After a series of recalls in 2009, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced at the end of the year a voluntary recall of millions of Roman shades and roll up blinds that pose strangulation risks to babies and toddlers. Eight deaths and 16 near strangulation incidents prompted the recall.

The incidents occur in a variety of ways. A child places his head between the cord loop and the fabric. A child wraps the cord around her neck. A child’s head gets caught in the lifting loop of the roll up blind.

The recall involves multiple stores such as Wal-Mart, JC Penney, Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware Baby and Child. Repair kits are available.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product call Houston product liability lawyer , Brian Jensen for assistance.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Center: CPSC Announces Voluntary Recalls to Repair Millions of Roman Shades and Roll Up Blinds by Multiple Firms

Serious injuries and at least one death prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a Class I recall of Baxter HomeChoice and Homechoice PRO Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Systems yesterday. According to the FDA’s Background and Definitions page, a Class I recall is “a situation in which there is reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.” [1]

The prescribed dialysis systems treat children and adults with kidney failure. Those at higher risk of injury include children, patients unable to communicate, critically ill patients and patients with pulmonary instability and instable blood circulation.

Cases of Increased Intraperitoneal Volume (IIPV), or overfill of the abdominal cavity, have been attributed to the device. IIPV can lead to heart failure, pulmonary edema and numerous other life threatening conditions.

For a list of affected models, click here . [2]

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, call Houston product liability attorney, Brian Jensen for assistance.

[1] U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Backgrounds and Definitions

[2] U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Baxter HomeChoice and HomeChoice Pro

A refinery accident in Artesia, NM resulted in the death of two Texas men, one a resident of Odessa, TX and the other a resident of Midland, TX. Two other workers with critical injuries were flown to Lubbock, TX.

Both federal and state investigators arrived on the scene Wednesday to study the storage tank that exploded and caused a fire. The storage tank was under construction and intended to store asphalt, one of the many petroleum products the refinery produces.

The fire took 90 minutes to extinguish. The tanks location away from other tanks enabled operations to resume on Wednesday.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a petrochemical accident , call refinery accident attorney , Brian Jensen.

The plant explosion at Kleen Energy in Middleton, Connecticut on February 7^th was caused by a common industry practice known as a “gas blow” in a congested area that possibly prevented dispersion of the gas and which contained ignition sources, according to an investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB). Approximately 400,000 cubic feet of natural gas was released in the surrounding area in the ten minutes prior to the explosion that claimed the lives of six workers.

During gas blows, pressurized natural gas travels at high velocity through the new or modified pipes being cleaned and is then vented into the atmosphere. The CSB statement said they “strongly caution natural gas power plants and other industries against the venting of high-pressure natural gas in or near work sites. This practice, although common, is inherently unsafe.” [1] They are searching for safer alternatives and have made recommendations for changes to the National Fuel Gas Code.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an industrial accident , contact Texas petrochemical accident lawyer , Brian Jensen.

[1] Statement of CSB Investigations Supervisor Don Holmstrom Updating the Public on the CSB’s Investigation of the Catastrophic Accident at Kleen Energy, Middletown, Connecticut

A Pasadena car accident last Saturday, February 20th, resulted in the death of a grandmother and her granddaughter. After possibly being struck by a dark-colored sedan, their truck ran off the road and rolled. The granddaughter was pronounced dead at the scene while the grandmother was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where she passed away.

Pasadena police are asking for information about the dark sedan, which may have damage on the driver side, and its driver, who police say may have been unaware of the impact. Anyone with information can contact the Pasadena Police Department at 713-477-1221.

U.S. Senate hearings on the Toyota recall continue today. The recall involves approximately six million vehicles in the U.S. There are three major issues: gas pedals trapped by floor mats, sticky gas pedals and brake issues. Many different makes and models of Toyotas are affected. For specific information on the makes and models, check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, or click here .

In a letter to Mr. Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota, Chairman of the Oversight Committee, Edolphus Towns states, “there are reports that this problem may have been the direct cause of serious injury and even death .” [1]

Allegations concerning efforts to cover up the extent of the defective products surround the hearings and have led to the Oversight Committee issuing a subpoena for Toyota documents. [2]

Questions regarding when Toyota knew of the problems and what steps consumers need to take to ensure their safety are top concerns.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product call Houston product liability lawyer , Brian Jensen for assistance.

[1] Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Chairman Towns Invites Toyota President to Testify Before Committee

[2] Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Oversight Committee Issues Subpoena for Toyota Documents

A 2009 Senate investigation released Monday, February 22nd provides another example of serious health consequences that could lead to wrongful deaths caused by a defective product , a questionable drug released by a pharmaceutical company.

According to HealthDay News citing the Saturday, February 20 edition of The New York Times , the Senate investigation concluded, "G.S.K. executives attempted to intimidate independent physicians, focused on strategies to minimize or misrepresent findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk, and sought ways to downplay findings that a competing drug might reduce cardiovascular risk.” [1]

The article states, “The blockbuster type 2 diabetes drug Avandia raises users’ odds for heart attack and heart failure and should be removed from the market, according to confidential U.S. government reports.” Citing the Saturday, February 20 The New York Times edition, the article goes on to say the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found an estimated 500 heart attacks and 300 heart failures a month could be eliminated by switching from Avandia to Actos, an alternative drug treatment. [1]

The article reports, in May 2007, a Cleveland Clinic study “found that Avandia increased a user’s odds of heart attack by 43 percent compared to those not taking the medicine.” [1] Furthermore, in 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued numerous alerts regarding rosiglitazone maleate, which is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as Avandia, Avandamet and Avandaryl. The alerts called for better labeling to notify patients and doctors of the higher risk of myocardial ischema, or heart failure. [2]

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product or questionable drug, call Houston product liability lawyer , Brian Jensen for assistance.

[1] E.J. Mundell, Healthfinder.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Remove Diabetes Drug Avandia From Market: FDA Documents

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docid=636256

[2] U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Rosiglitazone maleate (marketed as Avandia, Avandamet, and Avandaryl) Information

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm143349.htm

Again, tragedy strikes at an Industrial plant in Texas. Three plant workers experienced serious burns in an industrial accident at the Three Polymers Plant in Angleton, Texas. This make the third serious industrial  accident in a few months in the industrial corridor of Texas.

If you or a loved one is injured in an industrial accident, contact Mr. Jensen today!

The Texas Supreme Court in a unanimous decision held that a future promise to pay at-will employees a 5% bonus on the sale of the company was valid as long as the employees were still employed at the time of the sale.  The court concluded: “Regardless of whether the promise was illusory at the time it was made, the promise became enforceable upon the employees’ performannce.”

This is a victory for employees rights to enforce promises of future bonuses.

Unfortunately there has been another Industrial Accident in Seabrook, Texas at the American Acryl facility big enough that the cloud of smoke could be seen for miles and miles and injured two chemical plant workers. Houses were shaken and many reported an “earthquake.” If you or a family member were injured in this blast, give us a call. We are your Houston Industrial Accident attorney!