida : Not All Cases Are the Same

Florida Safety Group Issues List of Dangerous Holiday Toys for 2010 : Product Liability Issues and Hazards to Children Cited

Florida Homeowners Defective Drywall Nightmare Continues; U.S. Manufacturers Named in Lawsuits

Sources:

Target recalls step stools for fall hazard
Consumer Reports Aug. 4, 2011

Target Recalls Step Stools with Storage Due to Fall Hazard
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Press Release Aug. 4, 2011

Related Web Resources:

Target Product Safety & Recalls

US Consumer Product Safety Commission homepage

If you live in Florida and drive a Ford F-150 pickup truck, be aware that a recent safety recall regarding the vehicle air bags has been expanded.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and news reports, the safety recall has been expanded to some 1.2 million vehicles. NHTSA reports that wiring problems can cause a short circuit, which in turn may cause the pickup truck's air bags to deploy without the Ford F-150 being in a traffic accident. The recall affects Ford F-150 trucks from model years 2004 to 2006, as well as the 2006 Lincoln Mark LT.

Fort Lauderdale truck accident injury lawyers follow automotive safety recalls such as this one -- where defective products can lead to serious accidents, injury, or death. Injuries reported from inadvertent airbag deployment in the Ford F-150 pickup truck include abrasions and cuts to the arms, hands, face and upper body; broken teeth; and loss of consciousness.

The Ford F-150 is one of the most popular pickup trucks in the U.S. -- a favorite driven by contractors and construction workers, outdoors enthusiasts, and other Florida residents who enjoy the experience of driving and hauling gear in a pickup truck. Info from NHTSA on the Ford F-150 recall is listed under NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID number 11V107000 (see link to government website below). The recall is expected to begin in early May 2011.

South Florida residents who think they may have been hurt due to defective automotive products should contact an experienced Ft Lauderdale accident injury attorney.

Ford F-150 Recall expands to 1.2 million
Fox 4 Florida April 14, 2011

SaferCar.gov (NHTSA recall database)
Search for automotive product safety recalls or look up your vehicle by make, model, and year

Ford Motor Company: Recall information

Related Florida Accident Attorney Articles:

Florida Cadillac Driver Recall Alert : GM Recalls Luxury Cars for Heating / Cooling and Rear Suspension Problems

Florida Toyota Drivers : Investigation on 2010 Recalls Says Brake and Gas Pedal Malfunctions Were Mechanical in Nature

South Florida Tire Safety Warning: Most Drivers Don't Check Tire Pressure Often Enough

If you're one of Florida's professionals, retirees, or other big car lovers who enjoys cruising the Sunshine State in your luxury Cadillac -- be aware that General Motors has two recent automotive recalls that might affect your vehicle.

According to Edmunds Inside Line, the 2011 Cadillac SRX as well as the Buick LaCrosse are being recalled due to problems with the heating, cooling, and ventilation system. While this might not sound like a serious auto product safety recall at first read -- NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) recommends owners of the affected Cadillac model contact the manufacturer for repair, as lack of proper environmental control can lead to defrosting issues and poor visibility. Poor visibility could in turn lead to possible Florida traffic accidents including vehicle related pedestrian accidents.

As most any West Palm Beach auto accident injury attorney will attest, driving on South Florida's busy streets, beach roads, and congested highways is challenging enough without having trouble seeing out the windshield.

A second Cadillac recall occurred last month as 2009 and 2010 Cadillac CTS cars were recalled for a problem with the rear suspension. The problem -- which reportedly stems from a loose nut that affects the rear wheel -- could result in loss of vehicle control and lead to a car accident. Late last year, GM recalled Cadillac vehicles for seat sensor and seat belt problems.

Any automotive safety or product liability recall should be taken seriously by consumers and acted upon as soon as possible. Auto manufacturers typically fix recall problems free of charge. Florida Cadillac owners should contact their dealer for more information on these auto recalls. See link to official Cadillac website, below.

