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Camp Lejeune LawsuitsProduct Liability | Orlando Accident & Injury Blog - Part 10
Salmonella Illnesses Prompt Peanut Butter Recall
An investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) into a salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 29 people in 18 states has resulted in a peanut butter recall for national retailer Trader Joe’s. The CDC and FDA investigation found that the retailer’s Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter was the likely source of the food borne illnesses. The FDA recently released a statement that said that the FDA, CDC and the State of California alerted Trader Joe’s officials about their investigation’s findings, which prompted the retailer to pull the product from stores across the country.
GE Recalls More Than a Million Dishwashers for Fire Hazard
Appliance manufacturer General Electric has announced that it is recalling more than a million dishwashers due to a fire hazard in the heating element. GE is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in this recall, which affects at least 1.3 million dishwashers sold under the GE, GE Adora, GE Eterna, GE Profile and Hotpoint brands. GE reports that the heating elements in these appliances can fail and cause fires and has acknowledged that it has received at least seven reports of dishwasher fires with three causing significant property damage.
Manufacturer Recalls Frozen Meatballs Due to Food Borne Illness Risk
Orlando product liability lawyer James O. Cunningham would like to alert readers to an important product recall of frozen food that if ingested could cause serious health problems, especially for infants and the elderly. Buona Vita, Inc., a company based in Bridgeton, N.J., has announced that they are recalling nearly 73,000 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat food products due to the potential contamination of the products with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium associated with food borne illness.
2013 Ford Escape Models Recalled for Engine Fire Risk
Ford Motor Company recently issued an announcement that all owners of 2013 Ford Escape sports utility vehicles equipped with four-cylinder 1.6-liter motors should stop driving them immediately due to a fire risk in the engine compartment. Ford has acknowledged that a fuel line could split and leak, causing leaking fuel to come in contact with hot engine parts and ignite. Ford says the recall affects around 11,500 Escape models, mostly sold in Canada and the U.S. Many of the Escape models affected by the recall are still at dealerships, but around 4,800 have been sold to customers. Escape owners are advised to contact their local Ford dealership immediately so that loaner vehicles can be arranged and their Escapes can be picked up and taken to the dealership for repair.
Another Hip Replacement Recall Announced By Manufacturer
Smith & Nephew PLC, a British company that manufactures a metal hip socket liner for hip implants, has announced that it is recalling liners used with its R3 Acetabular System hip device. The liner became available in 2009 and has been implanted in around 7,700 patients in Great Britain. This voluntary recall came after clinical trials with the device showed a higher rate of failure than previously thought. Smith & Nephew reported that they are “not satisfied with the clinical results” after many recipients of the device required corrective surgery to remove the liner on their hip replacement implant due to chronic pain and reduced mobility.
Strollers Recalled Due to Finger Amputation Hazard
In a move that surprised James O. Cunningham and other Orlando product liability lawyers, stroller manufacturer Kolcraft, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), recently issued a voluntary recall of more than 36,000 strollers due to an amputation hazard. The recall affects 36,000 Kolcraft strollers sold in the U.S. and another 270 sold in Canada. According to the CPSC report, the fingertips of at least three children have been amputated and two adults suffered smashed fingers when they locked or unlocked the hinge mechanism on Kolcraft Contours Options strollers. The mechanism is used to adjust the handlebars on the strollers, and users’ fingers can be smashed or cut deeply by the metal.
Chevrolet Recalls 475,000 Cruze Models for Engine Fire Problems
Chevrolet owner General Motors recently issued a recall for more than 475,000 Chevrolet Cruze automobiles to correct fire problems in the engine compartments of these cars. The voluntary recall affects cars manufactured in the U.S. from September 2010 through May 2012. This is the fifth time that Cruze models have been recalled since their debut two years ago. James O. Cunningham and other Orlando personal injury lawyers are following this recall closely, as engine fires can cause deadly accidents. GM reports that the fire problems are caused by fluids dripping on a plastic shield below the engine. This shield can become quite hot during normal operation and if oil is not cleaned up properly after an oil change or engine top-off, the oil can drip down onto this shield and ignite.
Orlando Hosts National Prescription Drug Abuse Conference
A national conference on the growing problem of prescription drug abuse was held recently here in Orlando and included law enforcement officials, legislators, medical professionals and others to shed light on what is now described as an epidemic of abuse. Florida has gained a reputation in recent years as an easy place to score prescription drugs, especially painkillers such as Oxycontin, Vicodin and others. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham welcomed the increased attention on prescription drug abuse, as he has represented countless people in recent years that have been injured by people under the influence of prescription pharmaceuticals. Florida’s reputation as a “pill mill” where people from all over the country can easily obtain drugs has brought much-needed attention to our state’s problems.
Chrysler Recalls Jeep Wranglers for Fire Risk
Chrysler has announced the recall of nearly 87,000 Jeep Wranglers throughout North America and some other parts of the world due to a design defect that may result in fire. The recall only affects 2010 Wranglers equipped with automatic transmissions that were manufactured before July 14, 2010. According to Chrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a design flaw can allow debris to collect between the protective plate covering the transmission and the catalytic converter. If enough debris collects between the plate and converter, the heat emanating from the converter can cause a fire.
Gas Furnaces Recalled for Fire Risks
York International has issued a recall for nearly 226,000 gas furnaces for manufactured homes made by Unitary Products Group (UPG) due to fire concerns with some models. The furnaces affected by the recall were sold under the Coleman, Coleman Evcon and Red T brands and were subject to a similar recall in 2004. York has said that some models are prone to overheating, which can cause the heat exchanger to crack, creating openings that can allow flames to reach the outside of the furnace. The company reports that if this occurs, drywall, paneling and other nearby combustibles can catch fire, which poses a serious fire and smoke hazard to anyone living in the home.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.