The NHTSA said the Jeeps’ rear-mounted gas tanks could catch fire in a rear-end collision, according to ABCNews, but the company said the vehicles are safe and it will not recall them. The Jeeps included in the request are 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 Libertys.

Without Chrysler’s compliance, the NHTSA would need a court order to enforce a recall. David Strickland, NHTSA administrator, said he hopes Chrysler will reconsider its decision, ABCNews reports. “Our data shows that these vehicles may contain a defect that presents an unreasonable risk to safety,” Strickland said in a statement.

The NHTSA investigation of the Jeeps began in August 2010, at the request of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group. The agency found that the Jeeps’ fuel tanks can fail in a rear-end collision and can leak fuel, possibly causing fires. The NHTSA said the placement and height of the tank above the road are design defects, according to ABCNews.

Chrysler changed the Grand Cherokee’s fuel tank position in 2005 and the Liberty’s in 2007, repositioning the gas tank ahead of the rear axle. But retrofitting the older Jeeps would be very expensive, ABCNews reports. An industry analyst estimated that a 2011 Toyota recall cost $240 million. Toyota recalled 1.7 million cars to correct possible fuel leaks from loose fuel pressure sensors.

The reason for the recall, as noted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is that the side mattress support rails can break, posing a fall hazard.

About 59,200 units were sold in the U.S., the CPSC noted.

Since 2009, there have been 22 reported incidents in the U.S. involving the recalled beds, reported ClickOrlando.com, which added that, in 2009, a 6-year-old girl received a head injury after the top mattress of a bunk bed fell on top of her.

The beds have two side mattress support rails connecting the headboard to the footboard and slats or a Bunkie board to support the mattress. Platform beds manufactured since 2010 are not included in this recall.

According to the CPSC, consumers should contact Lea Industries for a replacement. The company can be reached toll-free at (888) 770-7116, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, or online at www.leaindustries.com and click on Recall for more information.

The reason for the recall, according to the CPSC’s press release: “Bean bag chairs without a permanent zipper closure allow young children to unzip, ingest or inhale the small beads inside of the bean bag chair, posing a suffocation and strangulation hazard.”

No injuries have been reported, the CPSC added.

The recalled Anywhere Lounger bean bag chairs are 100% polyester or 100% cotton, and measure about 51 inches in height with a 43-inch-wide base, according to the CPSC.

Recalled colors include purple (item 199-B004), chocolate (item 199-B005), bayou blue (item 199-B006), pink (item 199-B007), lime green (item 199-B008), denim (item 199-B009), black and white (item 199-B012), striped black and white (item 199-B014), natural (item 199-B016) and camo (item 199-B017).

The item number is printed on the product packaging, and Powell Company is printed on the label on the bean bag chairs, according to the CPSC.

The bean bags, manufactured in China, were sold at furniture stores nationwide, including W.S. Badcock, Value City Furniture and Nebraska Furniture Mart, as well as online at Groupon.com from June 2012 to February 2013 for about $100. The recall involves some 6,300 units.

The CPSC advises those that own one of the recalled bean bag chairs to first take it away from their child and stop using it immediately. They should then examine it and see if the exterior zipper can be unzipped; if it can, consumers should contact the Powell Company to receive a free repair kit.

The company can be reached at (800) 622-4456 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time, and on its website at http://www.powellcompany.com/AnywhereLounger.aspx. On its website, Powell Company offers to send pliers to consumers who need them.

This new recall involves 11,489 FJ Cruisers, from the model years 2007 through 2013, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Cruisers’ headlights have a defect in terms of the lights’ wattage, which may blind oncoming drivers. The newly recalled Cruisers were manufactured from January 25, 2006, through February 23, 2013, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The headlights are equipped with Toyota’s "Auxiliary Driving Lamp Kits." These are mounted to the vehicles’ front bumpers, the Los Angeles Times explained. According to documents filed with the NHTSA, the lamp assemblies include 55-watt bulbs. The documents indicate that, "due to this wattage, the combination of the upper beam headlamps plus the auxiliary lamps are too bright and exceed the maximum light output allowed for an upper-beam headlamp."

The NHTSA says that the "excessively bright" lights "may temporarily blind oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash," according to the Los Angeles Times. Toyota reported the problem to the administration on April 25, saying it would notify owners of the recalled Cruisers; dealers will replace the 55-watt bulbs with 35-watt bulbs at no cost to vehicle owners. The recall, said the Los Angeles Times, is scheduled for implementation in late May; Toyota may be reached, toll-free, at 1.800.331.4331.

The prior recall, according to Reuters, involved 310,000 of its FJ Cruisers worldwide due to a defective seatbelt anchor that could detach with wear, according to Toyota.

Most of the recalled Cruisers—two-thirds—involved U.S. vehicles,  model years 2007 through 2013, said Toyota. At the time of the recall, noted Reuters, no accidents or injuries were reported over the seatbelt defect.

"The seatbelt retractors for the driver and front passenger seat belts are mounted on the rear doors of the vehicles," Toyota said in a press statement. "Due to insufficient strength of the rear-door panel, cracks may develop over an extended period of time if the rear door is repeatedly and forcefully closed." The defect may cause the seatbelts to become unanchored, said Reuters. Toyota was planning on sending letters to FJ Cruiser owners once it determined a remedy to the defect, Reuters reported.

Earlier this year, Toyota announced a safety recall that included more than 750,000 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles, model years 2003-2004, due to an air bag defect that could injure motorists. At that time, Toyota also issued a recall for more than a quarter-million 2006-2013 model year Lexus IS sport sedans due to a windshield wiper defect. In 2009, millions of Toyota vehicles were involved in a faulty accelerator debacle. Toyota long neglected to advise the public regarding potential dangers related to the sticky pedals, which were associated with cars speeding out of control. Toyota announced several recalls since on other vehicles.

The investigation roared into the public’s eyesight last week, when federal agents raided the company’s West Knoxville, Tenn.-based corporate headquarters. A 120-page federal search warrant affidavit was filed in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, Tenn. It specifically charged sales employees with pocketing fuel price rebates and discounts that should have gone to the company’s trucking company customers, The Plain Dealer reported, adding that the affidavit also revealed that FBI and IRS agents are investigating charges of conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud.

The document also noted that the scheme had to involve the company’s highest-level executives, the Plain Deal reported, noting that current president Mark Hazelwood and CEO James A. “Jimmy” Haslam III, who also owns the Cleveland Browns, had to be aware of it because “rebate fraud-related activities have been discussed during sales meetings in Knoxville, Tenn., in which Hazelwood and Haslam have been present.”

Haslam earlier this week revealed details of the company’s response to the charges, while at the same time remaining mindful not to acknowledge that any of the allegations were true, The Tennessean reported.

Immediate steps taken by Pilot Flying J include putting members of the sales team on administrative leave and hiring an outside investigator with experience working at the U.S. Justice Department to conduct an independent review. The response also included ordering internal auditors to review the multibillion-dollar truck stop company's direct billing process with each of Pilot's 3,300 trucking clients, USA Today reported.