Related Florida Accident Attorney article:

GM Issues Safety Recalls for Seat Sensor and Seat Belt Defects (Dec. 27, 2010)

Sources:

Edmunds Inside Line:

2011 Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac SRX Recalled (March 9, 2011)

2009-'10 Cadillac CTS Recalled for Rear Suspension Problem (Feb. 16, 2011)

Related Web Resource:

Cadillac Help Center

If you drive a Toyota in Florida that was on last year's exhaustive recall list, you'll be interested in this news story. Toyota recalled millions of vehicles worldwide in 2010 after reports of several fatal car accidents occurring when drivers were unable to stop their vehicles from accelerating. Driver reports varied from problems with "sticky gas pedals" to ill-fitting floormats, to brakes that failed to slow the vehicles to a stop, to suspected electrical problems.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) worked with NASA engineers to investigate the causes of these "runaway Toyota" vehicle accidents. Now the report is in.

According to the DOT, the Toyota car crashes resulting from "unintended acceleration" were caused by mechanical problems -- not electrical failure. The causes, the report states, were problems with sticking gas pedals that were slow to respond when drivers tried to decelerate; improperly fitting floor mats that ensnared the gas pedals, preventing proper function of the gas and brake pedals; and possible driver error.

Families may consult with a Miami, Florida auto product liability attorney if a car accident with injury or death occurs and auto manufacturer liability is in question. The government is now considering proposing rules for a number of automotive industry-wide safety design modifications, such as brake override systems and better designed and placed pedals to "reduce pedal misapplication." A link to the DOT press release on the Toyota recall investigation findings appears below.

Press Release on Results of Toyota Recall Investigation Findings
US DOT Feb. 8, 2011

NHTSA, NASA Find No Fault in Toyota Electronics
Miami Herald Feb. 8, 2011

Related Florida Accident Attorney Blog Articles:

Florida Toyota Driver Alert: Toyota Recalls Millions of Vehicles; Sales & Production Halted Over Gas Pedal Problem Jan. 28, 2010

Florida Driving Alert: Toyota Lexus Issues Safety Advisory After Fatal Car Accident Involving Floor Mats Dec. 2, 2009

If you're among the many Palm Beach County and other South Florida residents who proudly drives a Cadillac -- be aware that General Motors will issue two safety recalls.

According to Florida news sources, GM has recalled Cadillacs from models years 2005 through 2007 due to a problem with the front seat sensor related to air bag performance. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) reports that the front passenger seat sensor -- which detects the weight of a person sitting in the front seat -- could break, preventing air bag deployment during a traffic accident. The seat sensor mats on the affected Cadillac vehicles must be replaced to restore safe performance of the air bags. Close to 100,000 cars are being recalled in the United States.

West Palm Beach accident injury attorneys may assist South Florida families who suffer injury or death due to a motor vehicle crash. An experienced Palm Beach County injury lawyer has knowledge regarding consumer safety laws and regulations that apply to automotive safety recalls and defective auto products (including tire defects or risks related to aging tires).

A separate GM Cadillac recall covered by the Miami, Florida, news media involves a problem with seat belt latches on more than 97,000 crossover vehicles, model year 2011. Consult your Florida Cadillac dealer for more information about repairs related to these GM auto safety recall notices.

Sensor mat issue prompts GM Cadillac recall
Reuters via WFIT 89.5 FM at Florida Tech Dec. 23, 2010

Recall Alert: 2011 Cadillac SRX, Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain
Cars.com via Miami Herald Dec. 20, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Cadillac.com

MotorTrend.com: Cadillac Safety Recall Notices

The Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) has issued its annual list of dangerous toys for the 2010 holiday shopping season. Toys that could pose choking, laceration, and other product liability / safety hazards include a Dora the Explorer backpack, a Fisher-Price construction set, and a pair of plastic handcuffs. Other toys that made the Florida PIRG list include a baby doll, a book, and a toy train. (See links below for report and full list.)

No parent would knowingly buy a toy that could be dangerous to their children. However, as Miami, Florida product liability lawyers know -- toys and children's products make their way onto the market posing numerous safety hazards -- not only during the holidays but all year 'round. Common problems include small pieces that children could swallow, sharp edges that kids could get cut on, and cords that could pose strangulation hazards. Toxic industrial chemicals used in toy production also pose health risks.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission keeps an up-to-date website of current product warnings and recalls in the U.S. -- for dangerous toys as well as other product safety hazards related to defective tires and defective drug recalls. South Florida injury attorneys keep up to date on product recalls as they relate to product liability issues, when children and adults get hurt or killed due to defective products.

