San Diego personal injury lawyer -

Despite the often troubling news about rampant distracted driving deaths and accidents along the roadways, new information seems to suggest that roads are safer today than they have been in years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced their estimate of the number of fatalities that occurred due to an automobile accident in 2011.  They say that 32,310 people died last year in a motor vehicle accident, which is still about 32,310 more than would be acceptable, but it does represent a 1.7% decrease from 2010.  In fact, rates have never been this low.  Since people began keeping records in 1921, this is the lowest number ever when taken as a percentage of miles driven.

So what’s the reason for the sharp decline?  Experts point to improved safety equipment in automobiles, an increase in the number of people who utilize seat belts, and public safety campaigns designed to inform people about the dangers of drinking and driving.  One other factor might be the economy.  When there’s an economic downturn, people don’t drive as often as they normally would.

35.7 billion fewer miles were driven last year when compared with 2010, and 1.09 deaths occurred every 100 million miles.  Perhaps most encouraging, these numbers have declined 26% from six years prior.

I’m glad as a car accident lawyer in San Diego to see these statistics get better with time, but there’s still work to be done.  It’s my hope as a San Diego personal injury lawyer that we don’t lose sight of the fact that just one life lost is one life too many.

Today marks the second time in as many days that there’s been a recall of sprouts.  This time, though, the recall affects soybean sprouts as opposed to alfalfa sprouts.

The Woodford, Virginia-based Henry’s Farm Inc. announced the recall, which encompasses Natural Spring Water Soybean Sprouts and bulk Soybean Sprouts.  The f first item mentioned was available in clear 1.5 pound plastic packages that did not have a product code.  And the bulk items, which clocked in at approximately 10 pounds, did not have a label or a code.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services determined that certain of the products could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  This was confirmed by the Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory.  Although there haven’t been any instances of sickness in conjunction with the consumption of this product, consumers are being advised to return the item for a complete refund.  The items were only available in Washington D.C. and the states of Virginia and Maryland.

Listeria monocytogenes are dangerous because they can cause listeriosis, a nuisance which can cause nausea, headaches, and more in healthy individuals but which can cause a potentially fatal infection in a person who has a weakened immune system.

I’m sorry to see another sprout recall as a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles.  Food safety is so important to maintaining public health that I can’t help but wish that these situations could be avoided.  I hope as a San Diego personal injury lawyer that no one becomes ill from this threat.

The threat of inadvertent laceration has caused the recall of an item meant to lacerate.

The Portland, Oregon-based company Gerber Legendary Blades has announced a recall of their Gerber Instant Knife.  These black knives have a 3.18 inch blade that can be splayed outward or retracted thanks to the assistance of a spring.  Affected model numbers, which can be found beneath the barcode on the knife’s package, are 30-000435 and 31-001101.

The issue has to do with the blade’s locking mechanism.  This component might not work properly, and as such, an extended blade might suddenly fold, cutting the person using the blade.  No injuries of this nature have been reported as yet in the 3,000 affected units.

These knives were available all across the country at a variety of sporting goods retail outlets in February and March.  They sold for around $50.  Persons who have the affected items are being advised to cease usage at once.  Gerber is willing to provide a free replacement to those knife owners who contact them.

Knives are dangerous without there being something wrong with the item, which is why it’s particularly frightening to this San Diego personal injury lawyer that this product has had to be recalled.  When you’re dealing with blades, particular care should be taken to ensure safety.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed as a personal injury attorney in Bakersfield that the affected products all get promptly replaced.

A pilot program being instituted by the state of Maryland aims to help parents protect their children from harm in the event of a motor vehicle collision.

Kids in Safety Seats, otherwise known as KISS, has created a program wherein parents will be able to get assistance with installing a child safety seat via Skype.  To sign up, parents can simply call a phone number, make an appointment, and get a free Skype account.  Then, starting on April 30 and depending on the time that the appointment was made, technicians will call the parents through Skype to assist them.

The parents can then position their video chat device, be it a smart phone or a laptop or a tablet, in a way that shows technicians the specific car seats and automobiles they are working with.  Participants can expect to receive instruction on recalls, how to follow the instruction manual, usage of the harness, and the actual installation.

At first, the program will only be available Monday mornings.  If its popularity grows, it might expand from there.  Officials with KISS are hoping that this will be an easy alternative for parents that don’t necessarily have the time to make it all the way out to a  car seat inspection event.

I’m glad to see programs like this as a car accident attorney in San Diego.  In this age of constantly evolving technology, it’s vital that we figure out ways to use that technology to help people.  There’s no word on if this program will expand to other states, but as a San Diego personal injury lawyer, I have my fingers crossed that it or something like it will become more prevalent across the country.

If you’re involved in a life-threatening accident that requires immediate medical attention, then it’s imperative that you get to a trauma center as quickly as possible, and a new study suggests that you might be better off traveling by air than on the street.

The Journal of the American Medical Association has just published a study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine which claims that accident victims with severe injuries are 1 to 2% more likely to survive if they’re transported to a trauma center via a helicopter rather than via an ambulance.

In compiling their findings, the researchers looked at 224,000 patients that had to receive treatments, 162,000 of which traveled in an ambulance.  By taking the findings just at face value, ambulances come out on top, with an 89% survival rate versus an 87% survival rate amongst helicopters.  But once researchers factored in age, distance away, likelihood of survival, and other factors, the numbers reversed themselves and helicopters came out on top.

Researchers are quick to point out that this shouldn’t be used as a blanket scenario, and that each case should be taken on its own merits depending on distance and time factors.

I found this study incredibly interesting as a car accident lawyer in San Diego.  I regularly read stories about persons being rescued and transported to a hospital to receive injury treatments, but I never thought to consider which method of transport was safer.  I hope as a San Diego personal injury lawyer that this research is the first step to saving the lives of accident victims all across the country.

