Defective Products

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that raw milk products, an increasingly popular alternative to pasteurized dairy products, are a common cause of disease outbreaks. While natural and organic milk has been seen by its devotees as a better alternative than manufactured and processed milk products, the CDC believes that those who drink it are more likely to become ill.

According to the CDC, raw milk products accounted for 36 percent of all who became ill in milk-related outbreaks from 1993 to 2006. What makes the number more impressive is that only approximately one percent of all milk drinkers in the U.S. drink raw milk. In total, dairy-caused outbreaks sickened 4,413 people in that time span.

What makes raw milk different from other types of milk, even organic milk, is that the products have not been pasteurized, a process in which the milk is heated up and immediately cooled in order to kill any bacteria. Supporters of raw milk believe that the products are naturally better for people and relieve allergies, asthma, ulcers, and eczema, with some lactose-intolerant consumers claiming that they are able to drink it without any side effects.

While the debates concerning the positives and negatives of the product have increased due to the study’s findings, related outbreaks have highlighted the product’s dangers. Commonly, those sickened by raw milk are poisoned by E. coli, dangerous bacteria that are more difficult to detect when testing milk products.

Consumers put trust in manufacturers to create safe products they may use without fear of harm, but defective products cause serious injuries every day. A Fort Worth defective product attorney can assist you in finding proper compensation for the losses suffered if you or a loved one has been injured or become ill by a defective product.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has issued a recall in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 40,915 Wrangler Silent Armor tires due to a defect which may result in serious auto accidents. The tires have been found to contain a defect that can result in partial tire tread separation, which in turn can strike the vehicle and damage it or cause the car to crash.

The tires are used for pickup trucks, sports utility vehicles, and vans for off-road driving, and the company believes that there are currently 27,000 still in service around the nation. Issues with the product have been reported since 2010 when warranty and property damage claims in relation to the tires began to rise. Additionally, the product has been tied to a fatal car rollover accident in August 2011 that killed two people after the tread of one of the Silent Armor tires separated during a drive. It was after this incident that serious investigations into the products began.

Goodyear will be notifying tire owners of the defect and is expected to begin replacing them free of charge starting on March 22. The recalled models were manufactured between March 31, 2009 and May 31, 2009. The specific tire sizes being recalled are:

• LT235/80R17 LRE
• LT245/75R17 LRE
• LT265/70R17 LRE
• LT275/70R18 LRE
• LT285/70R17 LRD
• LT325/60R18 LRE

Any auto product defect is a serious matter, as it can cause a dangerous auto accident that a driver cannot predict or prevent. An experienced Dallas product liability attorney can help injured victims understand their rights and options for injury compensation.

Lowe’s, a national home improvement store chain, and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a recall of more than 6 million individual Roman shades and 5 million individual roll-up blinds, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. Lowe’s had sold the blinds and shades for nearly ten years. The blinds were sold between 1999 and 2010 and cost anywhere from $10 to $1,800 apiece. Although Lowe’s is not the only store that has sold or recalled these Roman shades and blinds, it is one of the largest retailers of the recalled products.

The recall was announced after the CPSC received many reports of children becoming tangled in the blinds, which resulted in the child choking. At least two children have been severely injured by the blinds, according to the article. The cords on the blinds are easy for children to reach and leave gaps that a child can poke his or her head into, resulting in injury.

Parents who have these blinds should stop using them immediately in order to prevent any future risk of injury to children. They may also remove the hazard by taking the cords off the blinds or shades, or by securing the cords where children cannot reach them. Parents can also obtain a free safety repair kit for the blinds by calling the Window Covering Safety Council at (800) 506-4636 or by contacting Lowe’s.

It is very scary for a child to suffer a serious personal injury, for both the child as well as their parents, particularly by a household product that was believed to have been safe. During this frightening and confusing time, it helps to have someone on your side. An experienced Texas personal injury lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options, as well as help you fight for the compensation your family deserves, allowing you and your child to focus on healing.

Home decoration and furniture giant Ikea recently announced a recall of 3.36 million window blinds and shades it sold from January 1998 to June 2009. According to The Dallas Morning News, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received a report that a Lowell, Massachusetts boy had become entangled in one of the blinds and choked. The recall covers Roman shades and roll-up shades as well as some roller blinds that were sold without a certain tension device installed.

Child safety is a major concern when it comes to window treatments like blinds or shades. The blinds and shades sold by Ikea are being recalled because young children’s necks may become entangled in the cords. In addition, a child playing with or near the roller blinds or the Roman shades may choke if the chain installed to raise or lower the blinds is left to swing freely, instead of being attached to the wall or floor.

On the recalled roll-up blinds, children’s necks may be caught by the extra fabric in the blind if the adjustment loop slides off. The Roman shades also endanger children who may get caught between the blind’s inner cords and the back side of the blind.

Ikea is one of several retailers who agreed to join the latest recall, as well as one announced last year. Last year’s recall covered millions of Roman shades and roll-up blinds sold at Ikea and other stores. It was initiated after the Consumer Products Safety Commission received reports of at least eight deaths and 16 strangulation-related injuries caused by Roman shades and roll-up blinds.

Persons injured by defective products in Texas may be eligible to recover damages from a negligent manufacturer or supplier. Damages can include compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and continuing care, or for the untimely loss of a loved one.