HR 5503 - the Spill Act

Today the US House of Representatives will vote on HR 5503, the Spill Act. This bill is the first step towards holding BP fully accountable for their actions. Please call your Representative RIGHT NOW and ask them to vote for HR 5503! Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. Look-up your Rep at www.house.gov.

-Learn more about the Spill Act at http://www.justice.org/cps/rde/xchg/justice/hs.xsl/12646.htm

Product Recall - Shrek Promotional Glasses

Just weeks after Wal-Mart and other stores recalled jewelry sold at their stores due to the presence of cadmium, McDonalds is also recalling its promotional Shrek themed glasses for the same reason. These glasses are 16 ounces and come in four different designs (Shrek, Fiona, Puss n’ Boots, and Donkey).

Please see the May 20, 2010 post for details on the dangers of ingesting cadmium. You can also visit www.cdc.gov or www.epa.gov.

The CSPC spokesperson, Scott Wolfson, has stated that the amount of cadmium found in these glasses is “slightly above the protective level currently being developed by the agency.” He also said the glasses contain “far less cadmium than the children's metal jewelry that CPSC has previously recalled."

So far, no injuries have been reported as a result of the toxic chemical found in the paint on the glasses. However, out of an abundance of precaution, McDonalds has recommended that their customers stop using the glasses and is offering $3 refunds on those glasses. (They were originally sold for $2 each.)

If you or anyone you know has been injured by a product such as this or any other defective product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Paxil & Birth Defects

Paxil is a popular antidepressant which has been on the market since 1992 and is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It is used to treat people with depression, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, and PMDD as well as other similar conditions.

As with almost any anti-depressant, there is a long list of possible side effects associated with taking Paxil. One such potential side effect is birth defects if the drug is taken by a woman during pregnancy. Studies have shown that if Paxil is taken during the first trimester a baby is 1 ½ - 2 times more likely to be born with a heart defect (usually holes in the interior walls of the heart). Other studies have shown that if Paxil is taken any time after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, a baby may be born with persistent pulmonary hypertension (abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs and thus insufficient oxygen to their bodies). This condition can lead to multiple organ failure, brain damage, developmental delays, neurological deficits and ultimately death.

For more information on how Paxil can affect a baby if taken during pregnancy, please visit this website or the FDA’s website. Also, please view the GlaxoSmithKline’s September 2005 letter to healthcare professionals on this matter.

If you, your baby or anyone you know has been injured by this or any other pharmaceutical product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Baby Stroller Safety Risk

I was reading the June 2010 issue of the Consumer Reports magazine and came across something that parents with small children might like to know. Consumer Reports has rated three models of baby strollers as “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” – those strollers are:

- Valco Baby Tri-Mode
- Tike Tech City X3 all-terrain stroller
- Tike Tech X3 Port jogging stroller

These strollers received this rating due to the hazard of an unrestrained child slipping beneath the grab bar and getting stuck resulting in potential injury or death. (This is referred to as “submarining.”) Although the Consumer Products Safety Commission does not specify the particular strollers involved, they do report that there have been at least 10 infant deaths associated with submarining between 1995 and 2008.

Safety regulations require that if the space beneath the bar is large enough for a child’s body to pass through, it must also be large enough for the child’s head to pass through. Of course, a child should always be properly strapped into his or her stroller.

If your child or the child of anyone you know has been injured by a faulty product such as these or any other defective products, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.