Sickness related to the Jensen Farms cantaloupe became evident on July 31st of this year.  Since that time, 109 people have become infected and deaths have been reported in New York, Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Texas and New Mexico. Additionally, one pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage after becoming ill.

Here is a listing of the states affected and how many people in those states who have been infected with Listeria to present:

Alabama (1), Arkansas(1), California (1), Colorado (32), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Iowa (1), Kansas (7), Maryland (1), Missouri (3), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (13), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (11), Oregon (1),  South Dakota (1), Texas (16), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (3).

The FDA issued a press release on September 14, 2011 announcing the voluntary recall by Jensen Farms, and while the cantaloupes should no longer be on store shelves, more illnesses may be reported simply because of the time lapse between eating the cantaloupe and developing listeriosis, which can be as long as 2 months.

Consumers have been notified that cantaloupes that did not come from Jensen Farms are safe to eat; however, when unsure of the source do not eat cantaloupes.  Women who are pregnant, older adults and those with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to listeriosis and the serious complications that can develop.

Brown Chiari is a prominent New York injury law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of those who have become ill after consuming contaminated foods.  Contact us today for a free evaluation of your case.

The defective straps were sold at Under Armour outlet stores across the nation, as well as sporting goods stores.  They were also sold at www.underarmour.com.  The average price of the chin straps was $20; they were sold from January of 2008 through September of this year.

The UA Defender Chin Straps were sold in four color schemes, including red, royal, navy and a white/black combination.  The straps affected in this recall have a padded chin area, hard nylon shell and plastic strap with “Under Armour” printed on the strap.  The chin straps also have metal clasps that attach to the helmet and tighten the straps.  The sharp metal of the clasps or snaps is what has cut players, resulting in the need for stitches.

Sold by Under Armour of Baltimore, the chin straps were manufactured in China and imported by JR286, Inc. of Redondo Beach, California.

Under Armour is recommending that consumers stop using the defective chin straps immediately, and that they contact the company for a free replacement.  Consumers may call 1-888-823-0343 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday.

Defective products cause tens of thousands of injuries every year; on occasion, injuries can be fatal.  Those who have suffered injuries due to defective products are advised to contact the New York defective products attorneys at Brown Chiari for a free evaluation of your claim.

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Emergency crews that responded to the accident assisted in extricating the remaining people trapped in their vehicles.  Of the eleven who were taken to nearby hospitals, only one was considered to be injured seriously.  Four of the eleven were construction site workers who were working at the Port when the accident scaffolding collapsed.

According to reports the scaffolding was a part of major expansion at the border crossing.  While investigations as to why the scaffolding collapsed are underway, it was not reported whether OSHA would be investigating the accident.  The San Ysidro Port of Entry is located in San Diego and is the nation’s busiest border crossing.  One day after the accident, 13 of the 24 northbound lanes reopened.  Every day, approximately 25,000 pedestrians and 50,000 vehicles enter the U.S. at the crossing.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the scaffolding collapsed around 10:45 in the morning on Wednesday, falling on to vehicles entering the United States at the massive border-crossing facility on East San Ysidro Boulevard.  Support beams and pieces of concrete were part of the debris that fell on vehicles during the collapse.  With an accident of this magnitude, it is a wonder that no one was killed and that there were not more serious injuries.

Construction workers are at a higher risk of accidents with injuries than workers in any other industry in the United States.  In this case, innocent bystanders were injured as well as construction workers.

If you or a loved one have been injured on a construction site, whether a worker or visitor to the site, contact the New York construction accident lawyers at Brown Chiari.  Brown Chiari Buffalo injury attorneys are able to help you determine what route to take to obtain the compensation you deserve.

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It’s not just “driving drunk” anymore

Although “driving drunk” may have at one time been seen as a small offense, that’s not true any longer. If you’re charged with driving drunk or driving under the influence of other mood altering substances like drugs, you can face some very serious consequences. Today, laws are very strict, such that you could face suspension of your license, fines, or jail time if you’re convicted of this offense. Your Kansas City DUI attorney will carefully look at your case and make sure that your rights are completely protected. In some cases, he or she may even be able to get the charges reduced or dismissed, especially if there’s a question about procedures followed, your guilt, and so on.

What if you’re innocent?

Indeed, driving drunk is a very serious offense such that you could harm yourself or others if you get behind the wheel when you’re under the influence. However, there are also cases when you know you’re completely innocent of any crime, and may be pulled over anyway. Perhaps you really did have “one drink” and are not at all impaired, but were pulled over for some other reason. In that case, the result of being pulled over for DUI could be an unfair charge; if that happens, you’ll need the services of a Kansas City DUI attorney to make sure your case is represented fairly and that charges are dismissed if at all possible.

