The Injury Lawyer Directory Blog

Toyota has certainly taken its lumps in recent months, but it appears they are not done yet. The auto manufacturer faces another potential defective auto problem, this time involving the widely popular 2010 Prius. The Prius is their third best-selling vehicle in the United States behind the Camry and Corolla.

More than 100 complaints have been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involving potential defective brake issues with the Prius. These reports allege that when the vehicle is driven on a bumpy or frozen road, the brakes have a tendency to cause the car to jerk forward or accelerate for a brief instance.

The past six months have seen a variety of defective auto allegations against Toyota vehicles, spurring two separate recalls. The first Toyota recall involved more than 4.2 million vehicles with defective floor mats which would catch on the gas pedal, resulting in unwanted acceleration. The second recall involved a defective gas pedal which would stick, resulting in excessive acceleration. More than 2.3 million vehicles were recalled for this problem. If Toyota decides to recall the Prius, it will be their third major recall since last fall.

If you have been injured in an auto accident caused by a defective Toyota, you may be able to receive compensation for your damages. An experienced defective auto attorney can help ensure you recover what you rightfully deserve.

If you have a defective auto claim in the Denver, Colorado area, please contact the experienced product liability lawyers at Burg, Simpson, Eldredge, Hersh & Jardine, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation.

Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood issued a statement earlier this week advising owners of defective Toyotas to stop driving the vehicles altogether due to safety concerns. The auto manufacturer has recently recalled millions of defective autos containing gas pedals which tend to stick, causing the vehicle to accelerate to dangerous speeds.

Several days ago, Toyota informed the general public that they have determined how to fix the defective product. All recalled vehicles will need to get the pedal assembly reinforced. This will correct the friction problem which has caused many gas pedals to stick.

Replacement parts are currently en route to dealers around the country. Once they arrive, dealers will be working around the clock to repair the problem. Owners of the defective vehicles will be contacted by the auto manufacturer shortly with information about how to proceed with the recall.

Recalled vehicles include:

• 2009-2010 RAV4, Corolla, Matrix
  
• 2005-2010 Avalon
  
• 2007-2010 Camry, Tundra
  
• 2010 Highlander
  
• 2008-2010 Sequoia
  

This is the second major recall of Toyotas in recent months. Earlier last fall, Toyota initiated a different recall due to defective floor mats which were getting caught on the gas pedal. If you have been injured in a serious auto accident caused by either of these two product defects, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your damages. An experienced defective auto attorney can help ensure you get what you rightfully deserve.

If you have a defective auto claim in the Dallas, Texas area, please contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Polewski & Associates today to schedule your free initial consultation.

A new federal law has placed a ban on texting while driving for drivers of commercial trucks and buses. The new law is designed to curb bus accidents and truck accidents caused by distracted driving.

The law will go into effect immediately, levying fines as large as $2,750 on drivers who fail to comply. Truck and bus drivers may also face both criminal and civil penalties if caught texting while driving.

There has been an increasing body of evidence indicating that texting while driving poses a serious danger to other drivers on the road. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has presented research indicating that drivers do not focus on the road for roughly 4.6 out of every 6 seconds they are texting. Furthermore, texting while driving results in a 20 times greater likelihood of getting involved in a truck or auto accident.

Over the past year, the federal government has ramped up their efforts to curb distracted driving. President Obama recently approved an executive order prohibiting federal employees from texting while driving government-owned vehicles, and 19 states have enacted laws making it illegal to text while driving.

It is important to consult an experienced truck accident attorney if you have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted truck driver. These claims are very complex, and your lawyer will need a solid understanding of both federal and state trucking regulations in order to help you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries.

If you have a truck accident claim in the Denver, Colorado area, please contact the law offices of Burg, Simpson, Eldredge, Hersh & Jardine, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation.

Two Metro workers were hit by a maintenance truck last night while working on a closed track. Both men died in the work-related railroad accident. They were installing safety equipment on the track at the time of the accident.

The DC Metro system has endured a series of horrific accidents over the past year, leading many to question Metro's safety practices. The most notable incident was a fatal train accident last June taking the lives of eight passengers and a train operator. There were two other fatal Metro accidents in the past year, resulting in the death of two employees.

In November, three employees were injured in a work-related accident when a train on its way back to the rail yard struck a parked train. In December, another accident was narrowly averted when a team of inspectors was almost hit by a train traveling at excessive speeds.

Recently, Metro has taken steps to improve safety by holding a three day workshop with nation-wide track safety experts. However, these efforts were not enough to prevent last night's fatal workplace accident.