“We make mistakes like any company does but there is absolutely no excuse for that kind of behavior,” Haslam was quoted as saying by The Tennessean. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as embarrassed as I have been since I read the affidavit.”

He added: “I, more than anyone, understand the damage to relationships,” noting whereas the company once had the best relationships in the trucking industry, since the FBI raid and accompanying news, “[w]e now have the worst,” he said.

Haslam did not name the executives who were put on leave, USA Today reported, although the affidavit included “especially blistering” recorded conversations involving John Freeman, the vice president of sales, and Brian Mosher, the director of sales for national accounts.

The rebate program would give a trucking company a certain number of rebates based on the volume of diesel fuel its individual drivers purchased at Pilot’s truck stops, which are located throughout the U.S.

The Tennessean reported that, “according to secretly recorded conversations transcribed in the FBI affidavit, sales staffers were manually reducing the rebate that was owed, counting on the companies to not catch the error.”

Pilot Flying J has more than 650 locations and 23,000 employees; last year, it reported $29.2 billion in sales, according to USA Today.  

The suit claims that Ford vehicles manufactured between 2002 and 2010, equipped with electronic throttle control systems, are vulnerable to sudden unintended acceleration. The suit further alleges that Ford has admitted that some of its vehicles are prone to this problem. A similar acceleration issue has been heavily litigated against Toyota.

The lawsuit, citing a 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General, alleges that Ford owners have experienced unacceptable rates of sudden unintended acceleration and that Ford should have prevented the incidents by including a brake-over-accelerator or other fail-safe system, Law360 says.

According to Law360, Ford began installing a brake-over-accelerator system in some vehicles in 2010, but has not remedied the problem in earlier vehicles or warned those owners.  An electronic throttle system can unexpectedly take control of the accelerator from the driver, Law360 explains, and the vehicle needs a safety system to restore control when the driver hits the brakes.

The lawsuit could potentially include millions of Ford purchasers and lessees, if the court grants certification of nationwide and statewide classes. A plaintiffs’ attorney said that the plaintiffs are seeking to recover the lost value of their cars and to have Ford fix the acceleration problem so that “no more people are injured and no more lives are at risk because of the accelerator problem.”

According to a The New York Times report, the recall was initiated by consumer complaints when some Honda owners petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate this potential problem with the vehicles. The Honda owners said in their petition to the federal safety agency that their vehicles experienced “unexpected braking of varying duration, including several allegations of rapid decelerations from highway speeds to near stop in highway travel lanes.”

The action includes about 183,000 vehicles sold in the United States: About 101,000 Honda Pilots, 60,000 Acura MDX’s, and 21,000 Acura RLs in the 2005 model year, as well as another 800 2006 Acura MDX vehicles. Worldwide, the recall involves 250,000 vehicles. Honda told the NHTSA that it does not have any reports of accidents or injuries that were caused by any of these vehicles stopping unexpectedly or slowing more than a driver intended, according to The New York Times.

Honda indicates in its recall action that a problem exists with its Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) feature, or the electronic stability control. This system helps a vehicle adjust itself when it notices either the front or rear of a vehicle veering in a direction different than the angle of the steering wheel. The VSA applies slight pressure to the brakes to bring the vehicle back into alignment. Either a defectively manufactured electrical capacitor or a ground bolt that may have been loosened may have prompted the recall, The New York Times reports.

Honda says, “In either instance, unexpected brake activation could increase the risk of a crash,” according to a report from Agence France-Presse (AFP). The defect could occur on its own or when a driver applies the brakes to any of the affected vehicles and “the amount of brake force applied could exceed the driver's intended input.”

Vehicle stability controls are available on many makes and models of vehicles sold today and were implemented when safety tests showed that drivers often fail to fully apply the brake pedal during an emergency. These systems are designed to help drivers put full pressure on the brakes during these scenarios, according to The New York Times report.

The recall came about in an uncommon manner, The New York Times reports. One Honda owner took advantage of a little-used NHTSA defect petition that was filed in April 2012. Rather than just filing a complaint with the federal agency, the Honda owner said she found 38 complaints of unexpected braking in their vehicles, too, and at the time she filed the petition also complained that NHTSA had not opened an investigation to that point. In October 2012, NHTSA began its investigation into the matter and ramped that up in February 2013 with an engineering analysis that ended with this recall.

According to a The New York Times report, a new study has examined the impact of using so-called “minimalist” running shoes, and determined that the shoes may be responsible for an increased risk of bone damage in the foot. The injuries seen in barefoot running shoes are not often seen among people who wear traditional running shoes.

Barefoot runners believe that humans were designed, essentially, to move about barefoot and that, for centuries, people ambled without any form of footwear. A growing number of exercise enthusiasts have opted to shed their normal running shoes and have either begun running without shoes or have purchased “minimalist” running shoes that look like a mold of a foot with individual sleeves for each toe, The Times explains.

The study was requested by a Utah radiologist who had noticed a range of heel and foot injuries among people he treated who had recently begun using barefoot running shoes. The radiologist contacted researchers at Brigham Young University, The Times reports, who conducted a study on the impact of barefoot shoes and related injuries.

The study involved 36 experienced runners who ran 15-30 miles per week and included runners in both sexes, The Times explained. Each runner underwent MRI scans of their feet and lower legs to confirm they did not suffer from any pre-existing injuries. One-half of the group was randomly selected to use Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes, following  instructions set forth on the Vibram web page at the time of the 2011 study, The Times said. Essentially, the barefoot running group was to increase their running time while wearing the barefoot shoes: One mile the first week; two miles, in the second week; and so on to week four, when they could run for as long and as often as they chose in the Vibram shoes. The test period was 10 weeks.

After 10 weeks, the participants underwent another MRI and most of those who wore the Vibram barefoot sneaker were diagnosed with increased bone marrow edema in their feet. Edema is caused by fluid build-up and is an early sign of bone injury. The condition was rated on severity by a number scale of 0-4. For people who wore traditional running shoes, the edema range was between 0 and 1, the least severe edema level and fully expected as a sign that the foot is being trained and successfully strengthening. People wearing Vibram “barefoot” shoes had higher edema levels from between 2 and 4 on the scale used, The Times writes.

The Times also notes that two barefoot running participants suffered bone fractures in their feet, one to the heel bone and another to a metatarsal bone. The study also noted that nearly all of the Vibram barefoot runners cut back on their normal running program, going fewer miles, overall, at the 10-week mark, likely “because their feet hurt,” the report suggested citing the BYU study.

• 11.2-ounce packages, UPC code 3800059923, Better if Used Before Date of DEC 02 2013 followed by KNC 105 with a time stamp of 00:13-2:30
• 22.4-ounce packages, UPC code 3800078356, Better if Used Before Date of NOV 30 2013 followed by KNA 105 with a time stamp of 07:00-08:51 or NOV 30 2013 followed by KNB 105 with a time stamp of 15:00-17:05
• 37-ounce packages, UPC code 3800020940, Better if Used Before Date of NOV 30 2013 followed by KNB 107 with a time stamp of 17:31-20:05.

In the company’s recall statement, it says, “Please check any packages you have in your home and if your package matches the following criteria, please do not eat the product and contact us for a replacement coupon. We may also make arrangements to retrieve the product for further evaluation.”

