Dangerous Driving Due to Prescription Painkillers Must be Addressed Now

Impaired driving due to overuse of prescription painkillers has reached epidemic proportions. News outlets in Buffalo, Rochester, New York and Arkansas have reported on proposals of Senators Charles Schumer of New York and Mark Pryor of Arkansas to fund police training to deal with overly drugged drivers. As an injury attorney handling truck accidents and car accidents I can tell you the problem needs to be addressed now.

Thousands of people who have  never taken an illegal drug are developing terrible drug dependencies. The drugs are being prescribed for both traumatic injuries and  for illnesses. The addiction know no boundaries, young and old, poor and affluent, city and suburban people have developed addictions.

Officers may not be able to rely on a typical field sobriety test the way they do with a drunken driver. I hope to provide details in a future blog, but there will be a growing awareness of this in the future. In the meantime, we can’t assume other drivers will follow the rules.

Super “lead-a-mania” Action Figures recalled

Did I ever love my plastic toys when I was younger.   I played with and carried my action figures around with me all day long.  I put them in my pockets and probably dipped them in my cereal bowl at some point.  And yes, probably had them in my mouth at some point too. It is terrifying to think of toys covered in lead.

Super Luchamania Action Figures are being recalled due to them containing excessive lead.  These figures were sold in packs of 12 and could be purchased at various Mexican Specialty Craft Stores throughout the United States.

If you have any of these toys return them to the Lee Carter Company for a refund or credit. 

Toy safety must be a top priority for manufacturers.   Our firm has extensive experience in holding those responsible accountable for the defective children’s toys they produce.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration called “ill-equipped” to detect problems

The National Highway Safety Administration has “troubling” shortcomings in its ability to detect problems with high-tech electronics in today’s cars, according to a 139 page study by the National Research Council.

Attorneys who deal with car accidents and truck crashes know this. Some vehicles are defective, such as vehicles with aroof which collapses in a rollover, or the vehicle has an excessively high center of gravity and can flip it the steering wheel is turned sharply.  Manufacturers will claim they should not be responsible because they complied with regulations. But the regulations are woefully inadequate.

This is one reason why lawsuits are important. Injured people who come to see me often have nowhere to turn. Sometimes lawsuits can make them whole and create safer vehicles safer vehicles. Think of the Ford Bronco which can flip at low speeds in a parking lot or the Ford Pinto which would explode when rear-ended. Lawsuits caused the vehicles to be made safer.

Bicycle Helmets Recalled by Triple Eight Distribution Due to Risk of Head Injury

As an attorney in the active Buffalo and Western New York area I often see products reach the market that are not safe for their intended use. The Consumer Products Safety Commission recently announced a recall on over 30,000 bicycle helmets due to safety concerns. The helmets are manufactured by Triple Eight.

The helmets do not comply with CPSC safety standards for impact resistance. Serious head injuries could result if a user was to fall or sustain an impact to the head. Consumers should stop using the product and call Triple Eight toll free at (888) 548-8518 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.triple8.com.

ADDRESS FOOD SAFETY NOW

How is it that dozens of people can die and thousands of people can become sick by eating food purchased in our local supermarkets? There have been numerous recalls of food products in Buffalo and Western New York in the last few years.

The AP, and USA Today  report that congressional investigators seek answers about the cause of an outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe linked to 30 deaths and many illnesses last year.  A third-party auditors gave Colorado’s Jensen Farms a ‘superior’ rating just before the outbreak. It is believed the auditors largely ignored government guidance on food safety. The auditors are hired by the companies they inspect.

Also, yesterday the New York Times criticized in FDA restriction on the use of cephalosporin antibiotics as being “far from sufficient”.

The Times calls for the FDA to swiftly deal with the threat caused by agricultural antibiotics,” as creating “a perfect environment for the evolution of pathogens resistant to antibiotics.”

 The Times editorial states  the FDA needs to start considering “the public’s health as carefully as it considers the interests of intensive agriculture and pharmaceutical companies.” When we think of dangerous products we should not have to think about the food we serve our family.

Dangerous High Chairs

Parents do their best to protect their children and purchase products that will help keep their babies safe and comfortable.  I am always concerned when products designed for small children become the subject of recalls.  Recently IKEA recalled highchairs because the buckle that is attached to the seatbelt can open unexpectedly creating a fall hazard for a child.  While this does not sound like such a big deal, the whole point of a seatbelt in a high chair is so your baby is not able to wriggle her way out of the chair, thus giving mom or dad a chance to perhaps grab juice from the fridge or stir a pot on the stove.

If you have one of these chairs contact IKEA for a free replacement seat restraint.

Kicking off 2012 with car recalls

General Motors is planning to announce a recall on January 14, 2012.  Over 4,000 of its 2012 Chevrolet Sonics will be subject to the recall.  It has been discovered that the front brake inner or outer pad may be missing from these vehicles.  Read more here.

If you own one of these vehicles please call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.