Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer

Kroger to Expand Ground Beef Recall to 20 States

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:56:00 GMT

Kroger to Expand Ground Beef Recall to 20 States

Don't be so quick to take a bite out of that holiday hamburger! Kroger has expanded its voluntary recall of some of its ground beef products to its stores in more than 20 states. They believe that meat may be contaminated with E. coli!

This recall comes from meat obtained from one of Kroger's suppliers, Nebraska Beef Ltd,. That has been linked to illnesses reported in Michigan and Ohio between May 31 and June 8 caused by E. coli bacteria. Nebraska Beef has already recalled from wholesalers and other processing companies nearly 532,000 pounds of ground beef produced on five dates between May 16 and June 24.

"Ground beef in stores today comes from other suppliers not involved in the recall," Kroger spokeswoman Meghan Glynn said Wednesday.

Kroger has so far been notifying customers about the expanded recall by placing signs in stores in meat departments. It is also using a notification system linked to its register receipts.

Symptoms of E. coli infection can include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and fever. It can potentially be deadly, but most people recover within five to seven days. Health officials are urging people to cook their hamburgers thoroughly and, if possible, use a digital thermometer to make sure that their meat has been heated to a minimum of 160 degrees. It's also a good idea to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling meat.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Botox Can Cause Problems

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:37:04 GMT

Botox has been linked to a number of hospitalizations and deaths this year. Of those deaths, four of the victims have been children. In addition to this, 87 people were hospitalized. Botox and Myobloc have been linked to the injuries and fatalities because the toxin spread inside the bodies of the patients, killing some of them and injuring others. The botulism toxin has also been linked to problems with muscle weakness and difficulty swallowing.

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and is known as Botox and Myobloc commercially. It is best known for smoothing facial wrinkles and treating cervical dystonia (rigid neck muscles). The toxin is also used to treat children with cerebral palsy. Injecting Botox into the child's muscles allows them to gain normal movement.

People have known for quite a while now that injecting botulinum can cause unwanted effects in nearby muscles; injections to smooth eye creases can cause eyelid drooping. The FDA also states that the adverse effects of botox do not always occur right away and can emerge weeks after treatment.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Two Incidents of Negligence Appear in National News

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:28:44 GMT

Two separate deaths have risen more than a few eyebrows about the responsibilities of healthcare systems. Recently, a video was released of a woman dying on the floor of an emergency psychiatric room in Brooklyn, New York, while nearby people ignore her.

The appalling video shows a 49-year old woman keeling over and falling out of her chair on June 19. After thrashing around on the floor, the woman eventually goes still and dies.

An entire hour goes by before someone realized what was happening. So far, the agency that runs the municipal hospital fired several staffers as a result of this horrible negligence. So far, it doesn't appear that any sort of claim or charges have been filed.

And earlier this month, Adrienne Lemons was placed in a Tarrant county jail as a result of unpaid traffic tickets. Ten days later she was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital, where she died.

Although a spokeswoman for the hospital declined to comment, Lemons' ex-husband says that she had a staph infection and was supposed to be taking antibiotics during her incarceration. She had earlier complained about pain near her shoulder at the jail and even threatened to cut her wrists rather than endure the pain. The response?

Adrienne was shuttled off to a solitary cell downtown, where she died.

These are both cases of negligence that must be examined closely. It is unacceptable for anyone to die while in the care/supervision of these facilities.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Vioxx Settlements Begin

Jeff Rasansky — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:43:41 GMT

More than 59,000 people have registered for the Vioxx settlement and it looks like plaintiffs will begin to see initial payments soon.

Vioxx was approved for use in 1999 and eventually reached sales of over $2.5 billion. Since then, the FDA has ordered the drug to be taken off the market after it was linked to more than 27,000 heart attacks from 1999 to 2003.

Merck announced last November that it would settle $4.85 billion in settlements with the thousands of unfortunate people who had filed Vioxx lawsuits. The settlements will be awarded on an individual basis and the amount of money each person receives will vary on a number of factors.

Apparently, Tuesday is the deadline for submitting medical and pharmacy records to back up claims.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

330 Cases of Salmonella Linked to Tomatoes

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:05:46 GMT

The Texas Department of State Health Services says that the number of salmonella cases linked to tomatoes in Texas since mid-April has increased to 330.