Kellogg’s says it is working to eliminate the possibility of foreign material like glass or metal from making its way into products as it has in these two cereal recalls. The company has not reported any incidents or injuries related to the discovery of glass fragments in its Special K Red Berries cereals.

The Special K Red Berries cereals included in this action were distributed to the consumer level nationwide, according to the company’s recall statement posted at the Web site kelloggs.com. No products sold in Canada and Special K Red Berries packages other than 11.2, 22.4, and 37 ounces are included in this action.

L.A. Times adds that the company’s recall action last year on its Mini-Wheats cereals cost Kellogg’s between $20 million and $30 million.

The national law firm of Parker Waichman LLP has filed the lawsuit recently in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and aims to represent any Florida residents that own this gun manufactured by the iconic company. The lawsuit claims that a defective trigger device on the Remington Model 700 rifle can cause the gun to fire unexpectedly, especially when the trigger is not pulled. 

There have been scores of reports in recent years of Remington rifles firing unexpectedly, leading to several deaths and other serious injuries when the errant shots hit a nearby person or the gun handler. The Model 700, like several other Remington rifles, features the Walker Fire Control trigger mechanism, a patented device that's designed to give gun handlers a better feel when they eventually do press the trigger, resulting in a smoother shot.

According to a statement from the firm announcing the lawsuit, "Unlike other firearm manufacturers, Remington’s patented Walker Fire Control utilizes an internal component known as a trigger “connector;” the connector supports another internal component called the sear. When the trigger is pulled, the trigger body pushes the connector forward, allowing the sear to fall and the rifle to fire. When the trigger is pulled and the rifle fires, a gap is created between the trigger body and the trigger connector." Further, the Parker Waichman lawsuit claims that "field debris, manufacturing scrap, burrs from the manufacturing process, lubrication and moisture can build up in the gap created during a trigger pull," causing the Walker device to fail and put the gun owner and others at risk of serious injuries. 

The firm also believes that Remington has known since at least 1979 that the Walker Fire Control device is defective and that 1 percent of all its 5 million guns manufactured since it began using the Walker device back in 1948 are known to "trick" and fire unexpectedly. Essentially, the 1 percent are all guns that feature the Walker mechanism, which is all Model 700 rifles. This means any Remington Model 700 rifle could fire unexpectedly. 

Parker Waichman also notes in its complaint against the rifle makers that the company has previously dealt with problems associated with an older model of gun that also featured the Walker Fire Control. In 1978, Remington offered one family who lost a loved one due to an unexpected fire of a Model 600 rifle. When the news media was alerted to this settlement, the company was eventually forced to recall the Model 600. 

The problems with that gun, the firm states in its lawsuit, mirror those of the Model 700.

According to a statement from the national law firm of Parker Waichman LLP, Maxfield & Oberton Holdings, LLC, the company that manufactured Buckyballs, is in liquidation and has ceased to exist under Delaware law. The company made this announcement on Dec. 27 of last year amid controversy that it manufactured a dangerous product that put children's lives at risk.

Maxfield & Oberton has continually denied that its products are dangerous despite a growing number of injury reports linked to its Buckyballs products. These desktop novelties feature numerous rare earth magnets. These magnets are incredibly powerful, especially considering their size. Buckyballs is one of several products to use them for this purpose and they are generally marketed to an older audience but that hasn't prevented children from accessing them.

If these magnets are dislodged from their form, they pose serious injury hazards if they're swallowed. Children could put these magnets in their mouths for a variety of reasons, some trying to emulate having a tongue piercing, even. If just two, or more magnets are swallowed, they can cause serious internal injuries and perhaps death. These magnets can fuse on either side of a delicate organ like the colon and cause a perforation that requires emergency surgery to remove them.

Swallowing these magnets could also result in blood poisoning if the magnets are not removed in a timely fashion or even an intestinal blockage. 

In ceasing business, Maxfield & Oberton have also established a Liquidating trust has been set up to potentially pay for certain claims against the company. Those who believe they have a claim against the Buckyballs makers are advised to fill out a Proof of Claim form, according to the Parker Waichman press release.

In July 2012, the Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered the makers of Buckyballs and another product using numerous rare earth magnets, Zen Magnets, to stop production and marketing of their products to stem the wave of injury reports linked to them. The regulator said they wanted the companies to stop their businesses altogether. 

The companies initially complied but returned to action during the most recent holiday season before Maxfield & Oberton, the most successful of businesses dealing in these products, shut its operations entirely last month. The company said it stopped selling Buckyballs and Buckycubes on Dec. 19.

Several major retailers have agreed to pull Nap Nanny infant recliners  from their shelves and Web sites after federal safety officials urged them to do so.

According to a report from Dow Jones Newswires, Amazon Inc., Buy Buy Baby (a subsidiary of Bed, Bath & Beyond Inc.), Diapers.com, and Toys R Us and Babies R Us are all stopping sales of Nap Nanny infant recliners because federal regulators say they’re unsafe and put children at risk of serious injuries or death.

In December, the Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered the makers of Nap Nanny products to stop all marketing of their goods because the agency believed they put children at risk of serious injuries. CPSC says it has five reports of infant deaths attributed to use of Nap Nanny products.

The CPSC was unable to reach a voluntary recall arrangement with Baby Matters LLC, a company based in Berwyn, Pa., that manufactures Nap Nanny products.

Because they were unable to reach accord, CPSC filed a civil lawsuit against Baby Matters attempting to force the company to stop manufacturing its products. Though it is rare that a company will comply with such an order, what used to be an unprecedented step for the agency is becoming more commonplace. The agency recently took similar actions against the makers of products which use small and powerful rare earth magnets to create desktop novelty toys that are typically marketed to adults but also intrigue children, such as Buckyballs and Zen Magnets.

Regulators believe that several Nap Nanny models put infants at risk of serious injuries. The agency has received numerous reports of serious injuries linked to the use of a Nap Nanny. Although Baby Matters appears to be stubborn in reacting to the CPSC order, several retailers have responded to the nationwide warning issued to them when the agency filed its lawsuit against the makers of Nap Nanny..

Those stores and sites which have agreed to recall the Nap Nanny Generations One, Two, and Chill models.

Problems with Nap Nanny products stem back to at least 2010. It was then that a voluntary recall was issued on the Nap Nanny Generation One product. By that time, the CPSC had reports of one death and 22 other reports of children who had fallen out of the device, even some in which they were properly placed in their harnesses.

The owner of Baby Matters, Leslie Gudel, said her company has since gone out-of-business, about two months ago, but maintains that Nap Nanny products are safe when used with their harnesses and per the instructions.

The Food and Drug Administration said this week that WOW is really just another product in disguise and the agency has already determined that the original product is dangerous and could result in serious side effects and maybe death for people who take this specific product.

It was only earlier this year that the agency warned the public that the dietary supplement marketed as "all natural" Reumofan Plus actually contains hidden pharmaceutical ingredients. Any product that contains pharmaceutical agents must be approved by the FDA and millions of packages of dietary supplements like these products are able to reach the consumer market by failing to disclose the fact that they contain these products.

