Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is a New York Plaintiff's personal injury law firm specializing in automobile accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct and all types of New York personal injury litigation.

Articles Tagged with dangerous products

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Asbestos_fibresAsbestos is a dangerous product that was used in construction materials decades ago. After it was found that exposure to asbestos could lead to lung cancer, mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases, its usage became strictly regulated in the US.

Now the Environmental Protection Agency is looking at options to use asbestos again in new uses such as “adhesives, sealants, roof and non-roof coatings; extruded sealant tape and other tape; high-grade electrical paper; millboard; pipeline wrap; reinforced plastics; roofing felt; asbestos floor tile and any other building material other than cement” according to a significant New Use Rule (SNUR) proposed by the agency.

Anyone who wishes to comment on this rule proposal can do it until August 10th.

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finger chicken is the most dangerous food in the US
Among all food products offered to American consumers, chicken products  are the most dangerous. They have the highest risk to be contaminated with salmonella or other pathogens and to cause illnesses to consumers according to a recently released study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Researchers at the CDC analyzed 5,760 reports of foodborne disease outbreaks that occurred between 2009 and 2015. These outbreaks resulted in 100,939 illnesses, 5,699 hospitalizations, and 145 deaths.

While fish recorded the highest number of contamination followed by dairy products and chicken, chicken was responsible for the most illnesses related to contamination. During the period under review, 3,144 consumers got ill after eating chicken, 2,670 after eating pork and 2,572 after eating seeded vegetables.

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3.3 million units of four varieties of Goldfish Crackers have been recalled over fears that the products might be contaminated with salmonella. Peperidge Farm, the manufacturing company, indicated the potential contamination was caused by whey powder used in the fabrication of the crackers. The varieties of Goldfish Crackers being recalled are:

  • Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar
  • Flavor Blasted Sour Cream & Onion
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keyless carMultiple owners of key-less cars have been dying of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning after mistakenly thinking that their car had stopped running. In most scenarios the car owner parks the vehicle in the house garage and takes the wireless key fob thinking that the car has shut down while it hasn’t. Overnight the garage and the house fills with odorless carbon monoxide gas, leaving the owner and other potential house residents dead or severely injured.

There are no exact records of how many people have died or how many people were left with serious injuries such as brain damage after inadvertently leaving their car running but 24 deaths nationwide were reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since 2006 when the first known case occurred. 70 year old Jeanette Colter, a Florida resident who  left her Toyota Avalon running in the garage ended up collapsing and dying between her kitchen and her living room. Her 89 year old husband died in the bedroom.

In 2009 after several other similar accidents were reported, the Society of Automotive Engineers formed a panel to develop recommended practices to address key-less ignition hazards. In 2011, the group recommended an externally audible or visual alert or automatic shut off of the engine if all doors are closed and the key fob is not present. That same year the NHTSA proposed a new rule with similar recommendations.

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JohnsonA New Jersey jury recently found that Johnson & Johnson baby powder contained asbestos and that the tainted product caused mesothelioma to a New Jersey banker. Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer linked to asbestos.

Stephen Lanzo was awarded $30 million for his pain and suffering and his wife was awarded $7 million in damages as well. 70% has to be paid by J&J and the other 30% by talc supplier Imery Talc America.

Both companies are planning to appeal. They pretend the banker developed cancer after being exposed to another asbestos source such as his school or childhood home.

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Colgate Total potentially dangerousTriclosan and triclocarban are two potentially dangerous antimicrobial ingredients that can be found in many consumer products. These two ingredients as well as 17 other antimicrobial ingredients were banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last September in “antiseptic wash products that are intended for use with water and are rinsed off after use, including hand washes and body washes”. However the scope of  the FDA final rule was too narrow and many consumer products such as Colgate’s Total toothpaste still contain these dangerous ingredients.

According to “The Florence Statement on Triclosan and Triclocarban”, a recent scientific statement published by the journal “Environmental Health Perspectives”, the usage of these two chemicals  is still widespread. Because they are mostly used in wash products, they end up in the sink with the water and have negative repercussions on the environment.  They have been detected in aquatic plants and animals as well as in human blood and breast milk. It is present in the urine of most humans. Previous studies have  linked Triclosan and Triclocvarban to developmental problems in animals. They may potentially affect pregnant womenand harm human fetuses and newborns.

In the “The Florence Statement on Triclosan and Triclocarban” the scientific community, health professionals from all around the world and various US  universities and medical institutions are urging manufacturers around the world to limit or to stop using these ingredients in their products. They also ask that regulatory authorities such as the FDA re-evaluate the safety of these chemicals and to make sure that products that still contain them are banned or at least clearly labelled.