How You Can Avoid and Report Dangerous Holiday Toys
News13.com Nov. 24, 2010

Trouble in Toyland press release

Trouble in Toyland homepage
(links to report and toy shopping tips)

Related Web Resources

Florida Public Interest Research Group

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

South Florida drivers who own an older model Jeep Grand Cherokee should be aware of a safety investigation regarding the fuel tank.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation of approx. 3 million older Jeep Grand Cherokees, over concern that the fuel tanks may catch fire when the SUV is involved in a motor vehicle crash.

While an official safety recall has not been issued as of date, the safety investigation is looking at Jeep Grand Cherokees with model years 1993 to 2004. The reason: Center for Auto Safety records show that from 1992 to 2008, Jeep Grand Cherokees have been involved in 172 fatal traffic accidents with 254 deaths -- all involving fire. It remains unclear whether the fuel tanks are at fault in these fatal car accidents.

Fort Myers, Florida auto product liability lawyers keep track of car and SUV recalls and related automotive product recalls and investigations -- including tire recalls. All can affect the safety and well being of drivers on South Florida roads and highways.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Fuel Tanks Spark a Safety Probe
DailyFinance.com Aug. 24, 2010

Older Grand Cherokees In Federal Probe Over Fuel Fires
Wall Street Journal blog Aug. 25, 2010

Petition to Investigate and Recall Jeep Grand Cherokee (PDF)
Center for Auto Safety, Oct. 2009

Citing quality control issues in the manufacturing process, the Federal government has ordered a recall of Children's Tylenol and Infants' Tylenol products. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration reports that the popular brand of children's liquid cold medicines may have been manufactured with raw ingredients contaminated with bacteria, which could be harmful if ingested.

As Fort Lauderdale, Florida product liability lawyers are well aware, whenever a medication is recalled and/or labelled as a dangerous or defective drug, patients and families get justifiably concerned. When it's a children's medication, that level of anxiety among parents increases.

Thus far there have been no cases of people becoming ill from the contaminated drugs, however federal authorities continue to investigate the case, which involves product liability, manufacturing quality, and drug safety issues. The recall affects a total of 43 popular Johnson & Johnson products, including Tylenol, Motrin, Benedryl, and Zyrtec (see links to full lists below).

This is not the first time this year the makers of Tylenol have been in the news for product recalls. On January 19, 2010, Florida drug recall attorney Jason Chalik posted a blog item about Tylenol product recalls that were ordered after consumers complained of a musty smell coming from their medications. See Florida Consumer Safety Alert: Tylenol Product Recall Expanded to Rolaids, Benadryl and Other Popular OTC Drugs.

FDA report cites deficiencies at McNeil plant
CNNHealth.com May 5, 2010

Children's Tylenol Recall: FDA Report Rips Quality Control at Plant
ABCNews.com May 5, 2010

Related Web Resources

Tylenol Press Release, April 30, 2010

McNeil Product Recall Information

MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program

As if faulty hybrid brakes, sticky gas pedals, and millions of dollars in government fines weren't enough, Toyota can add a defective spare tire cable product recall to its growing list of consumer issues.

News reports state that 600,000 Toyota Sienna minivans manufactured from 1997 to 2010 are part of a new recall, due to risk of the spare tire carrier cable becoming corroded and breaking, and the spare tire falling out onto the road. While the concern is centered around vehicles originally sold in cold weather states where road salt is used, Florida motorists who drive a pre-owned Sienna should contact Toyota for instructions, or they can call the NHTSA Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Defective tire accidents can cause serious injury and death to motorists -- not just for the drivers of the affected vehicles, but for other motorists who share Florida's highways and roads with them.

As experienced Florida tire defect attorneys, we are keenly aware that the safety of spare tires can easily be overlooked -- sometimes with disastrous results. Spare tires are stashed away out of sight, in car trunks, on the backs of SUVs, and underneath minivans, where drivers don't think about them until they get a flat. In Florida, the extreme heat can cause spare tires to deteriorate from the inside, and a seemingly new or unused spare tire can actually be unsafe to use. (Read more on Florida driving and tire date coding, an important driving safety issue that most consumers are unaware of.)

Toyota recently agreed to pay $16.4 million in fines, the largest government penalty ever against an automaker, for not revealing information re: the sticking gas pedal recall. Defective accelerators that consumers have reported caused their Toyotas to "run away" uncontrollably at horrifically high speeds have been blamed in fatal car accidents around the country.

