Approximately 7,657 model year 2012-2013 International, brand Durastar buses, model year 2013 International brand Workstar trucks, model year 2013 Holiday Rambler brand model Ambassador and Endeavor, and model year 2013 Monaco brand model Diplomat and Knight vehicles have been voluntarily recalled by Navistar, Inc. due to a possible engine failure issue. With prolonged vibrational damage the injection pressure regulator harness wires installed in these vehicles may break, potentially causing the engine to shut down unexpectedly, possibly increasing the likelihood that the vehicle will become involved in a collision.
Certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles are being voluntarily recalled by General Motors due to a potential air bag defect that can pose an injury hazard to the driver in the event of an accident. The frontal driver’s side air bag is equipped with a shorting bar that may make intermittent contact with the air bag terminals. If this contact occurs at the time of a collision, the air bag will be prevented from deploying, possibly increasing the likelihood that the driver will sustain an injury.
More than 8,500 model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles have been voluntarily recalled by General Motors due to a possible suspension defect. During the manufacturing process the rear suspension bolts in these vehicles may not have been installed with sufficient torque, potentially causing sudden changes in the way the vehicle handles and increasing the chance that it will become involved in an accident. Owners of these vehicles can return them to authorized Chevrolet dealers, where these bolts will be inspected and if necessary tightened at no cost.
Due to a potential airbag defect, General Motors has issued a voluntary recall for certain model year 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe and Toyota has issued a voluntary recall for a model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in cooperation with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The supplemental restraint system circuits installed in these vehicles may short out due to increased heat and an abnormal current flow. This electrical short may result in the inadvertent deployment of the seat belt pretensioners or front airbags, potentially injuring the driver or passenger. If this occurs while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the likelihood that the driver will become involved in an accident.
Several models of Lexus vehicles are being voluntarily recalled by Toyota due to a potential windshield wiper defect. This recall includes certain model year 2008-2011 Lexus IS-F vehicles manufactured December 14, 2007, through July 10, 2011; 2010-2012 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles manufactured April 10, 2009, through October 6, 2011; 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2005, through October 5, 2011. These vehicles are equipped with wiper arms that may not have been correctly installed. Insufficient torque may have been applied to the nuts fastening these arms to the vehicle, possibly resulting in the wiper arms becoming inoperable if they are restricted by external pressure, such as the weight of snowfall buildup. Inoperable windshield wipers may result in decreased visibility, potentially increasing the likelihood that the vehicle will be involved in an accident.
Due to a potential fall and injury hazard, approximately 120,000 fourteen-foot Sportspower BouncePro Trampolines sold exclusively at Walmart have been voluntarily recalled in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. These trampolines are surrounded in an enclosure netting that can break during use, possibly allowing users to fall through and getting injured. A previously issued recall in May of 2012 included 92,000 of these trampolines, but the recall was expanded to include 28,000 additional trampolines after the manufacturer received nine additional reports of the netting breaking during use, including five reports of injuries occurring as a result of this defect.
Approximately 37,000 Master Forge four-burner gas grills have been voluntarily recalled due to potential fire and burn hazards. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s official recall notice, the hose connecting the regulator and gas tank to the burner control may have been incorrectly installed, possibly allowing the hose to touch the burner box. If this occurs when the grill is lit, the hose may melt and rupture, posing a fire and burn risk to the user.
Following the deaths of two toddlers approximately 18,000 Million Dollar Baby brand children’s four-drawer dressers have been voluntarily recalled by Bexco Enterprises Inc. of Montebello, California. According to the recall notice issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a 20-month-old California girl and an 11-month old Oklahoma boy reportedly died after becoming trapped under tipped over dressers. If the child opens dresser drawers and attempts to climb on them, according to the CPSC, the dresser can become imbalanced and unstable, posing a tip-over and entrapment risk.
This recall affects “Emily” and “Ryan” style four drawer dressers made from pine and wood composite available in Cherry, Ebony, Espresso, Honey Oak and White finishes. These dressers, part of the DaVinci children’s bedroom furniture collection available at independent child furniture stores and JC Penney department stores and online for between $230 and $300, are 40-inches wide by 33-inches high by 20-inches deep.
While these dressers originally met voluntary federal safety standards regarding children’s furniture when they were first put on the market in 2006, subsequent revisions made to the guidelines in 2009 requires dressers to be sold with tip-over restraints. These restraints attach the dresser to a wall or other anchoring device. Consumers in possession of these dressers are advised to keep them away from children until the company can provide tip-over restraints.
Representatives from Volvo have announced the automaker’s plans to design crash proof vehicles intended to go on the market by the year 2020. By developing high tech auto safety features such as City Safety, which employs sensors designed to not only warn drivers of impending front end collisions but to automatically apply the brakes in the event that the driver does not take the necessary steps to avoid the collision and is already offered in some vehicle models, Volvo’s engineers hope to reduce the number of fatal traffic accidents that occur each year to zero.
Self-driving vehicles that follow the speed and maneuvering of the car ahead of them, transforming drivers into passengers, are also being developed by the car maker along with several other companies such as Toyota and Google.
Not all features are designed to protect motorists, either, as the automaker has expressed its desire to design features that reduce the number of traffic collisions involving pedestrians as well. One such feature currently under development is Pedestrian Detection, which is designed to determine whether an upcoming pedestrian is about to step out into the roadway in front of the vehicle.
I am hopeful that Volvo and other automakers are going to make good on these promises to improve safety through technology because I would love to see the day when auto accidents, the cause of thousands of deaths and injuries each year, become a relic of the past.
A Moreno Valley man was arrested in Riverside County California on charges of driving under the influence and driving without a license following an alleged hit and run accident that left a freeway maintenance worker in a coma. The DUI charges, to which the man has plead not guilty, are amplified in severity due to the fact the accident in question caused bodily harm and put the victim into a coma. According to the prosecutor, the victim, a traffic-control supervisor for a contractor working for Caltrans on the carpool lane on Highway 91 at the time of the accident, is currently in a vegetative state.
$7,000,000
Toxic Contamination Injury
Plaintiff brought an action that involved land contamination. Plaintiff's property had been contaminated due to the business operations of an adjoining landowner. Plaintiff received a binding arbitration award in excess of $7,000,000.
$14,000,000
Work Site Accident
Plaintiff was involved in a work site accident. Plaintiff was injured when a slab of marble fell on him. Plaintiff was able to obtain a settlement for $14,000,000.
$3,000,000+
Forklift Injury
Plaintiff brought an action against a forklift manufacturer under the theory of negligent maintenance and inspection. Plaintiff suffered serious injuries to his leg. Defendant refused to make any settlement offers until the eve of trial. At that time, Defendant offered only $150,000 to settle the case. Plaintiff received a jury verdict in excess of $3,000,000.
