January, 2010 | Orlando Accident & Injury Blog Archive
CPSC Announces Crib Recall
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced that Simplicity Inc., of Reading, PA, voluntarily recalled nearly 1 million cribs due to a problem with the sides. The company said that the drop-side has the potential to detach from the side of the crib, creating a gap that can cause infant entrapment and suffocation. The CSPC cited no less than 55 different incidents involving these cribs that resulted in infant deaths, entrapments and other dangerous situations. The CPSC said that there had been at least seven confirmed entrapment cases in a Simplicity crib. They also knew of at least two incidents that caused the death of 6- and 9-month-old children trapped and suffocated in older models of Simplicity cribs with different hardware.
Toyota Expands Recall to China and Europe
Toyota Motor Corporation, already contending with the biggest recall in the company’s history due to accelerators which may become stuck and cause the vehicle to accelerate out of control, has expanded their recall to include Toyotas sold in China and Europe as well. The world’s largest automaker, which had a sterling reputation for dependability, safety, and quality, is dealing with a recall that affects 6 million vehicles in the U.S. alone. It is not yet known how many Toyota models in Europe and China will be affected but the recall is expected to cost the company billions to fix the accelerator problems and reimburse dealers for the work.
FDA Says Heartburn Drugs May Interfere with Plavix
The Food and Drug Administration officials issued a Public Health Advisory regarding Plavix and OTC heartburn medications, especially Prilosec and Nexium. The heartburn medications can interfere with the effectiveness of Plavix, a blood thinner taken by millions of people to reduce stroke and heart attack risks. The FDA said Prilosec and Nexium reduced the effectiveness of Plavix’s blood-thinning capabilities by half. FDA regulators said that the active ingredient in the popular heartburn pharmaceuticals potentially put some people at risk by blocking an enzyme that the body needs to break down Plavix (clopidogrel).
Orlando Amusement Park Accident Results in Fines for Universal Orlando
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a $3,750 fine against Universal Orlando for an employee injury last summer. OSHA said that the worker was injured when he was struck by one of the cars on the Dueling Dragons roller coaster, one of the Orlando theme park’s most popular rides. The accident resulted in the worker suffering serious injuries in the Islands of Adventure area of the theme park, a part of Universal Orlando that will become part of the new Wizard World of Harry Potter area of the theme park.
Merck had Knowledge About Vioxx Risks Years Before Recall
U.S. News & World Report reports the very unsettling news that Merck, the manufacturer of defective arthritis drug Vioxx, knew that the drug caused serious health risks years before it was taken off the market. People who took Vioxx to relieve the discomfort of arthritis were at increased risk for stroke, heart attack and other serious health issues that could result in death. Merck had claimed their drug was perfectly safe to take regularly, but by the year 2000, there was mounting evidence of the dangerous side effects of the drug within a year of it being approved for sale in 1999.
Supervision of Pets Requisite in Florida and Almost All Other States
In Florida, dogs and other pets require supervision outside of the home. Animals are now allowed to roam without supervision in Florida and most other states. Thus far in 2009, there have been 21 fatal dog attacks across the country, and 11 of them have involved pit bulls or pit bull mixes.
Members of Family Killed in Orlando Aviation Accident
A 45-year-old woman and her three children who died when their aircraft crashed into Lake Russell. The children, aged 19, 18 and 16, and their mother had just taken off from Walt Disney World on their way to Fort Lauderdale when the aviation accident occurred. The light aircraft they were traveling in was reportedly being piloted by the woman’s 19-year-old son when the accident occurred.
James O. Cunningham
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.