Riverside personal injury lawyer -

The Food and Drug Administration is coming down on the makers of certain dietary supplements whose products contain an ingredient that has yet to be proven safe.

Ten different manufacturers and distributors have received a warning letter from the safety agency because their products contain what’s known as dimethylamylamine, or DMAA.  Also known as geranium extract, the makers of the products many times refer to the item as a natural stimulant, but the FDA takes issue with its presence.

They say that none of the companies have proved the safety of DMAA.  Because the ingredient falls under the category of New Dietary Ingredient, the companies that include it must prove through various testing that DMAA is safe before they set out to market it.  Doing otherwise takes the items out of compliance with FDA regulations, forcing the agency to classify the products as adulterated.

The FDA has stated that they have not acquired evidence that proves DMAA’s safety, and in fact have anecdotal data that shows the opposite.  DMAA is known to narrow blood vessels, thus increasing blood pressure.  Products containing DMAA have also prompted 42 complaints to the FDA, although it should be noted the ingredient was never proven to be the cause of the reported health issues.

The companies have 15 days to respond.

Take it from a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles like me:  compliance with FDA regulations is essential to preserving safety.  I hope as a Riverside personal injury lawyer that pains are taken to correct these violations, as to do otherwise could be dangerous for the citizens of this country.

An error that prevents proper water distribution has prompted a recall.

The recall was announced by Gems Sensors, a company based out of the Connecticut city of Plainville.  The safety defect concerns Gems 3100 Pressure Detectors/Transducers.  Around 25,000 units are affected by the recall, and all those units were imported by Gems Sensors from England.

The item is supposed to keep track of water pressure in sprinkler systems designed to quell fire in the event of a blaze, but the transducer does not properly perform this function.  Therefore, there’s a chance that the sprinkler system the transducer is attached to will not displace water to a fire should one occur.

The recall concerns those components whose 18 digit part number begins with the digits 3100.  The items were available for purchase directly through the company or via a number of distributors.  The transducer retailed for $250, and customers may have purchased the item between January 2006 and February of this year.

There has yet to be a reported injury in conjunction with this defect, but users are being urged to get in touch with Gems to obtain instructions on how to conduct bi-weekly inspections, and if necessary, to receive a free replacement.

As a personal injury attorney in San Diego, I’m sorry to see a component vital to preserving safety possibly pose a danger.  It’s essential that devices designed to lower the threat of fire be able to function correctly.  I hope as a Riverside personal injury lawyer that no one gets injured due to this threat.

Reports of eye infections have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to offer a follow-up warning on a drug that they began alerting consumers about just over a month ago.

On March 19, The FDA warned physicians to immediately cease using a drug known as Brilliant Blue G, which may be administered during eye surgery.  This drug has not been approved in this country, but it was distributed throughout the nation by the Ocala, Florida-based Franck’s Pharmacy.  That firm has since recalled the drug as well as a lot of Triamcinolone Acetonide P.F.

Both of those mentioned drugs have been the subject of new reports that have come in to the FDA in which eye infections, or fungal endophthalmitis, occurred following eye surgeries throughout a number of states.  The FDA is working with local health agencies and the Centers for Disease Control to determine what happened in these incidents.

In the meantime, doctors are being asked to use the Medwatch program to report any illnesses associated with these products.  The FDA has also advised doctors not to use any triamcinolone products that were supplied by Franck’s until they receive word that such items are safe for use.

It saddens me as a personal injury attorney in San Francisco to see a warning need to be expanded.  One hopes that if a recall occurs, it’s taken care of promptly, but this shows that a defective product can have long-lasting repercussions.  I hope as a Riverside personal injury lawyer that no one else has to get hurt by this unapproved drug.

A new service being offered seeks to help automobile owners get recall announcements that could end up saving their lives.