Instead, dietary supplements often purport to contain "natural" ingredients. In the case of WOW - really just the repackaged Reumofan Plus - the supplement is taken in the treatments of bone cancer or arthritis. If a dietary supplement product contains and undeclared ingredient, the agency works to warn the public of this fact and the risks associated with taking such products. It also begins a process to get these and other products off the market.

An agency spokesman said this week that several manufacturers of WOW are simply taking unsold supplies of Reumofan Plus and putting a WOW label on them and selling them back to consumers. The FDA said that WOW is being sold through online distributors and also at the retail level in some locations. 

The FDA said it has received dozens of reports of serious injuries that have resulted from people taking Reumofan Plus. The agency said that a few reactions have been fatal but did not specify an exact amount. Most often, people who experience dangerous side effects from taking Reumofan Plus suffer from liver injuries, severe bleeding episodes, corticosteroid withdrawl syndrome, adrenal suppression, and stroke.

According to the FDA's statement based on its research, samples of WOW contained the same undeclared ingredients as Reumofan Plus, including dexamethasone, diclofenac sodium, and methocarbamol.  Officials urge anyone taking either Reumofan Plus or WOW to stop taking it immediately and to consult their physician to determine if any injuries have resulted from taking this particular supplement.

According to a recall statement issued by Dunecraft Inc. in conjunction with the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, the callback includes about 94,700 toys sold in the U.S. and another 600 in Canada.

If these marble-sized toys are ingested before they’re expanded to their intended size, they could pose serious health risks.
If these Water Balz and other toys are swallowed when they’re in their original state, as small marble-like balls, they can expand inside the body. These toys can cause blockages of the small intestine that can result in severe dehydration, vomiting, pain, and could even be life-threatening.

The recall was deemed necessary after a report of one Texas girl who had to have a Water Balz toy she accidentally swallowed surgically removed. The toy had expanded once it was inside her body, causing an intestinal blockage that required emergency treatment.

The following products, including 81,000 Water Balz toys, are included in this recall from Dunecraft: another 11,850 Growing Skulls toys, 800 H2O “Despicable Me” Orbs, and 36 Fabulous Flowers toys. These products are intended to grow 400-times their original size. They are sold in small pouches and resemble marbles in their original state. They are sold in packs of six in varying colors: green, yellow, red, blue, and black. The brand name and product name are included on packaging.

The statement provides the following information regarding their availability on the retail market: Water Balz and Growing Skulls were sold at Bed Bath & Beyond, Five Below, Hobby Lobby, Lakeshore Learning Materials, Microcenter, Urban Outfitters Direct, Wegmans, and other stores nationwide, and online at amazon.com, incrediblescience.com, keyporthobbies.com, americantoystores.com, and other Web sites from September 2010 until November 2012 for about $3 per package. The H2O Orbs “Despicable Me” were sold exclusively at Universal Studios stores during June 2012 for about $3 per package. Fabulous Flowers were sold exclusively at Milaeger's in Racine, Wis., from June to November of this year for about $3 per package.

Consumers are urged to immediately remove this toy from the reach of children and to contact Dunecraft for a free replacement toy.

According to a statement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency has filed an "administrative complaint" against Star Networks USA LLC. This complaint - passed by a 2-1 vote - seeks to have Star Networks cease marketing of its  Star Networks Magnicube Magnet Balls and Magnet Cubes. These products feature between 125 to 1,027 high-powered rare earth magnets, according to the agency, and pose the same injury risks other similar products do.

The complaint against Star Networks demands the company stop selling these magnet toys and admit to the public that they are dangerous and pose serious injury risks, especially to small children. The complaint also seeks for the company to offer refunds to consumers who purchased either the Star Networks Magnicube Magnet Balls and Magnet Cubes.

The agency believes as many as 22,000 of these objects have been sold to date. In June, Star Networks voluntarily agreed to stop selling these magnet "toys" as requested by the agency. CPSC urged Star Networks and other manufacturers of other rare earth magnet toys to voluntarily stop marketing them on the basis that it believed they pose serious injury risks to younger children.

The agency has received dozens of reports in which a product like Star Networks Magnicube Magnet Balls or Magnet Cubes was the cause of serious injuries and the need for immediate medical attention. Mostly it is small children who are prone to swallowing these small magnets if they happen to break free of their forms. Some older children often like to use these magnets to emulate wearing a tongue ring. If these magnets were accidentally ingested while that's happening, serious complications are likely to result. If just two magnets are swallowed, they can fuse together, possibly on either side of a vital organ that can lead to serious bleeding, perforation, and the need for emergency surgery to remove them.

Star Networks plans to fight the administrative complaint against it and refuses to comply with the agency's order. The company joins other top manufacturers of these and similar products in refusing to comply with this order, Zen Magnets and Maxfield & Oberton, makers of the popular Buckyballs toys.

At least 11 companies have been identified by the CPSC and manufacturers of these devices. The magnets for them are imported from China. Makers of the devices say they properly warn the public that they're intended primarily for people over the age of 14 and to the dangers posed by swallowing these small magnets or even putting them near a person's mouth.

According to a recall statement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the action includes 457,000 top-loading washing machines. Six different models are included in the callback. Three are sold under the LG brand name while three more are sold as Kenmore Elite brand. These washing machines were manufactured between February 2010 and November 2011.

Affected models were sold in either beige, white, or graphite steel colors. The following Model numbers on LG brand top-loading washing machines are included: WT5001CW, WT510HV, and WT510HW. Affected Serial numbers on these washing machines range from 002KW******* through 111KW*******. Model numbers on affected Kenmore Elite brands are: 29002, 29272, and 29278. Serial numbers on those range from 005KW******* through 111KW*******.

One person has been injured when these washing machines began vibrating excessively. LG has received at least 343 reports from consumers that their washing machine shakes more than normal. Among these reports, at least 187 people said their washing machines caused minor property damage. When the washing machine starts vibrating seemingly out-of-control, it's a sign that the drum on the machine is loose.

The affected LG washing machines were sold at Best Buy, Home Depot, Kmart, and Sears stores nationwide, as well as at local retailers which deal in large appliances. Kenmore Elite brands were sold at Kmart and Sears stores nationwide. These models were sold from April 2010 until December 2012 for between $899 and $1,099.

According to the action statement, "consumers should immediately contact LG or Sears for a free in-home repair of the machine. Consumers will also receive supplemental information to be inserted into their owner's manual and a new caution label to be placed on the washing machine." If anyone sees their washing machine shaking more than normal, they should stop using it immediately. 

Certain items can cause an unbalanced load, such as water-proof or water-resistant items, such as mattress pads, mattress covers, and other similar items.

According to a Reuters report, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has filed a complaint against Baby Matters LLC, a Berwyn, Pa., company that markets the Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill recliners. CPSC said that Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill recliners have been implicated in five infant deaths recently.

The complaint seeks to force Baby Matters LLC to release a public statement indicating the serious risks its products pose to the public, namely infants, and that instructions and warnings included with the products are misleading or defective, too. In addition to wanting the company to offer this statement, it hopes a judge will also order the company to offer refunds to customers who purchased either Nap Nanny or Nap Nanny Chill recliners.