Originally, the outbreaks were occurring in New Mexico and then they slowly made their may into Texas and other states. The FDA has told us all to stay away or at least limit our tomato consumption to the ones that aren't likely to be a part of the outbreak: cherry tomatoes; grape tomatoes; tomatoes with the vine still attached.

The tomatoes you all need to stay away from are red plum, red Roma and red round tomatoes-unless they are grown in specific states or countries that the FDA has cleared of suspicion.

Salmonella poisoning can be a miserable experience, lasting from 4 to 7 days. It can also be potentially fatal in the elderly, children, and people with weakened immune systems.

For more information about the salmonella outbreak, click here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Cribs Recalled After Four Children Are Trapped

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:22:57 GMT

A recall has been issued for about 320,000 cribs, after four children became trapped. Apparently the wooden slats on the crib's frames can break and children can get trapped in the remaining gap. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is aware of at least 42 incidents of broken slats and four where children were trapped.

These cribs were manufactured in Taiwan by Jardine Enterprises and sold by Kidsworld stores, Geoffrey stores, Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us. They were available nationwide between January 2002 and May 2008.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

VA Secretary Issues Warning About Chantix

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:37:45 GMT

Chantix, the popular smoking-cessation drug, has been taking quite a bit of heat over the past 6 months and it doesn't appear that things will let up any time soon.

This week a letter will be mailed from VA Secretary James Peake to several thousand former soldiers.

"If you feel uncomfortable about continuing to use this medication, we will find another way to help you quit smoking," Peake says in the letter. "All you need to do is ask."

WFAA claims that they are the first to report about the potentially psychotic effects that Chantix has on its users. Since then, the FDA has gotten involved, reviewing the drug and its links to suicidal behavior.

For more information about Chantix, follow this link to the Injuryboad news desk.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Gas Line Work to Resume After McKinney Explosion

Jeff Rasansky — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:27:48 GMT

Atmos Energy crews will resume construction today in McKinney after an explosion left three homes devastated and three people injured.

Last month workers accidentally struck a gas line. Monday, workers will be working to finish the job and remove natural gas from the area.

"That makes me nervous because I have three kids and I stay at home all day by myself with the kids," said Caroline Burgos, a nearby resident. Burgos is not planning on being nearby while the work goes on.

"The gas line is right here, and just like I said earlier, both of our next door neighbors are gas customers." Burgos said. "We're not, but if their house goes, our house is going to go too, obviously."

Atmos Energy said McKinney firefighters will be on the scene any time there is a possibility of gas being in the natural gas line. Atmos will work on Howard Street near Seneca Boulevard and at Fenet and Throckmorton all week.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

1 Man Killed, 7 Injured After Wall Collapses at Rice University

Jeff Rasansky — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:46:44 GMT

A wall collapse at a construction site on the Rice University campus has left one worker dead and seven others injured.

The collapse happened at around 4 p.m. Five workers were trapped when some of the walls that were being built for dormitories collapsed on the building's second floor.

One man died while four others were transported to local hospitals. The extent of the injuries sustained by the workers is unknown.

Currently the cause of the collapse is being investigated. The building has been under construction since last year and is set to open in the fall of 2009. A separate investigation by the contractor and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will attempt to determine the cause of the collapse.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Chantix Trial Leaves Veterans Feeling "Betrayed"

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:11:38 GMT

Chantix is getting even more bad press lately. Earlier this month, I blogged about a man who went missing and the potential part Chantix may have played in the event. Now there are reports that the Veterans Administration never warned veterans who were using the drug in a clinical trial of its potential dangers.

James Elliott is a former US Army sniper who says he has been betrayed by the Veteran's Administration. Elliott was among 140 combat veterans who combined post traumatic stress disorder therapy with the stop-smoking drug. However, the patients weren't told about possible psychotic, even suicidal side-effects of the drug until three months after the FDA issued an alert.

James had already suffered from a violent mental breakdown by then.

According to WFAA, the VA had already been warned about the drug's potential side-effects before the FDA warning.

The VA recently issued a statement that "neither the FDA nor the manufacturer has ever recalled Chantix" and that "the VA's use of Chantix is consistent with guidelines for smoking cessation established by the US Surgeon General's office."

Now, the head of the Veteran's Affairs Committee has called for government clinical trials that use Chantix to be suspended.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky