Defective & Dangerous Products

• More Defective Products from China

  David Rowell | August 28, 2007 7:10 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  The problems with lead paint on children's toys continue to mount. Today the Consumer Products Safety Commission announced the recall of a child's "Robie Ducky Watering Can," made in China and containing lead paint. The defective product is sold exclusively by Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. The CPSC advised partents to immediately take the watering can away from children and return it to any...

• China Says "It Wasn't Me"

  David Rowell | August 27, 2007 6:35 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  When I was in law school, one of my study partners was a guy who'd been a cop for a long time, and he talked about the "some other dude" defense, which goes like this: when he'd snatch up some bad guy, often the bad guy would say "it wasn't me, it was 'some other dude.'" Although my friend didn't think much of the defense, apparently the Chinese government likes it.As reported by the Associated...

• Who's Watching for Defective Products?

  David Rowell | August 27, 2007 2:02 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Most people are familiar with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and know that it is the government agency charged with protecting consumers from dangerous products. But in an editorial in the Washington Post on Sunday, Ann Brown, former chair of the CSPC, and Pamela Gilbert, former executive director, charge that the Commission has been "neutered almost to the point of uselessness." If the...

• Benzene Lawsuit Filed

  David Rowell | August 24, 2007 10:51 AM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Robert Oakley, a former employee of Houston Chemical, filed suit on August 16, 2007, in the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Oakley, who worked as a laboratory technician, operator, pipe fitter and mechanic, claims that he was exposed for 51 years to toxic chemicals and carcinogens, including naptha, toluene, benzene and products containing benzene. Oakley was diagnosed with cancer...

• Dangerous Lead Levels in Children's Candy

  David Rowell | August 23, 2007 8:30 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  It's not just the lead paint on the toys; now it's dangerous levels of lead in candy! State health officials announced on Wednesday that Mexican candy sold under the names Barrilito and Miguelito contain dangerous levels of lead. According to officials at the Dpartment of Public Health, the candies could be harmful to infants, young children and pregnant women. These dangerous products are...

• Lawsuit Filed Over Mattel Defective Toys

  David Rowell | August 21, 2007 1:46 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Most people have by now heard about the defective products sold by Mattel, Inc., i.e., millions of toys made in China which are covered with lead paint, a potent neurotoxin. Those toys could lead to severe brain damage in millions of American children. On Monday, a Philadelphia law firm filed suit against Mattel in Los Angeles County, in part seeking to set up a medical monitoring fund which...

• Avandia Heart Risk Warning

  David Rowell | August 19, 2007 2:00 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  For some time now the FDA has been investigating problems with the popular diabetes drug Avandia, including heart attacks, fluid build up and heart failure. Despite these concerns the FDA decided not to remove Avandia from the market, However, on Friday the FDA announced that GlaxoSmithKline Plc, maker of Avandia, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., which makes the drug Actos, have agreed to...

• Lead Paint in Dangerous Toys

  David Rowell | August 17, 2007 9:03 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Mattel, which manufactures Barbie dolls and Hot Wheel cars, on Tuesday recalled almost 500,000 die-cast toy cars with "impermissible levels of lead." This is Mattel's second recall in a month; on August 2 Mattel recalled almost 1,000,000 toys, of various product lines, also because the toys were "covered in lead paint." Despite Mattel's efforts to stop distribution of the toys, almost 300,000 of...

• Food Safety and Defective Products

  David Rowell | August 16, 2007 8:20 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Massive amounts of food, about $65 billion, are imported into the US annually, and the number is growing each year. The recent discovery of tainted pet food ingredients that sickened or killed some 39,000 American pets, illustrates how important the issue is. And yet, in the face of increasing consumer concern, the government is about to implement rules that will replicate and lock-in the...

• Ford Recalls Cars/Trucks After Deadly Fire

  David Rowell | August 16, 2007 9:37 AM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Ford Motor Company last week announced the recall of 3.6 millon vehicles containing a switch which deactivates the speed control mechanism in certain Ford cars and trucks. Although Ford says the voluntary recall was because of uncertainty about "the long term durability of these switches," an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was underway at the time of the...