In addition, Toyota has recalled and stopped manufacturing the Lexus GX 460 and the Land Cruiser Prado after Consumer Reports branded the luxury SUV with its dreaded "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" bullet, citing read-end stability issues on turns that could increase risk for roll-over SUV accidents.

Toyota Recalls 600,000 Sienna Minivans
The Auto Channel April 20, 2010

Toyota Sienna recall spare tire cable corrosion
Examiner.com April 17, 2010

Lexus to Recall S.U.V. in Another Black Mark to Reputation
The New York Times April 21, 2010

Don't Buy: Safety Risk--2010 Lexus GX 460
ConsumerReports.org April 13, 2010

South Florida's pain management clinics have come under increased scrutiny in connection with the illegal pill trade and trafficking of Oxycontin and other powerful prescription drugs.

The office of State Attorney Michael McAuliffe of Palm Beach County, Florida, is hosting a summit in West Palm Beach to look at the growing problem of pain clinics, drug trafficking, and prescription drug abuse. The Prescription Drug Abuse and Pain Clinic Summit, held in late Feb., will bring together medical officials, law enforcement personnel, and policymakers to examine the problem.

Last year, several pain management clinics in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach County and Broward County, Florida, came under investigation for illegally selling prescription drugs. (See Florida Elder Care Alert: Fort Lauderdale, Broward & Palm Beach County Pain Clinics Scrutinized.) SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) reports that drug abuse among senior citizens is on the rise, as the Baby Boom generation ages.

Florida medication error lawyers have knowledge pertaining to product liability, prescription drugs, and medical malpractice as they all impact the care of our senior citizens.

Overdose of powerful prescription pain drugs such as opioids can lead to wrongful death. Experts at the Feb. 2010 Summit, which will be held Clayton Hutcheson Agricultural Center in West Palm Beach, will discuss legislation for greater self-regulation in the Florida medical industry.

West Palm Beach summit takes look at prescription drug abuse, pain clinics
Sun-Sentinel.com Feb. 22, 2010

Drug Use Rising Among Seniors; Baby Boomers Continue Using, SAMHSA Says
Jan. 11, 2010

Related Web Resources

Florida State Attorney Michael F. McAuliffe, Palm Beach County, Florida

American Academy of Pain Medicine

Concerns about the quality and safety of Toyota vehicles continue to mount, as the car manufacturer issues yet another safety recall -- this time for the four-wheel drive 2010 Tacoma pickup truck.

There is concern that the front drive shaft in some 2010 Tacoma trucks could be cracked -- an equipment manufacturing defect that could lead to malfunction and loss of vehicle control, which in turn could cause serious car and truck accidents.

The Tacoma recall is just the latest in a series of public safety and public relations problems for Toyota, which has been in the headlines since late last year when news of fatal car accidents blamed on faulty gas pedals came to light. An additional braking problem with hybrids such as the Prius prompted an additional recall -- while Toyota had shut down manufacturing and tried to come up with fixes for millions of vehicles.

Florida truck accident attorneys with experience handling product liability and defective auto parts cases monitor safety recalls such as this one closely. The Toyota Tacoma recall is a voluntary recall for owners to bring their trucks to a dealer for the drive shaft to be inspected and repaired, if needed. The Toyota website states that owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail beginning in March.

Pickup trucks used to be mainly driven by construction workers and others who needed a powerful vehicle to haul equipment and supplies for work purposes. Now pickup trucks with modern comforts and amenities, such as the Toyota Tacoma, are driven by many people who simply like to drive trucks -- whether for off-roading, commuting to work, taxiing the family, or pulling trailers for recreational activities such as boating. If you live in Florida and are driving a 2010 Toyota Tacoma, contact your local dealer or visit Toyota.com for more information.

Truck recall adds to Toyota's troubles
AFP, Yahoo! News Feb. 13, 2010

Toyota Extends Recall To 2010 Tacoma Trucks
AP, Fox40News.com Feb. 12, 2010

Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall on 8,000 2010 Model Year Tacoma 4WD Trucks to Inspect the Front Drive Shaft
Toyota.com News Release, Feb. 12, 2010

Related Web Resources

Toyota.com: 2009-2010 Recall List

Toyota.com: Tacoma

Florida drivers with a Honda in the garage can now share in Toyota owners' headaches and safety concerns, as they all flock to auto dealers for recall repairs. This week Honda recalled hundreds of thousands of cars due to concerns about potentially dangerous airbags. Honda issued a news release stating that the airbags could inflate with too much pressure -- enough force to rupture the air bag casing, which could cause serious personal injury or even death.