The measure is being called the Auto Recall Alert Service, and it is being offered by the North Carolina Consumers Council, a non-profit organization.  Supporters of the organization and the new service claim that this new system will help those persons who have moved to North Carolina but failed to properly notify the manufacturer of their automobile.  When this happens, the manufacturer might not be able to contact a consumer in the event of a recall.  A similar thing could happen if a person buys a used car; the former owner might get the recall notice instead of the new one.

The Auto Recall Alert Service aims to change that.  It works like this:  members of the NCCC are allowed to sign up one or two vehicles.  The alert service will then monitor recall alerts on a daily basis and inform the consumer if the vehicle or vehicles they registered pop up as being under investigation for a defect or has been outright recalled.  The service will then notify the vehicle’s owner by way of text, mail, or email.

Considering how vital recall alerts are, I’m glad as a car accident attorney in Riverside to see a service that helps spread safety information.  Unfortunately, this service only concerns North Carolina at the moment.  This is why as a Riverside personal injury lawyer I do what I can to report any information that affects consumer safety across teh whole country.

Some government officials would like to see new warning labels on certain cuts of meat.

At issue is the process known as mechanical tenderization.  The process involves using either needles or blades to help tenderize tough cuts of certain types of meat.  It works by breaking down meat’s connective tissues and muscle fibers, and in some cases involves injecting a marinade into the meat itself.

Some safety-conscious citizens believe that this puts the meat at a greater risk of being infected with bacteria like E. coli.  They think that the same needles that can tenderize a slab of beef can also push bacteria deeper into the product.  Because of that, there’s a large number of people who want such slices of meat to have a label that describes the meat as “non-intact” and warns of a greater risk of infection and a need for a higher cooking temperature.

For their part, many persons involved in the meat industry believe that there’s simply not any proof to back such a claim that there’s an increase in bacterial contamination.  They want more analysis before something rash is done.

This comes on the heels of Wednesday’s recall of 2,000 pounds of Town & Country beef.

This is an issue I’ll be following closely as a Riverside personal injury lawyer.  I’ve long emphasized the importance of labels, as I think it’s vital that consumers know every potential safety risk associated with their food.  However, I also understand as a Bakersfield personal injury attorney that careful research must be done before conclusions are jumped to.

The risk of a loss of visibility has caused yet another massive automobile recall that affects vehicles across the entire country.

This time, the recall concerns 2011 and 2012 Chevy Traverse, Buick Enclave, and GMC Acadia vehicles.  General Motors, the corporation responsible for making the vehicles, announced the recall, which affects about 50,000 automobiles in total.

The issue concerns a faulty windshield wiper, which if you follow recall information has been a common cause for a recall as of late.  During winter weather conditions, ice and snow can accumulate on the blades, negatively impacting their ability to move and causing the wiper blades themselves to loosen.  When this happens, visibility is compromised and there is a greater risk of a vehicle crash.

Although the vehicles are available across the entire country, not every state is affected by the recall for the simple fact that not every state is forced to endure winter weather conditions.  Therefore, vehicles that have been registered in such high temperature states as Florida are not being recalled.

General Motors will begin contacting owners this month, at which point consumers will be able to bring their vehicles in to a dealer to get the wiper blades’ fasteners tightened at no charge.

As a car accident lawyer in Riverside, I’m still amazed by the overwhelming number of automobile recalls that take place.  I know that these are technologically complex machines, but I can’t help but think as a Riverside personal injury lawyer that manufacturers can do a lot better when it comes to consumer safety.

The Food and Drug Administration has told a Canadian company that until they meet certain demands, they will be unable to pedal their goods south of the border in the United States.

Pax-All Manufacturing, based out of the Canadian city of Mississauga, is the recipient of a letter from the FDA calling them out on what the safety agency says are poor production procedures that could endanger health.  Pax-All is a cosmetic and drug company that makes things like deodorant, soaps, and various other cosmetics.

The FDA sent agents to inspect a Pax-All facility last September.  During that inspection, the investigators reportedly found a number of things that gave them pause.  First, they cited the company for a failure to maintain their equipment so as to prevent contamination of their products.  They also targeted quality control as an area in which Pax-All is not up to standards put in place to ensure public health.