Another recall announcement is making its rounds through the various media outlets, this time concerning the potential presence of a nut allergen in a chocolate drink.

The specific item in question is called the Odwalla Chocolate Protein Monster beverage.  Odwalla produced the item, which was available across the country at various retail outlets, although one specific version came in a variety pack that was only available at Costco.  The recall encompasses those beverages sold in the past seven weeks and have an expiration on or before May 23, 2012.

At issue are reports that users have suffered allergic reactions after drinking the beverage.  The four people that made the reports have said that they do not have a soy or milk allergy, but that they are allergic to tree nuts and/or peanuts.

The Food and Drug Administration and Odwalla are reportedly trying to get to the bottom of the possible allergen contamination.  The plant where the drink is manufactured has no nut products in its lineup, and the beverage itself does not contain nuts.

As a precaution, the company has advised those with nut allergies to discontinue use of the drink with the mentioned expiration dates.  They can return the item for a refund.

As a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, I applaud when a company acts in a way that many would consider overly cautious.  It’s better to issue a recall and maintain safety than have someone get hurt.  That’s my opinion, anyway, as a San Diego personal injury lawyer.

A collaborative effort between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers could potentially lead to the development of auto safety technology that would greatly reduce the number of drivers under the influence of alcohol on the roads. The four-year-old project, officially titled the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), is currently working on diagnostic equipment that could be installed into a vehicle’s dashboard. This technology would test a potential driver’s blood alcohol content to determine whether it met the legal safety guidelines. If the would-be driver tested above the legal limits, the vehicle’s ignition system would be disabled.

The technology is being developed faster than originally anticipated. Experiments related to national security that seek to develop methods of detecting specific chemicals and biological entities have helped the DADSS project advance more rapidly, and the measurement equipment hospitals use to observe patient’s blood sugar levels – sensors that can be attached to patients’ fingertips – has proven useful for monitoring blood-alcohol content, as well.  Though the project is advancing ahead of schedule, it could be up to a decade before the technology is available at the auto dealership.

As a San Diego car accident attorney, I have seen the damage caused by motorists who attempted to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you have been inured in an auto accident caused by an intoxicated driver, please consider contacting a San Diego personal injury lawyer.

Yet another product is being recalled from store shelves because of the presence of an undeclared allergen.

This announcement concerns a stuffed potato product made by Michigan-based Al Baghdadi Food Inc.  Specifically, the item is called Fully Cooked Potato Chop Middle Eastern Brand Mashed Potato Stuffed with Beef Filling Artificially Colored.  Each package contains 12 pieces.

More than 5,400 pounds of the product fall under the purview of the recall.  Each package will have EST. 44182 emblazoned upon it.  The items, which were manufactured between August 16 2011 until yesterday, April 2, were available in various stores throughout Illinois, Michigan, and Arizona.

The items are being recalled because they contain soy and milk even though the label does not list as much.  These ingredients pose a risk of an adverse reaction to those who are allergic to such items.  Apparently, one of the firms that supplies ingredients to Al Baghdadi changed the formula that went into said ingredient, and since the new formula has milk and soy, those allergens thusly made their way into the stuffed potato item.

The issue was discovered during routine testing, and not because of any reported illnesses in conjunction with the item.

As a personal injury attorney in Bakersfield, I’m sad to see an allergen make its way into a product, but I am happy to see a recall issued before an injury takes place.  It’s my desire as a San Diego personal injury lawyer that all labels accurately reflect what they have inside their packaging.

The Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with plans to shut down a seafood distributor that they say is endangering public health.

A permanent injunction is being sought by the FDA against Fujino Enterprises Inc., more commonly known as Blue Ocean Smokehouse, a company based out of Half Moon Bay.    That injunction would prevent the continued processing and distribution of fish products.  The Department of Justice has filed a complaint.

Findings by the FDA have shown that the fish products made by Blue Ocean are adulterated.  The conditions used to process these food items fail to comply with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point regulations, which are supposed to be in place in order to spot hazards and prevent their further occurrence.

The FDA also claims that preparation conditions don’t meet standards set by Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements, citing an October inspection which showed unsatisfactory employee hygiene and inadequate contamination protection.

In addition, it was discovered that the company’s products may contain a botulism toxin that cannot be removed through heating or freezing.  Listeria monocytogenes, an infection causing agent, was also found on various surfaces, and Blue Ocean’s tuna was at risk of contracting scombrotoxin.

All things considered, this seems pretty damning to a San Diego personal injury lawyer like me.  When companies fail to comply with the FDA, steps must and will be taken to ensure public safety.  As a personal injury lawyer in Riverside, I just hope things get fixed before someone gets hurt.

An act being considered by the Senate and the House of Representatives takes aim at medical devices whose design was based off of previously recalled products.

The Safety of Untested and New Devices Act, known as SOUND, was brought about largely because of complications with a transvaginal mesh implant that had numerous complications.  The issue arose because that item shared much in its design with a previous device that was recalled in 1999.

If instated, the bill would enable the Food and Drug Administration to deny approval of items based off of designs of devices that were recalled in the past or are in the midst of a recall.  To gain approval, the makers of such devices would have to be able to explain the differences in the the two items.  The bill is designed to close what a representative of the bill has called a loophole in the 510(k) device approval process.

One of the other medical devices that would fall under the scrutiny of the new bill is a hip implant device.  The recalled DePuy ASR, for instance, was itself based off of the design of the defective Pinnacle hip implant.

As a personal injury attorney in San Jose, I’ll be keeping a close watch on developments with this story.  With the bill being considered this summer, this could be a monumental change in the safety status of medical devices.  It’s my hope as a San Diego personal injury lawyer that defective products in the market eventually become a thing of the past.