Toyota's latest safety recall involves its popular hybrid model, Prius -- which reportedly has a glitch in the braking system. Owners report the brakes fail to engage immediately when applied over rough roads, which could lead to serious auto accidents. The Prius recall adds to the public relations nightmare for Toyota, which hit news headlines late last year for problems with gas pedals becoming ensnared in floor mats.

The Toyota gas pedal recall expanded to millions of cars, trucks, and SUVs earlier this year, with reports of gas pedals being slow to rise when drivers try to decelerate their vehicles.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida product liability lawyers with experience in personal injury cases involving defective auto parts are watching these latest consumer recalls carefully. CNN reports that there are already several lawsuits in the works against Toyota, as nervous consumers wonder if the car in their driveway is safe to drive.

Honda recalls 438,000 cars for airbag hazard
CNN.com Feb. 10, 2010

Toyota Recall -- Special Coverage
CNN.com Feb. 9, 2010

Related Web Resources

Toyota Recall Information

Statement by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Regarding Expansion of Driver's Airbag Inflator Recall
Honda News Release, Feb. 9, 2010

Florida motorists who own a Camry, RAV4, Avalon, or any other number of popular Toyota cars, trucks, and SUVs may have reason to be concerned as to whether they are safe to drive.

Toyota, which has prided itself as an industry leader in building safe, reliable cars, has expanded its safety recall of millions of vehicles. They've also done what no other auto manufacturer has ever done before -- stopped production and sales while they try to identify the source of a suspected automotive defect that could lead to deadly traffic accidents on Florida and U.S. roads and highways. Six factories so far are involved in the shutdown.

Problems for Toyota made the news last year when in November, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that the auto maker had a fix for a problem with the gas pedal becoming entrapped by floor mats on some models. The serious safety issue came to light after fatal car crashes were attributed to the accelerator getting stuck and motorists being unable to stop their out-of-control, speeding vehicles (see previous blog entry, Florida Driving Alert: Toyota Lexus Issues Safety Advisory After Fatal Car Accident Involving Floor Mats).

However, Toyota has now expanded the recall in the U.S. and to Europe and has stopped production and sale of vehicles that may have the potential for the same deadly problem. It is unclear what repairs or redesign Toyota will come up with to permanently fix the problem. The Associated Press reports that Toyota learned about an accelerator problem for the Tundra in March 2007; concerns about truck accidents arose when owners reported the gas pedal was slow to rise when they tried to slow down.

Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers follow automotive safety recalls closely, as they involve auto manufacturer product liability and Florida driver safety. We have not heard the last in this historic automotive recall and production and sales stoppage -- as Toyota works to identify and fix the source of the problem, dealers stand by idle with showrooms and lots full of cars, and consumers wonder what to do with vehicles that they thought were safe to drive. Car and Driver reported that owners of affected cars may be able to ask for and obtain loaner vehicles (see link below), though to date, Toyota had not issued a mandate for dealers to loan out other cars.

Toyota recalls additional 1.09M vehicles in US
Associated Press, MiamiHerald.com Jan. 28, 2010

Background: Toyota Announces Fix for Accelerator Pedal Entrapment Problem
NHTSA Press Release Nov. 25, 2009

Related Web Resources

Frequently Asked Questions For Sticking Accelerator Pedal Recall and Suspension of Sales
Toyota Press Room Jan. 2010

List of Recalled Toyota Models
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Jan. 28, 2010

How To: Safely Drive a Recalled Toyota (Or Score a Loaner)
Car and Driver Jan. 27, 2010

Toyota recall Q & A: What to do if your car suddenly accelerates
Los Angeles Times Jan. 28, 2010

Floridians should check their medicine cabinets, handbags, desk drawers -- anywhere they might keep a bottle of Tylenol, a pack of Rolaids, or any number of other popular over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson has issued a large-scale product recall due to a musty smell that has sickened some consumers.

The December Tylenol drug recall was issued after consumers complained of a moldy smell coming from the product, causing nausea and other gastro-intestinal distress. The odor has been linked to a chemical used to treat wooden palettes used in product storage. This month, Johnson & Johnson expanded the recall to include other products including St. Joseph's Aspirin, Benadryl, Motrin and Rolaids. See link below to Product Recall List where consumers can search for their products' lot numbers.