Four infant deaths have been attributed to the use of a second-generation Nap Nanny recliner. Another infant death has been linked to the Chill model of infant recliner. The Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill recliners are made of foam rubber and join myriad other products that are supposed to aid small children, typically infants, in sitting up on their own. 

In addition to the five deaths attributed to either of these products, another 70 injury reports have been filed with CPSC in the years that these products have been available at the retail level.

CPSC indicated when filing the complaint against Baby Matters that it was compelled to take this further action against the Pennsylvania company because it had failed to enact a voluntary recall on the products when CPSC requested it to do so. Regulators wanted Baby Matters to tell the public that using the Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill recliners in a crib or without its fasterer straps increased the risk of serious injury or death for infants. 

Two years ago, Baby Matters offered people who purchased a Nap Nanny recliner an $80 coupon for people who purchased a first-generation product so they could purchase a newer model, claiming it was improved over the unit they had purchased. To get that second-generation Nap Nanny device, any would-be customer would still be required to pay $50 to make up the difference in the product's $130 price tag.

Chief among those products subject of a report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group entitled "Trouble in Toyland" are those known as Buckyballs. These are the small desktop novelties that contain numerous small high-powered magnets that can be manipulated into different shapes. These products are typically marketed to older children and adults and warnings on most of the products say they are only intended for adults but they possess all the visual stimulants to gain a child's attention, too.

If these magnets break free of their form, they possess a significant health risk, especially if they're accidentally ingested by children. Once inside the body, these magnets can cause sudden and severe injuries that require emergency medical treatment. The strong but small magnets can easily fuse together inside the body, even through the walls of the large intestine, posing a serious risk of perforation, severe bleeding, and even death.

In the report, USPIR recorded at least 1,700 incidents which required emergency medical attention due to the ingestion of these small magnets, like those found in Buckyballs and others, like Zen Magnets products. Most of the incidents involved children between the ages of 4 and 12. Children may put these magnets in their mouths for numerous reasons, everthing from pure curiosity out of younger children or older ones who place them on their tongue to mimic a piercing, the report notes.

These products are likely to be big sellers this time of year and given as gifts. Many people buying them as gifts may not be aware of the dangers they pose. Earlier this year however, the Consumer Product Safety Commission urged the makers of these products to stop marketing them altogether. Bound by its regulatory limits and the fact that these makers do make the required warnings about their safety, federal regulators were essentially muted and these products are still widely available, especially on the Web. It was not until late this summer did the company that markets Buckballs say it would cease those sales but they're still likely available elsewhere.

Among the other toys making this dubious list are a Dora the Explorer guitar that USPIR researchers found to be too loud and was above federal limits for such toys. Also, a dragster car with very small wheels also made the report for safety violations that could result in serious injuries. The group examined more than 200 toys available at retail and discount stores nationwide. Among them, just a dozen were found to be in violation of federal safety standards, including those for lead paint, small parts, or other common safety concerns.

In the last four year, both the Consumer Product Safety Commission and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) have seized 2,400 different toys and other children's products, a total of more than 8.5 million individual units, at the nation's ports and borders as companies attempted to import them for sale. These products were seized for a variety of reasons but mostly because they were considered dangerous and posed serious risks to the health and safety of children who'd use them.

The federal agencies are taking advantage of the busiest retail shopping season of the year to alert consumers to think about product safety before they purchased something for a child. And despite the recent successes in stopping many of these dangerous products at the border, the agencies acknowledge that they can't stop all potentially dangerous products from reaching consumers.

In a statement issued recently, CPSC Chair Inez Tenenbaum said, "Proactive port surveillance, strong toy standards, and educational efforts create a safer holiday toy shopping experience for consumers by keeping dangerous products off store shelves. Ultimately our goal is to protect our most vulnerable population - kids - and keep them safe this holiday season."

Recalls on dangerous products have steadily declined in recent years, partly to blame for both some increased regulations and ironically, by the CPB's inability to track all devices. In their statement annoucing warnings to consumers to avoid dangerous products, the CPSC and CPB note that in this year alone, CPSC has issued a recall on 38 toys. Many of these recalls are due to the presence of small or sharp parts. 

This year's recall figure actually represents a slight uptick from the number last year, which was just 34. The CPSC issued recalls on 46 products caught at the border in 2010, 50 the year prior, and 172 in 2008.

In the joint statement: "Toy-related death reports to CPSC involving children younger than 15-years-old decreased to 13 in 2011 from 19 fatalities in 2010 and 17 reported in 2009. The majority of these toy-related fatalities were attributed to asphyxiation, choking or drowning. These included children choking on balloons, drowning after trying to retrieve a toy from a swimming pool, or being found with tricycles in swimming pools."

To avoid the potential for serious injuries, the agencies proposed the following hints and tips to avoid buying dangerous products for children.

Here are some safety tips that consumers should keep in mind this holiday season:

Balloons - Children can choke or suffocate on deflated or broken balloons. Keep deflated balloons away from children younger than 8-years-old. Discard broken balloons immediately.

Small balls and other toys with small parts - For children younger than age 3, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.

Scooters and other riding toys - Riding toys, skateboards, and in-line skates go fast, and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be worn properly at all times, and they should be sized to fit.

Magnets - High powered magnet sets are dangerous and should be kept away from children under 14. Building & play sets with small magnets should also be kept away from small children.

Once gifts are open:

Immediately discard plastic wrapping or other toy packaging before they become dangerous play things.

Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings.

Battery charging should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to young children. Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any mechanism to prevent overcharging.

This order was originally part of a ruling in response to a federal lawsuit claiming tobacco companies deceived the public for decades and hid information that showed smoking cigarettes and using tobacco was harmful to a person's health. The tobacco companies opposed the order but in 2006 their appeal of this particular part of the decision against them. This decision was separate from the record $206 billion lawsuit against the same tobacco companies which paid damages to victims of tobacco addiction and for other public information programs.

The campaign must include specific notices on the dangers of smoking and will be included in just about any place where a tobacco company reaches consumers. Messages will be placed on product Web sites. Information will be included with products sold at retail stores, like in packs of cigarettes, that highlight the potential risks of smoking or using tobacco. The companies must also create print ads and inserts to be included in publications as well as television and radio ads with similar messages. 

Specifically, the Big Tobacco companies must state some of the following in their ads and other notices, according to a CNNMoney.com report: 

- "Smoking kills, on average, 1,200 Americans. Every day."

- "More people die every year from smoking than from murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes, and alcohol, combined."

- "Secondhand smoke kills over 3,000 Americans each year."

A spokesperson for Philip Morris, makers of some of the most popular brands of cigarettes, told CNN they were reviewing the contents of the federal decision handed down this week announcing the rules for these required campaigns. A judge has already rejected a claim that Big Tobacco's First Amendment rights were being suppressed because they were being forced to use the canned statements in their materials.

The multi-billion dollar lawsuit settlement also announced at the time this lawsuit was being filed has required tobacco companies to create other public notice campaigns that call attention specifically to the dangers of smoking, many of the very same effects tobacco companies denied for decades existed, including claims that smoking cigarettes or using other forms of tobacco led to various forms of cancer, breathing problems, or that it was addictive. 

