Staten Island, New York Child Injury Lawyer Blog | Brooklyn Child Accident Attorney » recall

Toyota Prius Braking System a Danger?

Frank Dito — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:13:49 +0000

Toyota Prius owner web forums are alive with complaints and concerns about the electric car’s braking system. It seems that when applying the brakes, if the car hits a pothole or other rough surface, a sudden loss of braking power results. Many people describe this loss of braking power as a feeling of helplessness. Although some have described the incident as only a sensation and not an actual event, most of the complaints indicate that the car retains its momentum and the stopping distances increase. Although no injuries have yet to be reported, many Prius owners are concerned that their inability to stop their car quickly could cause an accident.

As of today, 33 complaints have been made to the NHTSA website converning the car’s braking system. The complaints are being tracked by the Office of Defects Investigation to determine if an engineering issue exists. Toyota is aware of the NHTSA complaints. Some mechanics believe that the problem is due to the brakes that the Prius has. As the Prius is an electric vehicle, the brakes are much more complex than in a gasoline powered vehicle. In order to squeeze out as much mileage as possible, the Prius uses kinetic energy generated during braking to generate electrical power to recharge the batteries. This regenerative braking occurs when the brakes are first pressed. When more braking power is needed, the braking system switches over to traditional hydraulic brakes. Some experts believe that the delay in switching from regenerative to hydraulic braking is causing the sudden perceived surge in acceleration or increased stopping distances.

Regardless that many feel that it is just a perception of acceleration, the NHTSA has recognized that stopping distances unintendedly increased. This increase in stopping distance ”could be fatal for pedestrians — [if] it happens when approaching stop lights if you hit a pothole” according to an internal NHTSA memo.

The danger has been recognized – when will Toyota act? They have already had significant damage to their reputation from the recent recall of defective floor mats. Are they delaying a possible recall because the financial damage to their reputation would be greater than a potential jury verdict involving a low-speed accident? I hope that Toyota will do the right thing and issue a voluntary recall before someone gets seriously hurt.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Drop-Side Cribs in Urgent Recall

Frank Dito — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:13:45 +0000

The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Stork Craft Manufacturing, Inc., announced a voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs.

The CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs and to contact Stork Craft at (877) 274-0277. The company will send a repair kit that will convert your crib from a drop sided to a fixed sided crib. Do not use the crib until the repair kit has been properly installed.

The cribs were constructed of poor materials, notably plastic, that held up the drop-side of the crib. Also, the drop-side could be easily installed upside down, causing the hardware to break. These problems can cause the drop-side to detach, creating space between the drop-side and the mattress. The space can entrap infants and toddlers, causing possible suffocation. In cases where the drop-side detaches, children can fall out of the crib.

Please stop using the crib immediately! The problems with these cribs have already led to the death of 4 infant children by suffocation. Although some of the cribs have the Fisher-Price label, usually a sign of quality, they are still extremely dangerous. Despite the cost of these cribs and the belief that you purchased a safe crib, manufacturers still try to cut corners and manufacture cribs with the cheapest hardware, not the best or the strongest. Such cost-cutting action puts our children’s lives at an unreasonable risk of harm and the government should strictly monitor the initial design and manufacture, not come riding in after children have already died.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

FDA Announces Recall of Hydroxcut Weight-Loss Supplement

Frank Dito — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:08:58 +0000

The FDA is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products. The Hydroxcut products are associated with serious liver injuries and the FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice to liver damage requiring a liver transplant. Additionally, other problems include seizures, and rhabdomyolysis, which is a type of muscle damage that can lead to kidney failure. One death due to liver failure was reported to the FDA.

Symptoms of liver injury include jaundice, nausea, vomiting, light colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching and loss of appetite. Liver injury was reported by using the recommended dosages.

“The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk” and suggests consulting with your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms.

If you have been injured using Hydroxycut or another defective product, please contact attorney Frank J. Dito, Jr., Esq., at (718) -979-4300 so that you may discuss your legal rights. Remember, your time to do so is very limited so please call today.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

96,000 Jardine Enterprises cribs recalled

Frank Dito — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:43:16 +0000

Silive is reporting that Jardine Enterprises is recalling an additional 96,000 cribs, the third expansion of a previous crib recall the company has issued this year. The recall involves 7 different crib models sold throughout stores the United States.

The wooden crib slats on the recalled cribs can break, creating a gap. The gap presents an entrapment and strangulation hazard to infants.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received 31 incident reports of slats breaking and two reports of children getting trapped in the gap created by the broken slats. Ten of the incidents were caused when a child broke the slats from inside the crib.

The cribs were sold at Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us, Kids World and Geoffrey stores around the country, as well as on www.babiesrus.com. They were sold between September 2005 and April 2009 for between $220 and $330.

Jardine previously recalled about 320,000 cribs in June 2008 and another 56,450 in January 2009. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled products unless instructed otherwise.

For information on the recall, log on to www.cpsc.gov.

See more in News

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.