Toro Snowblowers and Mowers Recalled

Toro has issued a recall for 23,000 Toro Power Clear Snowblowers and 6,200 Toro 20" Recycler Mowers because of a potential fire risk.

The company has received approximately 500 reports of carburetor leaks which could develop fuel leaks and ignite when exposed to an ignition source, posing a fire or burn hazard to consumers.

Toro Snowblowers with model numbers 38588 and 38589 and Recycler Mower with model number 20323 are affected by the recall.  The products were sold at Toro dealers in the United States and Canada from September 2009 until March 2011.

Consumers should stop using the snowblowers and mowers immediately.

Messa & Associates has handled many burn and fire cases caused by defective products which resulted in significant injuries and death.  Our attorneys have been successful in litigating cases and obtaining substantial verdicts and settlements.  If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries resulting from the use of a Toro snowblower or mower, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.

Study Finds Clot Risk with Some Birth-Control Pills

A study published in the British Medical Journal found that women who use birth-control pills made with the hormone drospirenone are three times more likely to develop blood clots than those who take older oral contraceptives.

Researchers selected nearly 300 women aged 15 to 44 who did not have any major risk factors for blood clots to participate in the study.  Sixty-one of those women who started using contraceptives after May 2002 had been diagnosed with clots, the researchers found.

Although the overall risk of developing a clot in the lungs or legs was still low for women using drospirenone according to the study, the results supported earlier findings from European studies.  In those studies, researchers from U.S. and New Zealand concluded that drospirenone appears to have a higher risk of clots compared with the older hormone levonorgestrel.

Bayer AG’s Yasmin, Beyaz, Yaz and Angeliq pills all contain drospirenone.  As of February 1, there were about 6,850 U.S. lawsuits pending over alleged injuries and deaths as a result of the use of Yasmin, Yaz, or Teva’s generic versions of the drugs, according to Bayer’s annual report.  Bayer also faces 13 class action suits in Canada.

The attorneys at Messa & Associates are experienced at handling cases involving pharmaceutical and drug product injuries.  Our skilled team of attorneys has successfully pursued litigation and obtained verdicts and settlements for victims of pharmaceutical injuries.  If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries as a result of taking birth-control pills, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.

Faulty Air-Bag Sensors Trigger Recalls

Toyota is recalling almost 308,000 sport utility vehicles including 214,000 RAV4s from the 2007-8 model years and 94,000 Highlander and Highlander hybrids from 2008 because the curtain shield air bags could deploy without a crash.  Airbag related injuries range from minor scrapes, bruises and scratches to more serious injuries such as head trauma, a broken nose, chest injuries, or injuries to the fingers, hands and arms.  In severe cases, injuries can be fatal.

The automaker revealed that it learned of the problem caused by a short circuit in two sensors three years ago, but waited to recall the vehicles because they changed the sensor design in January 2008.  However, drivers have continued to report spontaneous deployments, including some that have caused injuries.

The curtain shield is a tubular air bag mounted in the roof, just above the windows.  In a side-impact crash or rollover, it is designed to provide head protection for front and rear-seat passengers.

The attorneys at Messa & Associates have successfully represented many victims of defective trucks and other motor vehicles.  If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by one of the recalled Toyota RAV 4 or Highlander SUVs, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.

Parent Alert: Bedding, Toys Pose Risk to Infants

Although new federal standards for cribs will effect starting in June, the dangers posed by crib bedding and other toys are still not covered. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission say puffy bumpers, pillows and blankets, low-hanging mobiles as well as stuffed animals all pose suffocation hazards to babies who are younger than a year old and should not be placed in their cribs.  Loose fabric and soft cushions can block a baby's nose and mouth and experts believe some sleeping babies may not wake up sufficiently to fight for air when that happens, leading to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Currently, there are no guidelines in place for crib bedding and no warning labels, but experts suggest parents try sleeper outfits that zip up and fit close as a safer way to provide warmth or tightly swaddle newborns in receiving blankets as long as the blanket doesn't come up higher than the infant's arms.

They also caution parents in regards to other products on the market that are designed to make babies safer but have posed some risks of their own.  Positioning pillows, designed to keep babies from rolling onto their sides or stomachs have been involved in at least 13 infant deaths since 1997.  In addition, nearly two million video baby monitors were recalled last year after two babies strangled in their power cords and died and 76,000 bed-side sleepers were recalled this month after reports of 10 infants who became trapped in the gap between the adult and baby mattresses.

The CPSC says the commission's Safe Sleep Team is reviewing 28 incidents involving crib bumpers again and expects to address issues with new bumper styles in the future.

The attorneys at Messa & Associates have pursued many cases involving injuries and death to children as a result of products with manufacturing and design defects.  We combine our years of experience, thorough research, and the knowledge of highly regarded experts to prepare these cases.  For more information or if your child has suffered serious injury or death as a result of crib bedding or an infant toy, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.