Even if you’re guilty

Even if you are guilty of a DUI, your Kansas City DUI attorney can help make sure you’re represented fairly throughout the proceedings, so that any convictions match the offense. For example, if you’re a first-time offender, your attorney may be able to get your charges reduced if you do certain things as the Court requests, such as taking classes on alcohol and driving safety, and pulling no further offenses within a certain period of time. Regardless of the actual outcome, however, your Kansas City DUI attorney will almost always be able to get you a better result than you would get if you tried to go it alone. Retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney, and make sure your rights are protected at all times.

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There are several ways you can go about getting lawsuit loans. The important thing is to find a lender that deals in settlement funding and believes in your case enough to take a chance that you will be able to repay the loan. Companies that specialize in these loans typically do not require credit checks and other background information.

Once you have the loan money it can be very tempting to use it in many different ways. Perhaps you have a car that is beat up and would like a newer replacement. Or perhaps your home could use some improvements like a more modern kitchen or bathroom. These projects and luxuries are often what comes to mind when someone receives a large lump sum of money.

However, this is not what these loans are designed for. You need to use the money you get from lawsuit loans for their purpose. This litigation funding is there for you to be able to pay your medical bills and other expenses along the way during your case. It is not there for you to spend blindly. However you decide to spend your lawsuit winnings is entirely up to you, but this money should be earmarked for the expenses you need to pay while you are waiting for your lawsuit to settle.

Of course, there are some expenses that must be paid and if you are out of work you may need to use the lawsuit loans for that purpose as well. This is perfectly acceptable. You can use the money to pay for your basic needs such as utilities, food, and your housing payment or rent. This way you can survive until you receive your judgment or are able to go back to work.

Lawsuit loans are to be repaid upon winning your lawsuit and having the money in hand. If you have an experienced attorney, you may find that the fees for taking out the loan may be reimbursed to you as part of your settlement or judgment amount. You may even be able to claim all of the expenses incurred throughout the lawsuit in your judgment, in which case you can easily repay the loan and still have plenty of money left over for whatever you want or need.  Keep in mind that with litigation financing, should you lose your lawsuit you do not repay the funding company, as the process is non-recourse.

Even though you may have been in good shape financially prior to filing a lawsuit, financial issues often arise.  If you are injured and unable to work, medical bills add to your expenses while your income is less than it was before.  This can quickly lead to money problems and in some cases bankruptcy.  Lawsuit loans are a way to lessen the impact to your life so that you can continue with your lawsuit in order to secure the full settlement you deserve.  Insurance companies rarely offer you full compensation, so don’t be fooled in to taking whatever they offer to pay you.

Litigation financing is a process that helps you live normally even though you are going through so much.  You may be seriously injured, or your injuries may prevent you from working for the foreseeable future.  Why should you be forced to accept only a small portion of what you are entitled to?  Settlement loans allow you to pay your household bills, medical expenses and other costs so that you can keep the wolves at bay while continuing to fight for your rights.

Sometimes it seems that life just isn’t fair.  You were the one injured because of someone else’s negligence, yet everyone wants to take advantage of you – including the insurance company.  Through no fault of your own, you are unable to work and the bills are driving you crazy.  Why should you face possible financial ruin when you are the victim?  Settlement loans are a great solution, and are actually a cash advance rather than an actual loan.  Should you be approved, you do not repay the litigation funding company until you have won your settlement and have the money in hand.  If for any reason you do not win, you are not responsible for repaying the funding company since the process is non-recourse.

There are absolutely no up-front costs so you won’t have to spend money in order to get the process started.  Qualifying for a settlement loan is easy, and requires no information other than the details related to your lawsuit.  If litigation financing sounds like a reasonable solution for your situation, learn more by going online or discuss it with your lawyer.  It’s your money, why shouldn’t you have access to it now?

Most of the problems stem from the firepots bursting in to flames after lighting.  Two victims who received serious burns have filed lawsuits against the company.  One Florida woman was visiting relatives in South Carolina when flames from a nearby firepot shot up in flames, leaving her with burns on 30% of her body.  The incident occurred on May 25th, and as of June 22nd she remained in intensive care.

In another incident with injuries, a South Carolina woman suffered badly burned legs after her husband lit a firepot and it exploded, causing a fire.  Her husband was also injured, though not as seriously as the woman who almost lost her left foot and underwent numerous surgeries.  Rachael Smilowitz is a 33-year-old mother of two children, and one of the two individuals to file a lawsuit against the company.

The firepot fuel has been sold at gift stores, national and regional chains, Amazon.com and other stores including Bed, Bath and Beyond since December of 2009.  The firepot fuel is a clear, flammable gel that is to be poured in to a stainless steel section inside of the firepot, which is used for decorative purposes.  While the gel is meant to burn slowly, many who have purchased the firepots have had the NAPAfire and FIREGEL Gel Fuel products flare up when lit.

Individuals filing these lawsuits allege negligence on the part of the makers of the firepot, Georgia-based Napa Home and Garden, Inc. and the companies that supply the packaging and fuel for the firepots.

The gel fuel is clear and packaged in one-gallon plastic jugs as well as one quart plastic bottles.  Consumers are urged to stop using the gel fuel immediately and to return the product to the retailer where purchased for a full refund.  Approximately 460,000 jugs and bottles were involved in this recall.