According to a Bloomberg report, the Food and Drug Administration has asked an independent adviser to help it review safety records and adverse event reports linked to highly-caffeinated energy drinks. The agency was encouraged to do so by a group of Congressmen led by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who led a Capitol Hill investigation into the reports of deaths linked to energy drinks.

Energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, and 5-hour Energy are consumed by millions of people in the U.S., especially younger consumers who believe they need a boost to their daily energy levels to get through their days. These products are heavily marketed, especially Red Bull, which sponsors media attention-grabbing events that only call more attention to their products. 

What's more is that energy drinks currently fall out of the regulatory range of the FDA and almost all other laws governing consumer products. Because they're marketed as dietary supplements - they allegedly contain "all natural" ingredients like taurine, ginseng, and others - they are not governed by the FDA. That means regular sodas, sold right next to energy drinks in many retail locations, are regulated stricter than these new and increasingly popular drinks.

Makers of energy drinks claim their products only contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, less even, but some studies refute that claim and believe some energy drinks contain as much as 7-times the amount of caffeine as a regular soft drink. Energy drinks claim to give consumers the boost they're marketed to give through the blend of ingredients like taurine, guarana, and others. 

Durbin, along with Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, said in a statement this week on the FDA launching an investigation and hiring outside help to do so, that they were pleased with the agency's response but hoped that their conclusions would be swift and effective. 

In the last month, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released separate reports on recently reported deaths that may be linked to the use of energy drinks. They have also received numerous other reports of adverse health effects that may be caused by energy drinks. Monster, for example, had been linked to 5 deaths and 5-hour Energy at least 13 more. Red Bull and Rockstar energy drinks have not yet been linked to any deaths that have been reported to regulators but that does not mean they're free of risk.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have urged the FDA to determine if there is a direct link between energy drinks and these reported deaths and to take necessary actions to bring them under the agency's control. 

Several people have been seriously injured when their toilets exploded as parts of their commodes were shot at them. For others, the defective  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System has caused serious and costly property damage. Pressure inside the  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System can build near the weld seam and if that pressure reaches a certain point, it will likely trigger a combustive explosion, sending pieces or shattered parts of the toilet scattering.

To assist those who've been affected by the defective flushing system device, the national law firm of Parker Waichman LLP has filed a class-action lawsuit against the makers of this product, Flushmate, a division of Sloan Valve Company. The complaint seeks any consumer who may have purchased the  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System and has either suffered an exploding toilet when the product malfunctioned or for those who believe the next flush on their commode could trigger an explosion.

The  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System was recalled en masse in June 2012. A total of 2.3 million products were included in the recall. To remedy the problems the defective product caused, Flushmate and Sloane had offered consumers a free repair kit to correct the problems that plague this product. However, some consumers who've attempted to install the free repair kit have only encountered more frustrations and sometimes further property damage and injuries.
Not only is the  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System expensive, any problems a defective one could cause would be even more costly, including the costs associated with hiring a professional plumber to install the device properly.

Parker Waichman has filed an initial lawsuit on behalf of a Florida man who purchased the  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System in June 2007. After receiving the free repair kit from Sloan and Flushmate, the man from Escambia County, Fla., believes he still lives in fear the toilet may explode without warning.

The  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System was available at Home Depot and Lowe's Improvement Warehouse stores nationwide from October 1997 until February 2008. Hundreds of thousands of these products were likely sold. Some were sold as standard issue in new commode sales. Companies like American Standard, Eljer, Crane, and Kohler all used the  Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System in their new toilet models.

According to the law firm's press release announcing the lawsuit: "Flushmate knew about the defect as early as 2000, but failed to warn consumers, even after Flushmate was repeatedly placed on notice of the serious risk that the toilets installed with Flushmate Systems may explode."

According to a press release announcing their lawsuit against the makers of Remington rifles, a husband and wife were nearing the end of a hunting trip in Carter County there in late-October 2007. As the husband was unloading his Remington Model 600 Mohawk rifle, the gun discharged one of the bullets, hitting his wife in the left foot.

The shot caused serious damage that required several surgeries to correct and even then, resulted in the amputation of one of her toes.

The gun fired as the woman’s husband was unloading the Remington rifle by cycling the bolt, according to the firm's statement citing the complaint. The couple is being represented by Parker Waichman LLP. The firm represents several other victims of unexpected gun shots from this and other Remington rifles with the defective Walker trigger mechanism. Remington Arms Company, Sporting Goods Properties Inc., and DuPont de Nemours and Co., have all been named as Defendants in the lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed in in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana on Oct. 12.

The Model 600 Mohawk used by the couple during that hunting trip featured the Walker Fire Control trigger mechanism. The trigger device is supposed to give users a smoother fire action but the lawsuit alleges that Remington has known for years that this trigger mechanism is defective and has resulted in numerous injuries during the time it has been used.

According to previous reports on the dangers posed by some of these Remington rifles, the Walker firing mechanism can become faulty if the gun is jarred or dropped or jostled in any manner. This causes the gun to fire without any warning. The suit claims that Remington has received more than 3,200 complaints about the defective Walker trigger mechanism between 1992 and 2004 but continued to market it as safe and hid any reports of problems associated with it.

Most of the problems have been linked to the popular Remington Model 700 rifle but the defective Walker trigger device has been installed on many other Remington rifles, including these models, according to the Parker Waichman press release:

* Model 11-48 Shotgun
* Model 552 Speedmaster Rifle
* Model 572 Fieldmaster Rifle
* Model 740/742/7400 Rifle
* Model 760 Gamemaster Rifle
* Model 770 Bolt Action Rifle
* Model 870 Pump Action Shotgun
* Model 878/879 Shotgun
* Model 1100 Shotgun
* Model 7600 Rifle
* Model Four Rifle
* Model Mohawk 48 Shotgun
* Model Six Rifle
* Model Sportsman 48 Shotgun
* Model Sportsman 58 Shotgun

Parker Waichman continues to investigate claims of injuries as a result of an unexpected shot from Remington rifles and believes it has evidence that the company is fully aware of the problems with the defective triggers. According to the release, “the company is so accustomed to such occurrences that they have developed acronyms for the when the gun misfires.”

According to a recall statement from Diamondback Bicycles, of Kent, Wash., in conjunction with the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, the action is limited to just 40 bicycles. Affected products that were assembled with incorrect headset parts could cause the the steerer tube to fail. This defect could result in a rider losing control of the bicycles, falling and crashing. 

Though this could result in serious injuries for riders, Diamondback Bicycles has not received any reports of injuries linked to the defect. 

The 2013 Diamondback Steilacoom RCX bicycles are black in color and were sold in sizes ranging from 50- to 59-centimeters. "RCX" is printed on the top tube of the bicycle. These bicycles were designed to be ridden both on- and off-road. They were sold at Promotive.com and at 3point5.com. They were also available at authorized Diamondback Bicycles dealers nationwide. These bicycles were only available from August until September this year and sold for between $900 and $1,100. 