Broward County, Florida defective product lawyers follow cases such as this one closely, when OTC medications or prescription drug recalls make the news due to people becoming sick, experiencing severe side-effects, or in some cases, suffering wrongful death (e.g., manufacturer Merck pulled its arthritis drug Vioxx from the market in 2004 after the drug was connected to heart attacks, a fatal skin disease, and serious intestinal problems).

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitor product liability issues such as the Tylenol case, to protect consumer health and well being. The FDA posts a public list of medical product recalls on its website (see link below), including recalled drugs and medical equipment.

Tylenol recall expanded to Motrin, Benadryl, more
USAToday.com Jan. 18, 2010

McNeil Product Recall Press Release

Related Web Resources

McNeil Product Recall List

FDA 2010 Safety Alerts for Human Medical Products

Florida consumers should be wary of any toys purchased or received as holiday presents that may pose safety hazards to children. The U.S. Federation of State Public Interest Research Groups (US PIRG) has published the 24th Trouble in Toyland report and interactive website that allows parents to search for toys that may cause personal injury to children (see links to resources below).

In addition to monitoring child product liability recalls posted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the US PIRG lists toys still on store shelves that could pose danger to children. The group's website states that toys on their list may pose choking hazards, emit overly loud sounds, or contain potentially toxic chemicals.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida product liability lawyers keep up-to-date on recalls including toys and other products that could be harmful to children. In addition to toys being recalled for safety hazards in 2009, a number of other child product related recalls made headlines:

> The Dorel Juvenile Group recalled 447,000 infant car seat carriers with the Disney and Eddie Bauer logos, due to risk of the seat carrying handles breaking.

> The Consumer Product Safety Commission renewed its recall of Simplicity Drop Side Cribs (first recalled in 2007) after another child death occurred, bringing the total to 11 child deaths. The 2009 recall states that babies may suffocate if they become trapped by the sides of the crib, which drop down to allow access.

> In a related drug product recall, Proctor & Gamble recalled 700,000 packages of Vicks Dayquil Gel Caps because the packaging was not child proof.

Baby car seat carriers recalled
Gainsville.com Dec. 19, 2009

CPSC: Simplicity Drop Side Cribs Recalled by Retailers Due to Risk of Death from Suffocation
CPSC.gov July 2009

Vicks Dayquil recalled because packaging isn't child-proof
CNN.com Dec. 18, 2009

Related Web Resources

U.S. PIRG websites:

Toy Safety homepage

Toy Safety database and unsafe toys 2009 list

Consumer Product Safety Commission child product recalls

A CBS News investigation revealed that China may not be the only country that has manufactured defective drywall construction products, which have made hundreds of Floridians and other homeowners in southern states sick -- and left their homes in shambles. Some have even abandonned their homes, which they feel are no longer safe or fit to live in.

Chinese drywall manufacturers have been under scrutiny since earlier this year, when homeowners in communities such as West Palm Beach, Florida, began noticing foul-smelling fumes emitting from their walls. (See related blog item from April '09, South Florida Construction Product Liability: Faulty Chinese Drywall to Be Tested.

The CBS report, released last month, asserts that some U.S. companies may also be responsible for manufacturing faulty dry wall that crumbles and gives off noxious, foul-smelling, sickening fumes. The defective product also causes electrical wiring to corrode. To add insult to injury, some home owners are reporting that their insurance companies are not only denying their claims for damage caused by the faulty drywall, but they are cancelling their homeowners' policies. And because scam artists like to prey on people in desperate circumstances, the Federal Trade Commission issued an alert in Dec. warning homeowners against fraudulent offers of faulty drywall tests (see link below).

A number of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of homeowners against American construction product manufacturers, including Georgia Pacific and National Gypsum.

Florida product liability lawyers are familiar with laws and regulations as they relate to the manufacture of construction products such as drywall used to build homes. Drywall became popular in the 1950s as an inexpensive and lightweight construction material, used as an alternative to plaster for framing walls.

Beware of Bogus Tests, Inspections, and Fixes for Damaged Drywall
Federal Trade Commission, Dec. 11, 2009

Homeowners Charge U.S. Made Toxic Drywall
CBSNews.com Nov. 23, 2009

Related Web Resources

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Drywall Information Center

Florida Dept. of Public Health: Dry Wall