It is often surprising that the simplest things can result in serious injuries.  These decorative firepots typically cost between $5 and $78, and you wouldn’t expect a product that you light to add beauty to your home would burst into flames.  Defective products often catch the consumer unaware, often resulting in catastrophic injuries.

Brown Chiari is a team of Buffalo defective product attorneys dedicated to protecting the rights of our clients.  Contact one of our Buffalo injury attorneys for a free evaluation of your claim.

In the lawsuit, Ray claimed that the drug giant Allergan had failed to warn him that injections of Botox could trigger an autoimmune reaction; Ray said that the treatment left him disabled.  Of the $212 million awarded to Ray, $200 million was for punitive damages and $12 million compensatory.  Under Virginia law, the $200 million in punitive damages will be capped at $350,000 according to Caroline Van Hove, a spokeswoman for Allergan which is based in California.

Van Hove denied that Allergan failed to provide proper warnings, stating in an e-mail that every known risk associated with the use of Botox is in fact warned about and based on scientific properties of the drug.  It isn’t known yet whether Allergan will appeal.  Ray Chester, Douglas Ray’s attorney, stated that if Allergan does appeal the verdict he will attack the constitutionality of the $350,000 cap.

Ray was often left confused and disoriented following the Botox injections, and was unable to care for himself.  According to Ray Chester, Allergan was aware of these kinds of side effects but did not warn doctors and patients sufficiently about these possible side effects in an effort to avoid losing sales.

Botox or botulinum first came on the scene as a treatment to smooth wrinkles; today, it is also used to treat migraine headaches and muscle stiffness.

Whether Allergan did in fact provide sufficient warnings to physicians and patients is not known, it is a fact that manufacturers often do not provide sufficient warning on products which can lead to injuries or even death.

Brown Chiari is a dedicated team of New York defective drug recall attorneys intent on protecting the rights of and securing justice for our clients.  Please contact us for a free evaluation of your case.

Sold at Amazon.com and Walmart stores across the nation for $50 to $60 between the dates of August 2009 and March 2011, the plastic buckle that connects the chin straps can fail.  This could cause the helmet to fall off of a rider’s head leaving them vulnerable to serious head injuries should an accident occur.

While the  majority of the helmets were sold in Massachusetts, some were sold in other areas of the U.S.  2,500 of the bicycle helmets were sold in Canada.  One report of injury has been received by the company; in this bicycle accident, the injured rider required facial stitches.

Consumers are advised to cease using the bicycle helmets immediately, and to contact Bell Sports for a free replacement of a defective helmet.  The company can be reached at 866-892-6059 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time.

Models included in this recall include:

1003825/035011898025  Colors of this model orange/grey/black
1006714/035011917719  Colors of this model blue/grey/gold/white/black

Defective products are responsible for thousands of injuries and deaths each year.  Products that can cause injury include prescription and over-the-counter drugs, toys containing small parts or lead paint, mini-blinds, high chairs, tires, faulty equipment in cars, heavy machinery and many more.

If you or a loved one have suffered serious injuries or even death due to faulty or defective products, products not clearly labeled or products without warnings of potential hazards, contact the New York defective products attorneys at Brown Chiari.  Contact us today for a free evaluation of your case.

Our office is located at:

Stark Law Offices, Criminal & DUI Defense
201 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 273-8888

It’s fairly easy to understand why individuals may be tempted to shoplift today.  The economic conditions are tough; people have lost their jobs and money is tight.  However, considering the harsh penalties under Indiana shoplifting laws you should consider that the fees and penalties you will pay if caught far outweigh the costs if you had just paid for the items you stole.  When you are caught shoplifting, it is a humiliating experience that could cost you your reputation on top of everything else.

Shoplifting is a criminal offense and is considered theft.  Depending upon the value of the property you stole, you may be charged with a misdemeanor or felony.  When you make a mistake and disregard Indiana shoplifting laws you will regret it, but everyone makes mistakes.  If you find yourself in trouble with the law after taking property that is not yours it is essential that you contact a qualified Indiana shoplifting lawyer at once.

It could very well be that your actions were misinterpreted and that you did not steal anything at all.  Whether guilty or innocent, you need sound legal counsel.  A good lawyer will consult with you about the details of your case and help determine the proper course of action to take.  The ideal situation results in charges being dropped, but when this is not possible you want penalties reduced as much as possible.

Typically under Indiana shoplifting laws you will be charged with criminal conversion if the items you took were valued under $250; this is a Class A misdemeanor.  If the stolen goods are worth more than $250 you may expect to be charged with a Class D felony theft offense.  Either way, you will most likely face steep fines, court fees and possible jail time.  Is it really worth stealing someone else’s property considering the impact to your life, a permanent criminal record and a ruined reputation?  If it’s too late and the deed has already been done, consult with an experienced attorney for the best possible outcome.