The recalled bicycles were manufactured by the Chinese firm Universal Cycle Corp., of Guang Zhou. They are imported to the U.S. by Diamondback Bicycles. The recall statement indicates that authorized Diamondback dealers will perform a free inspection of one of the bicycles included in the recall and perform the necessary repairs to remove the risk of the defective headset parts. 

Bikes with the wrong headset parts will have the fork replaced and re-assembled with the correct headset parts.

All of the lawsuits currently pending in the MI Windows and Doors, Inc. Products Liability Litigation involve allegations that various windows manufactured by the company contain one or more defects that result in the loss of seal at the bead along the bottom of the glass, allowing water to enter the inside of the window and leak into structures owned by Plaintiffs and putative class members. The MI Windows and Doors, Inc. Products Liability Litigation was created by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation via a Transfer Order dated April 23, 2012. According to Judge Norton's September 10 Case Management Order, the HPSC will consult with the Homeowner Plaintiffs' Lead Counsel to coordinate the Plaintiffs' pre-trail activities and in planning for trial.

Mr. Chaikin's practice areas include Mass Torts, Toxic Torts, Defective Drug Liability, Defective Medical Devices, Products Liability, Class Actions, Complex Litigation and General Personal Injury and Negligence Litigation. He is also serving on the Plaintiffs Steering Committee in Dial Complete Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation MDL (No. 2263), currently underway in U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

Parker Waichman LLP continues to offer free lawsuit consultations to consumers who purchased windows manufactured by MI Windows and Doors, Inc. For more information, please visit the firm's MI Windows and Doors page at yourlawyer.com. Free case evaluations are also available by calling 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636).

Contact:
Parker Waichman LLP
Gary Falkowitz, Managing Attorney
(800) LAW-INFO
(800) 529-4636
http://www.yourlawyer.com

Commercially, these products are marketed as Buckyballs and Zen Magnets, among others. They are sold primarily to adults as desk toys or "manipulative" products like puzzles. 

Although they are usually labeled as being for consumers over the age of 14 since they were introduced to the U.S. market in 2008, they've been linked to more than 1,700 emergency room visits through last year. Many of those visits involved children ingesting the magnets, a situation that could quickly develop into serious health problems.

 If the small, manipulative magnets become dislodged from their compact form, they could end up in the hands of children. The "toys'" appearance themselves often lend them to being picked up and played with by children.  CPSC estimates that as many as 70 percent of the incidents reported to the agency involving people being rushed to emergency rooms due to the ingestion of these magnets were children between the ages of 4 and 12.

 In recent weeks, the agency contacted the makers of these increasingly popular products and demanded they stop production of them immediately. It was a rare move on the part of the agency and only resulted in angering the makers of the products, who stated they work under the current laws to strictly warn consumers they're not for children under the age of 14.

 Obviously, the companies failed to heed the warning issued them and that prompted a response from the agency, attempting to flex its regulatory arm. The new rules, according to an industry source, would prohibit products that contained magnets that fit through the CPSC's standardized tube for measuring small objects. Each magnet would be required to have a "flux" level of 50, a measure taken by the agency based on several factors. These rules are based on standards set by the agency for products aimed at small children.

 If a product does not meet these standards, the agency would act to ban its sale in the future. The proposed rules will now go through a 75-day review period open to public comment. It's assumed the makers of these products will make attempts to have this proposal eliminated before it can become law.

 CPSC Commissioner Nancy Nord said in releasing the proposed rules this week: "In particular, the proposed standard proceeds on the belief that warnings do not work for this relatively new product because (it is assumed) warnings are and will be ignored or otherwise not communicated effectively. But in the absence of a robust and comprehensive program to educate and warn about this hazard, it is unclear that warnings will be ineffective and our conclusion that such is the case is speculative."

 According to a report from KTVM-TV in Bozeman, Mont., Brad Humphrey claims he was shot in the spine with an errant blast from his step-son’s Remington model 700 rifle. Humphrey has become the latest person to claim a defect in the trigger mechanism caused the rifle to fire unexpectedly and has filed a lawsuit against the famed gun maker.

 Humphrey and his step-son, Travis Kohr, were spotting elk during a hunt in 1989. As they were getting into their truck, Kohr slipped and his Remington model 700 rifle discharged a round, hitting Humphrey in the spine. Although he survived the shot to his back, Humphrey has been paralyzed since the incident more than 20 years ago. 

 This man is just the latest to claim defects with the “Walker trigger” on that model of Remington rifle causes the gun to fire unexpectedly. According to previous reports on other lawsuits and the allegedly defective mechanism itself, the trigger connector on this rifle was patented in 1950 and named after its inventor. The “Walker trigger” is designed to allow a “smooth, crisp” firing action on the popular rifle. 

 Millions own the Remington model 700 rifle. It’s been on the market for decades and is the preferred rifle of many hunters. A CNBC report from several years ago describes the trigger as “a piece of metal roughly the size of a paper clip” and is mounted on a spring inside the trigger.

 Previous lawsuits filed against Remington claim that even the slightest piece of debris on the “Walker trigger” can misalign it. This causes the trigger to separate from the rest of the firing mechanism. Those who’ve been victims of this defect say actions on the gun other than pulling trigger can cause it to fire when the trigger connector has been disengaged, such as using the safety lock or the bolt on the rifle.

 Through previous investigations, it was revealed that while the inventor of the trigger mechanism had advocated Remington add a mechanism that would hold the trigger and his connector in place that prevented the gun from firing, the company rejected the idea and stood behind the safety of its popular rifle.

 Remington still stands behind the safety of its original model 700 rifle but in the last five years has unveiled a new version of the gun with a new firing mechanism that’s supposed to be a spin on the device used for decades prior. The company allegedly elected to change the firing mechanism, completely eliminating the “Walker trigger” when it released the new model 700 rifle in 2007 because more and more lawsuits had been filed against the company.

 The “Walker trigger” with the allegedly faulty connector is still available on other models of the company’s rifles.

No other rifle manufacturer uses this design. According to the lawsuit filed by Jay Rambo, his father was loading the .338 Caliber Model 700 Remington rifle when it fired without the trigger being touched. The high velocity 200 grain bullet struck Jay Rambo in the forearm as well as his right gluteus according to the complaint. The gun was resting on the foam of the open gun case as it was being loaded by Jay’s father, Dale Rambo.

That trigger mechanism, known as the “Walker Fire Control,” uses an internal component called a “connector.” The lawsuit alleges that Remington has known about the problems with the Walker Fire Control for decades. In a company memo from 1979, Remington even admits to its own defect and recognizes the danger to its customers.

Remington even redesigned the fire control for the Model 700 with a newly designed trigger, the X-Mark Pro. That design was completed in 2002. Even today, Remington installs the new fire control into some but not all of its bolt-action rifles. However, Remington chose to continue with its Walker design for financial reasons, never warning the public.

Jay Rambo is just one of thousands of people who have filed lawsuits over Remington Model 700 rifle misfires. In several lawsuits involving Remington Model 700 rifle misfire injuries, the rifle maker has been ordered to pay substantial damages to plaintiffs. The company has also paid out about $20 million to settle such lawsuits out-of-court.

