Archives : 2009 : November

Toyota Problems Continue – Automaker to Repair 4 Million Gas Pedals for Unintended Acceleration Issues

Toyota’s problems don’t seem to stop. The ongoing controversy over the cause of the unintended acceleration in several of the automaker’s vehicles continues with Toyota announcing that it will fix gas pedals in about 4 million vehicles. The repair is being billed as a solution to the problem of unintended and uncontrolled acceleration in several Toyota vehicles, including the Camry.

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Automakers Design Safer Cars to Prevent Accidents Involving Senior Citizens

By the year 2030, over 20 percent of the drivers in this country will be over the age of 65.  That translates into a larger number of motorists on the road who may face physical and mental limitations that could impact their ability to drive safely.  Older people have an accident rate that’s as high as teen motorists, although for entirely different reasons. As a report by NPR shows, automakers are beginning to factor in these limitations of senior citizens, in their auto design plans.

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Toyota Tundras Recalled for Body Frame Rust Problems

Toyota has announced a recall of approximately 100,000 of its Tundra pickups because of body frame rust issues. The recall is the second involving Tundra pickups for the same problem.

The recall affects full size Tundra pickup trucks from 2000 to 2003. It comes after an investigation in to rust issues by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The agency received several complaints from the owners of Tundra pickups. According to the complaints, the rust on the frame can cause the spare tire to become loose and detach, with potential damage to the brake lines. According to the New York Times, Toyota announced that it was recalling the pickups last week. It has told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that its investigations have tentatively revealed that the problem was caused by poor maintenance of the pickups, excessive use of road salt, as well as design and manufacture issues.

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Pfizer to Pay $103 Million in Product Liability Punitive Damages to Women Who Developed Cancer

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer will pay $103 million in punitive damages to two women who developed breast cancer after the use of hormonal drugs. A verdict of $28 million for one of the women was announced by a jury in Philadelphia on Monday. In the other case, the victim had earlier received $75 million. The $75 million judgment had been sealed to avoid influencing the second jury.

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CPSC Chairwoman Ensures Americans about Toy Safety as Holiday Season Begins

The 2009 holiday season is here, and parents around the country are going to begin shopping for gifts for their children. Buying toys that are safe for children can be a challenge, especially in these times of high lead content, phthalate contamination, and other hazards.

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California Product Liability Lawyers Alert Consumers to the Worst Toys of 2009

It’s that time of the year when California product liability lawyers have defective and unsafe toys on their minds. A toy safety watchdog has released its list of top ten worst toys of 2009, just in time to warn parents.

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Three Killed in Los Angeles Truck Accident

Three people were killed in a tragic truck accident in Los Angeles when a sports utility vehicle crashed into a tractor trailer. According to news reports, the accident occurred on the 210 freeway in the early hours of Sunday. The sports utility vehicle rear ended the big rig, and immediately exploded into flames. A man, a woman and a 14-year-old boy in the SUV, died in the crash.

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California Highway Patrol Braces for High Accident-Risk Holiday Season

It’s Thanksgiving season, and millions of travelers around California will begin driving across the state to visit friends and family. For the California Highway Patrol and local enforcement agencies however, the four day weekend promises more numbers of drivers on the streets, congested traffic, incidents of road rage, and speeding and drunk drivers. By all accounts, the California Highway Patrol has a greater challenge this year, than it did in 2008.

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2.1 Million Drop Side Cribs Recalled after Four Infant Deaths

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of 2.1 million cribs made by a Canadian manufacturer, after four infants died from suffocation. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, parents and caregivers must stop using the cribs made by Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc of Canada.

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New Communication Devices Could Help Lower Cell Phone-Related Accident Risks

As California personal injury lawyers, we are constantly monitoring the measures that are being taken to cut down on cell phone use while driving. It is encouraging seeing the new kinds of high tech measures being adopted to combat such behavior. A report in the New York Times features new technologies that are being developed to reduce the distraction risks of using cell phones while driving.

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