Metro will most likely face two wrongful death lawsuits from the accident victims' surviving family members.

If you have lost a loved one in a work-related accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your damages. It is important to consult an experienced wrongful death lawyer who can help you with your claim.

If you have a wrongful death or workplace injury claim in the Washington, D.C. area, please contact the law offices of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the death of a six-month-old baby from Iowa has led to the recall of more than 635,000 cribs. The recall encompasses 20 models of Dorel Asia cribs with drop sides and fixed front rails.

The recall was initiated due to product defects in the cribs resulting in the drop sides detaching, creating a dangerous situation where young children are likely to get trapped and suffocate. The baby from Iowa strangled to death after getting trapped when the crib's drop side broke.

Other defective cribs were recalled due to children getting trapped when the slats break. This breakage can occur while the crib is being used, when it is being assembled, or during shipping.

The CPSC and the crib manufacturer have received 31 reports of drop side detachments; six of these incidents resulted in babies getting trapped. They have also received 36 reports of broken slats resulting in two children getting trapped.

These recalled cribs are sold at Kmart, Sears, and Wal-Mart. You can call Dorel Asia at 866-762-2304 to receive a free repair kit or visit their website at www.dorel-asia.com to learn more about recall protocol.

If your child was injured using one of these defective cribs, you should consult an experienced defective product attorney to see if you are eligible to receive compensation for your damages.

If you have a defective product claim in the Denver, Colorado area, please contact the law offices of Burg, Simpson, Eldredge, Hersh & Jardine, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expressed growing concern over Johnson and Johnson's poor response to reports of defective products, including a variety of over-the-counter drugs. The organization has been very critical of the pharmaceutical company, claiming they have failed to take the appropriate action necessary to correct the problem in a timely manner.

While Johnson and Johnson has been receiving numerous complaints from consumers regarding a moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor associated with several of their products since 2008, the company did not issue a recall until November 2009. Last week, the Tylenol recall has been expanded to include other over-the-counter drugs made by Johnson and Johnson.

Symptoms associated with the defective drugs include nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. A spokesperson for Johnson and Johnson has downplayed the issue, claiming that only a small number of complaints were reported and side effects were not serious.

The FDA does not agree with the pharmaceutical manufacturer's assessment of the issue, arguing that Johnson and Johnson had an obligation to consumers to aggressively investigate and solve the problem in a timely manner.

As a result of Johnson and Johnson's failure to take appropriate action, the FDA recently issued a warning letter to the company requiring them to report back within 15 days, detailing their efforts to address the situation. Failure to take appropriate action at this point will most likely result in more serious consequences, including legal action.

Currently, the Johnson and Johnson recall includes:

• Junior strength Motrin
  
• Children's Tylenol grape meltaway tablets
  
• Extra strength Tylenol
  
• Extra strength Tylenol rapid release gelcaps
  
• Extra strength Tylenol PM geltabs
  
• Motrin caplets
  
• Extra strength Rolaids fresh mint tablets
  
• St. Joseph Aspirin chewable orange tablets
  
• Benadryl allergy ultratab tablets
  

Additional recall information can be found at www.mcneilproductrecall.com or by calling 1-888-222-6036.

If you have suffered an injury from taking one of these defective drugs, you should consult an experienced defective drug attorney to see if you are eligible to receive compensation for your damages.

If you have a defective drug claim in the New York City area, please contact the law offices of Trief & Olk today to schedule your initial consultation.

A mother in Massachusetts recently witnessed her teenage son weave across the road while using his cell phone, inspiring her to create a new application which prevents cell phone users from sending and receiving text messages while driving.

The new phone application, called the iZup, starts working once the vehicle reaches speeds exceeding 5 mph, and it remains in effect while at red lights or stuck in traffic. Passengers with the iZup on their phones will not be able to text either.

While it may seem unlikely that drivers will want to give up their ability to use their cell phones on the road, the iZup's creator believes the application will be very popular among parents with teenage drivers.

The iZup does allow calls to 911 and the cell phone owner's parents. The software can be downloaded for $5 a month or $50 a year.

Texting while driving is one of the leading causes of auto accidents today. Studies have shown it impairs your ability to concentrate on the road more than driving under the influence of alcohol.

If you have been injured in an auto accident caused by a distracted driver texting on a cell phone, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your damages. It is important to consult an experienced auto accident attorney who can help you with the filing of your claim.

If you have an auto accident claim in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area, please contact the auto accident attorneys at Truitt Law Offices today to schedule your free initial consultation.