product recall

Published on: February 6, 2012

Company Recalls Dining Tables Due to Personal Injury Risks

A California-based company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are announcing a recall of dining tables, because of the risk that the tables could collapse, injuring consumers. As any personal injury attorney who has handled a collapsing table or chair case can attest, the injuries from this type of incident are more significant than they may first appear. For instance, consider the possibility of a small child sitting at a table that collapses. The weight of the table could easily seriously injure or kill the child.

For adults, the risk of a collapsing table relates more to a leg or knee injury. If the heavy wooden table were to collapse on an individual’s knee, then there is a significant potential for a knee replacement surgery. It is good that the company has taken the issue seriously and is recalling the tables. They will very likely avoid a number of product liability claims.

The table, the Dover Dining Table is manufactured in China and imported by West Elm, a division of Williams-Sonoma of San Francisco, California.According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, West Elm is recalling approximately 830 dining tables in the United States.In Canada, 10 tables are being recalled.The recall is linked to a potential defect that could cause the wooden base of the table to collapse.This can cause the glass top to fall, posing serious injury hazards to consumers seated at the table.

Published on: May 30, 2011

Product Liability Actions Likely after Popular Diabetes Drug Avandia pulled from Shelves

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Soon the popular diabetes medication Avandia will no longer be available on the shelves of drugstores, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, I am glad to see the drug off the shelves. In my opinion, the risk of serious injury appears too great. Formerly known asRosiglitazone, GlaxoSmithKline began marketing the product under the trade name Avandia in 1999, following initial approval by the FDA. Annual sales reached a high of $3.2 billion in 2006, but declined after reports of adverse effects. In fact, the drug has been plagued with liability issues ever since 2007 when a study was released by Dr. Steven Nissen, chief of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. The study showed the drug increased risk of heart attack by 40 percent in people who had Type II Diabetes, prompting the FDA to require that it be packaged with a Black Box Warning.

Between 60,000 to 200,000 people suffered heart attacks and/or death, during the 11 year span that Avandia monopolized the market, and millions were prescribed the drug.

Beginning November 18, 2011, the drug will only be available through doctors who have fully disclosed the risks to their patients and are certified to prescribe it.Under the new Avandia-Rosiglitazone Medicines Access Program, the FDA will limit the drug’s use to patients who have already been safely treated with it, those whose blood sugar can’t be controlled with other medications and those who, when informed of the risk, still prefer Avandia to other drugs. Rosiglitazone will only be available to enrolled patients by mail order from certified pharmacies participating in the programand Avandia and Actos, which was approved in 1999, will be offered as its alternative.

Published on: June 23, 2009

Nestle Cookie Dough Recalled After Reports of E. coli Poisoning

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Nestle SA has announced a recall of its Toll House cookie dough because of fears of E. coli contamination linked to dozens of cases of food poisoning nationwide. About 47 varieties of the cookie dough have been included in the recall.

The Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers not to eat Toll House refrigerated and prepackaged cookie dough because of the risk of E coli contamination. The agency has asked consumers who may have any of the pre packaged cookie dough to throw these away. Consumers have been advised that they could face the risk of food poisoning even if they cook the dough, because the bacteria might be transmitted to their hands and cooking surfaces. According to the FDA notice, the contamination was exposed in a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health departments.

So far, there have been 66 reports of illnesses from 29 states since March this year. 25 persons have been hospitalized and seven of these had suffered a complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome [HUS] which can end in kidney damage and even death.

Published on: January 13, 2009

Georgia Affected by Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

According to the Department of Public Health, five cases of the salmonella food poisoning that have been reported across the country have been found in Georgia.A few days ago, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control announced an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in 42 states.The outbreak apparently occurred between October to December, and has sickened close to 400 people.One elderly woman who died during the period had been infected at the time of her death, but it hasn’t been confirmed if she died because of the poisoning.

Now, fresh reports confirm that a brand of peanut butter has been traced as the source of the contamination. Batches of King Nut and Parnell’s Pride peanut butter that were distributed by King Nut Cos, and supplied to schools, nursing homes and restaurants, have been recalled.The batches were only sold to institutions, and were not available directly to the public.The company apparently only distributed the product which is manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America.The link was traced when tests conducted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Health on the peanut butter batches revealed a match with the strain of salmonella Typhirium type that has been responsible for the outbreak.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include abdominal cramps, fever and diarrhea. In cases of serious infection, hospitalization may be required. The symptoms are particularly acute in the case of children, elderly or those who have weakened immune systems.In serious cases, the infection may spread to other parts of the body, and death can result.