The manufacturing company is also being accused of poor product testing habits, a lack of a storage and expiration date assessment program, and unreliable labeling.  The FDA also targeted the company’s practice of using duct tape and cardboard when a filling line needs to be repaired.

As a Riverside personal injury lawyer, I’m glad to see the FDA crack down on a company that might be endangering public health.  I hope that the issues get resolved, and until they do, it’s my hope as a San Diego personal injury attorney that no one gets injured due to Pax-All’s potentially defective products.

Another recall to report to you this afternoon, this time of a food product that may contain salmonella.

The recall concerns various salsa products: Private Selection 12 ounce and Heinen’s 16 ounce brand salsa.  Both of these brands fall under the banner of Club Chef LLC.  The salsa products were recalled after it was discovered that jalapenos used in the products could have been infected with salmonella.

This salmonella contamination was first discovered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, who happened to be randomly testing a case of jalapenos.  Those jalapenos have since been recalled, which has led to this second recall.  The salsa was distributed to 11 different states on March 14 and 15 and have a use by date of March 27.

Victims of a salmonella infection can expect fever, diarrhea, and vomiting, among other side effects.  If the contaminant reaches the blood stream it can cause arterial infections and arthritis.  Children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.

Thankfully, there have yet to be reports of sickness from people who have used the product.  Users may return the salsa to the place of purchase to receive a full reimbursement on the price of the item.

I keep up on all recall information as a Fresno personal injury lawyer.  I had heard about the jalapeno recall, so this comes as a natural continuation of that.  By educating yourself on recall information, you too can become just as knowledgable as a Riverside personal injury lawyer.

Another recall has been announced, this one potentially affecting that portion of the population that has asthma.

Strong America Ltd., the makers of the Golden Smell brand, has announced the recall of that brand’s six ounce Dried Potato product that comes in plastic packaging.  The item was manufactured in China and sold in Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The issue has come about because the item contains sulfites, despite the fact that the label does not say as much.  Food inspectors from the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets discovered that the product contains 36 milligrams per serving.  This is a danger, as it’s thought that only 10 milligrams of the substance can create a severe reaction in those with asthma.  This reaction generally involves anaphylactic shock.

Thankfully, no illnesses have been brought to the attention of the company as of yet.  Concerned customers have been advised to return the item to the store from which it was purchased.  A full refund will be issued at that time.  Consumers are also urged to call the company should they have any questions or concerns.

As a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, I know how serious a recall of this nature can be.  Although a large swath of the population may not comprehend the danger that the presence of one simple ingredient can pose, those who would be adversely affected by these sulfites certainly understand.  It’s my hope as a Riverside personal injury lawyer that no one gets hurt in accordance with this item.

 4-Star Trailers Incorporated has announced a voluntary recall of specific models of its horse trailer due to a possible brake malfunction. The models affected by the recall are: the 4-Horse L.Q., the4-Horse Bumper Pull, and the Polo Trailer. The electric/hydraulic brake actuator pumps on these trailers have the potential for premature wear and tear because some of these specific models might not have been adequately heat treated prior to their release. This problem can possibly cause the actuator pump to malfunction. The trailer’s brakes are powered by the electric/hydraulic brake actuator pumps, so the pump’s malfunction could cause the trailer’s brakes to fail, increasing the potential for a collision.

 Owners of horse trailer models can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or visit the administration’s website for more information. 4-Star Trailers will begin informing consumers of the recall. Owners should return the trailers to the authorized 4-Star dealer, where the problem will corrected at no cost to the consumer.

As a licensed Riverside car accident attorney,  I sincerely hope that this recall is carried out in time to prevent any damage these potentially malfunctioning auto parts might cause, but unfortunately not every vehicle recall is carried out before serious harm is incurred. If you or someone you love or care about has been injured by a defective vehicle, please consider contacting a qualified Riverside personal injury lawyer.