Defective & Dangerous Products

• Aqua Dot Toy Recall

  Joe Saunders | November 08, 2007 6:14 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Aqua Dot became so popular that it made Wal Mart's list for top toys to give for Christmas. Yesterday, 4 million of the toys have been recalled because the toys are toxic if ingested. They've already induced comas in at least 2 children. Scientists say a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound...

• Bausch & Lomb Acquired by Warburg Pincus

  Joe Saunders | November 02, 2007 5:10 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Bausch & Lomb, Inc., the maker of ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution, has been acquired by the private equity firm Warburg Pincus for $3.67 billion. This may have implications for the pending for the lawsuits pending against the eye contact lens manufacturer. ReNu with MoistureLoc has been associated with fusarium keratitis, a bacteria that has the potential to cause blindness. As of...

• 2007 - Not a Good Year for Tobacco Defendants (Part 1)

  Brenda Fulmer | October 15, 2007 7:54 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  After years of scorched earth litigation tactics and many successes, the tide appears to be turning. The tobacco industry is no longer dominating the court system. Those who have suffered the ravages of smoking are being heard - and not just in Florida where the Florida Supreme Court rendered a stunning defeat to tobacco defendants in Engle that will be felt for years to come as former class...

• Children's Spinning Wheel Necklaces Recalled for Excessive Lead

  Chrissie Cole | September 27, 2007 11:59 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Rhode Island Novelty announced a recall of its children's spinning wheel metal necklaces due to excessive amounts of lead.The clasp of the necklaces contains excessive levels of lead. If ingested by young children, lead can be toxic and cause adverse health effects.The recalled necklaces are 30-inches-long with a spinning...

• Chrysler Recalls Trucks and SUVs for Brake Problem

  Chrissie Cole | September 15, 2007 5:59 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Chrysler announced an automobile recall of approximately 300,000 trucks and SUVs due to drivers experiencing a short delay in breaking when driving uphill.Chrysler dealers will fix the problem for free by reprogramming the control module of the antilock brake systems on 2007 Dodge Nitros and Jeep Wranglers and also 2006-2007 Commanders and Jeep Grand Cherokees.One report of a crash, with no...

• Another Salmonella Contamination Recall

  Staff Writer | August 30, 2007 1:32 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  68,000 pounds of bagged fresh spinach are being recalled after a sampling of the spinach tested positive for salmonella. The contaminated spinach was packed by Metz Fresh in California and involves spinach packed on August 22nd. The recall involves only fresh spinach packed under the Metz Fresh label, in packaging marked with tracking code 12208114, 12208214 or 12208314. The spinach was packed...

• Senate Wants Graphic Warning Labels on Cigarettes

  Staff Writer | July 27, 2007 6:15 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  A Senate committee has added an provision to a bill to place more graphic warning labels to packages of cigarettes. Canada already has a similar law to stop people from smoking cigarettes. The aim is to show the potentially deadly side effects of cigarette smoking. The amendment was accepted as part of overall legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration authority for the...

• Veggie Booty Snacks Recalled for Salmonella Contamination

  Chrissie Cole | June 30, 2007 5:32 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  The FDA is advising consumers to discard any Veggie Booty Snacks, marketed by Robert's American Gourmet, due to possible contamination of Salmonella Wandsworth, a bacterium that causes gastrointestinal illness.Parents who are aware that their children have eaten Veggie Booty Snacks should watch for symptoms and seek medical attention immediately if signs of illness appear.Anyone who has eaten...

• Lawsuit Claims Tobacco Companies Targeted African-American Consumers

  Christina Cole | June 10, 2007 11:47 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  A lawsuit filed, Wednesday, against several tobacco companies, alleges the tobacco companies were targeting black consumers.The suit seeks over $1 billion in damages on behalf of Gloria Tucker of Coral Springs, a black woman whose mother and grandmother both died of health problems related to smoking.Citing marketing documents from the tobacco companies, the suit claims they used unflattering...

• Feeding Spoon Tip Becomes A Choking Hazard

  Bob Carroll | December 25, 2006 3:54 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  What was wrong with the spoons our mothers used to feed us when we were toddlers? Apparently, they lacked a soft, flexible plastic tip with dramatic colors. Now that the world has such a special spoon it is being recalled because the tip can loosen and break off creating a choking hazard. BabySwede LLC Recalls BABYBJÖRN® Feeding Spoons Due to Choking HazardThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety...