Archive for the ‘Hot Topics’ Category

Graco Stroller Recall

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Graco Stroller Recall 2010 – Newell Rubbermaid’s Graco has announced today that they will be voluntarily recalling over 2 million Graco Quattro Tour and MetroLite strollers after the company discovered that 4 babies were killed between between 2003 and 2005.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the well known baby product manufacturer is pulling the devices of the shelves because it was revealed that infants can accidentally get strapped inside the strollers and be strangled to death.
The baby product company further explained that when kids are not seated and strapped properly into the strollers, they are able to slide through the opening located between the stroller tray and bottom of the seat, where they can get trapped, suffer mild to life threading injuries or be strangled.

The contraption that are being recalled are the Graco Quattro Tour and MetroLite strollers and travel systems with the following codes 8755, 8324, 4600, 8740, 8994, 8676 and 8910.

The hazardous products were available for purchase in 50 states between November 2000 and December 2007.

DePuy Recalls 93,000 ASR Hip Implants

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

In late August, 2010, DePuy Orthapedics, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, announced they were recalling two kinds of hip implants. The Food and Drug Administration had received consumer complaints about the hip implants for the last two years. Since 2008, there have been nearly 400 complaints of device failure.

The hip implant failure resulted in patients needing second painful surgeries to replace the first defective hip implant device. It is estimated that around 93,000 people have received the defective hip implant worldwide.

The two recalled DePuy hip implants are the ASR XL Acetabular System, a hip socket replacement and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, which is a partial hip replacement and puts a metal cap on the ball of the femur. The Acetabular System has been sold all over the world and the resurfacing system has been in use in countries outside of the US.

The ASR hip implants are part of a larger group of medical devices known as metal-on-metal bearings. These devices have known problems generating debris from wear. Some patients develop tissue damage and inflammation as a result.

Last March, the British agency that regulates medical devices issued an advisory about the ASR problems. DePuy began warning doctors about high failure rates in the hip implant the same month the British advisory came out. Prior to this, DePuy claimed they were phasing out the hip implant device due to slow sales.

Failure rates as high as 12 and 13 percent within five years of the patient receiving the medical device were measured. Some doctors and orthopedic experts have expressed dismay that the hip implants were not recalled sooner.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a DePuy hip implant, you should contact our attorneys today.

Message To Injured Plaintiffs – Stay Off Facebook

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Injured plaintiffs who have active personal injury claims or lawsuits should stay away from Facebook and other social networking sites until the case is over. Why? because the insurance company maybe monitoring your social networking activity including the photos and videos you post. And if any of the photos, videos or comments you post contradict your injury claim, you can bet that the insurance company will use it against you to seriously diminish the value of your case. For example, if you are claiming that a back injury from a car accident now prevents you from playing basketball, you cannot post videos of yourself shooting hoops. You cannot tweet how you just finished a pick up basketball game. If you claim that your physical injuries have caused great emotional distress in your life, you cannot tweet or post video of yourself having the time of your life in Cancun. So err on the side of caution and stop using Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites until your case is over.

Reglan Cases Heading to Trial

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Reglan is a medication prescribed for the treatment of heartburn after eating, gastroparesis, certain digestive orders, nausea, vomiting and morning sickness.  Recent studies and reports link Reglan to Tardive Dyskinesia.  Tardive Dyskinesia is an involuntary muscle movement that can affect muscles in the face, arms, legs and overall body.  The disorder can be irreversible.  The FDA has slapped a black box warning on the drug emphasizing the risk of developing the disorder when using the drug.  Trials are now being scheduled around the country for people injured by Reglan.

Yaz Gallbladder Disease

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Gallbladder disease is one of the dangerous side effects of Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills. Throughout the U.S., women who have taken Yaz or Yasmin have developed gallstones as a result. In many cases, these women have had to undergo gallbladder removal surgery.  Yasmin and Yaz present an increased risk of gallbladder disease because of the ingredient drospirenone. Drospirenone is a diuretic, and medical studies have shown that long-term use of diuretics can lead to gallbladder disease. The gallbladder assists with the body’s digestive process. Bile is stored in the gallbladder until the body needs it to digest fats. The gallbladder then contracts, pushing the bile into the common bile duct. Gallstones form when bile is stored in the gallbladder for too long, allowing the liquid to harden into small stone-like pieces. Yaz and Yasmin can increase the level of cholesterol in the bile while at the same time decreasing gallbladder contractions. The symptoms of Yaz gallbladder disease include:

  • Abdominal pain and bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Jaundice

If you or a loved one have been using Yaz and have been experiencing such symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.