Since late 2008, the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received more than 3,500 reports from residents in 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico regarding defective Chinese drywall. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances.

According to a statement from the IRS, Revenue Procedure 2010-36 provides the following relief:

• Individuals who pay to repair damage to their personal residences or household appliances resulting from corrosive drywall may treat the amount paid as a casualty loss in the year of payment.

• Taxpayers who have already filed their income tax return for the year of payment generally have three years to file an amended return and claim the deduction.

• The amount of a loss that may be claimed depends on whether the taxpayer has a pending claim for reimbursement (or intends to pursue reimbursement) of the loss through property insurance, litigation or otherwise.

• In cases where a taxpayer does not have a pending claim for reimbursement, the taxpayer may claim as a loss all unreimbursed amounts paid during the taxable year to repair damage to the taxpayer’s personal residence and household appliances resulting from corrosive drywall.

• If a taxpayer does have a pending claim (or intends to pursue reimbursement), a taxpayer may claim a loss for 75 percent of the unreimbursed amount paid during the taxable year to repair damage to the taxpayer’s personal residence and household appliances that resulted from corrosive drywall.

A taxpayer who has been fully reimbursed before filing a return for the year the loss was sustained may not claim a loss. A taxpayer who has a pending claim for reimbursement (or intends to pursue reimbursement) may have income or an additional deduction in subsequent taxable years depending on the actual amount of reimbursement received.

For purposes of this revenue procedure, the term “corrosive drywall” means drywall that is identified as problem drywall under the two step identification method published by the CPSC and the Department of Housing and Urban Development in their interim guidance dated January 28, 2010, the IRS said.

These recalled tricycles were sold at mass merchandise stores nationwide from January 1997 through August 2010 for about $25. The trikes are intended for children 2 to 5 years of age and have either a disc-shaped or D-shaped pretend key. The pretend keys are located about 3 inches in front of the seat and protrude at least 5/8 inches above the trike’s body. The model numbers are located under the seat in the storage compartment.

Consumers should immediately place the trikes out of children’s reach and contact Fisher-Price for a free replacement key.

Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs
Fisher-Price is also recalling Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs. The recall includes 950,000 high chairs sold in the US and 125,000 sold in Canada. Children can fall on or against the pegs on the rear legs of the high chair resulting in injuries or lacerations. The pegs are used for high chair tray storage. The CPSC and Fisher-Price are aware of 14 reports of incidents, including seven reports of children requiring stitches and one tooth injury. One of these incidents was reported in Canada.

These recalled high chairs were sold in mass merchandise retail stores nationwide from September 2001 through September 2010 for between about $70 and $115. The high chairs have a folding frame for storage and a three-position reclining seat. The model number and date code of the high chair is on the back of the seat. All Easy Clean and Close To Me High Chairs are included in this recall. Only Healthy Care High Chairs manufactured before December 2006 are included in the recall. If the fourth digit in the date code is 6 or less, the Healthy Care High Chair is included in the recall.

Consumers should stop using the High Chair immediately and contact Fisher-Price for instructions and a free repair kit.

Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway
Today’s Fisher-Price recalls also include about 100,000 Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway toys and another 20,000 sold in Canada. The wheels on the purple and the green cars included with these toys can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children. Fisher-Price has received two reports of a wheel detaching from a vehicle. No injuries have been reported.

The recall involves Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway with model numbers T4261 and V6378. They were sold with small cars that a child can push down winding ramps. Only the purple and the green cars that are marked “Mexico” and do not have a yellow dot on the bottom are included in the recall. The toy is intended for children 1 ½ to 5 years of age.

These toys were sold at mass merchandise stores nationwide from April 2010 through September 2010 for about $45. About 2.8 million were sold in the US, while another 125,000 were sold in Canada.

Consumers should immediately take the affected purple and the green cars away from children and contact Fisher-Price for free replacement cars.

Toys with Inflatable Balls
Finally, Fisher-Price is also recalling Baby Playzone Crawl & Cruise Playground, Baby Playzone Crawl & Slide Arcade, Baby Gymtastics Play Wall, Ocean Wonders Kick & Crawl Aquarium (C3068 and H8094), 1-2-3 Tetherball, Bat & Score Goal. The valve on an inflatable ball on these toys can come off and pose a choking hazard to young children. The CPSC and Fisher-Price are aware of 46 reports of incidents where the valve came off in the US and eight reports in Canada. These include 14 reports of the valve found in a child’s mouth and three reports of a child beginning to choke. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should immediately remove the inflatable ball from the product and keep away from children. Do not discard the inflatable ball. Contact Fisher-Price for a free replacement kit.

For additional information regarding any of these recalls, consumers should contact Fisher-Price at (800) 432-5437 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.service.mattel.

Genuine BlackBerry-branded batteries are not included in this recall. No other Asurion or BlackBerry products are involved in this recall.

Asurion has received two reports of counterfeit BlackBerry®-branded batteries overheating, causing minor burns to a consumer’s finger and minor property damage to a sofa and car seat.

The refurbished BlackBerry devices involved in this battery recall were sent to consumers by Asurion through a handset protection program between March 2004 through October 2009. The batteries were used across virtually all models of refurbished BlackBerry devices distributed by Asurion prior to November 1, 2009.

Consumers who received refurbished BlackBerry devices through Asurion prior to November 1, 2009 should immediately stop using the product and contact the company for a replacement product. Asurion is directly contacting known consumers with the affected batteries to notify them of this recall.

For more information on this recall, consumers should contact Asurion toll-free at (866) 384-9175 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.001batex.com.

When a Consumer Product Becomes a Liability

Every year, thousands of consumers sustain serious injuries from defective products. Our defective product lawyers have represented hundreds of plaintiffs in lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of defective or unsafe consumer products, including automobile recalls, as well as tires, electronics, appliances and various household goods.

If a product you are using somehow injures you or causes you some other kind of harm, such as to your personal property, you may have a product liability claim. The range of defective product cases is broad, but claims typically fall into three categories:

• defective manufacture;
• faulty design;
• failure to provide enough instruction on proper use of the product.

Products that are Defectively Manufactured

A defectively manufactured product is flawed due to an error that occurred during the actual manufacturing process at the factory. The injury or property damage this product causes is the result of a manufacturing defect.

Defective Designs are Sometimes to Blame

Defective design claims are the focus when a product is inherently dangerous, even if it has been manufactured precisely according to its specifications. A simple example would be an electric blanket that burns you if you turn it to the “high” setting.

The Lack of Precise Instructions Regarding a Product’s Use

The third type of product liability claim involves a failure to provide adequate warnings or instructions about the product's proper use. Claims of this sort typically involve a product that is dangerous in some way that's not obvious to the user or that requires the user to follow certain precautions or to apply unusual care while using it. An example of this would be cold medicine that doesn’t mention on its label that it may cause drowsiness or could have fatal consequences if mixed with something else, such as alcohol.

If you or a loved one have been adversely affected as a result of a defective or recalled product, you may have valuable legal rights. Parker Waichman LLP urges you to contact us by completing the form at right or calling us at 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636).