Alert: ShoulderFlex Massager Poses Strangulation Hazard

The ShoulderFlex Massager will likely be recalled after one person died and another was nearly strangled by a rotating piece on the product.  Two other reports indicate clothing and hair were caught in the device.

The FDA has notified health professionals and consumers of the serious risks associated with the use of the ShoulderFlex Massager.  The ShoulderFlex Massager, distributed by King International, is a personal massage device designed for home use to provide deep tissue massage to the neck, shoulder and back while the user lies on a flat surface.

The company has distributed 11,934 devices since October 2003 through various stores and online retailers in the United States.

The attorneys at Messa & Associates have pursued many cases involving injuries and death to consumers 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.  If your child has been seriously injured as a result of the ShoulderFlex Massager, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.

Celexa May Cause Heart Trouble

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, high doses of the antidepressant Celexa (citalopram) could trigger changes in a patient’s heart rhythm.  In some cases, the abnormal rhythms could be fatal.  As a result, the FDA has revised the label lowering the approved maximum dose of the drug to 40 mg per day.

The revision was based on reports and clinical trials of patients taking 60 mg of citalopram per day.  In the trials, those patients were at increased risk of unsafe changes to the electrical activity of the heart, a condition known as prolongation of the QT interval.  The QT interval prolongation led to abnormal heart rhythms especially in patients with underlying heart conditions or those who have low levels of potassium and magnesium in the blood.

New labels for Celexa and its generics will include a warning about the heart risks.  Current Celexa users taking higher doses should talk to their doctors.  The FDA encourages patients experiencing irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting to seek immediate care.

Messa & Associates is available to handle cases involving heart attacks or other heart injuries related to Celexa.  Our attorneys are experienced at have handled dozens of cases involving drugs and drug product injuries.  Our attorneys have successfully pursued litigation and obtained verdicts and settlements for victims suffering from these injuries.  If you or a loved one has used the antidepressant Celexa and suffered a serious heart condition or death as a result, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.

Be Prepared: Hurricane Irene Expected to Hit East Coast

Hurricane Irene is expected to hit the east coast this weekend and may cause damage, power outages and other dangers to more than 65 million people in the affected areas.  Already, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware have declared a state of emergency and are preparing for heavy winds and rain.  Messa & Associates reminds you to be prepared, stay informed and heed all safety warnings issued by state and local governments.

Here are some tips to prepare you and your loved ones for the storm:

• Get cash and put gas in your vehicle.
• Charge your mobile devices in case you are without electricity for a period of time.
• Stock on up several days worth of non-perishable food. Be sure you have a manual can opener.
• Have a supply of batteries and a radio, and tune into your local stations for updates.
• Be sure you have bottled water.  Fill up your bathtub with water in case you need to that water for toilet-flushing.
• Do not attempt to drive in water.
• Clean out your rain gutters. If we get heavy rains, they could be a trouble spot.
• Check for large trees near your house whose branches could pose a potential threat in high winds, and trim them now.
• Bring patio furniture and plants inside so those items don’t end up smashing your windows in high winds.
• Consider moving items from your basement that would be ruined by water.

Messa & Associates is a personal injury law firm experienced in handling injury cases that arise out of weather conditions.  Our attorneys have obtained verdicts and settlements for many weather related cases, including a $954,000 jury verdict for a man who slipped and fell on ice on the sidewalk at a Newtown Square, Pennsylvania condominium.  For more information or if you or a loved has been seriously injured by the weather, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.