Chrysler Recall for Gear Shift Problems

Fiat Chrysler has announced a recall of 1.1 million vehicles throughout the world because of the gear shift design is causing driver confusion over what gear the vehicle is in.  Even though there are two reminders in place for safety in the vehicles now, including a chiming/alert message if the door is opened when not in park and an indicator light that tells drivers what gear it is in, drivers have had difficulty.  Fiat Chrysler has decided, after at least 41 injuries have been reported, that they will change how the gear selector works and improve warnings.   

The affected vehicles for the recall include 2012 to 2014 Dodge Chargers and Chrysler 300 sedans, as well as 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee sports utility vehicles.  The gear shift has already been changed by Fiat Chrysler in newer vehicles, so they have known this design to be a problem while making newer models. 

If your Chrysler vehicle has the recalled shift design, Fiat Chrysler has indicated the company will contact you.  If you or a loved one has been injured due to the confusing shift design, do not hesitate to contact the professionals at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to see if you may be entitled to compensation. 

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Although we are a little late getting the news out that April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, this is a subject that should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind every month, given the lethal problem it has become in society.  People often want to think of teen drivers as the culprits, but this is not true.  This problem has become the vice of adult drivers, with teen texting frequency being 31 percent for 16 to 18 year olds, young adult texting frequency being 42 percent for 19 to 24 year olds, and 20’s texting frequency being 45 percent for 25 to 29 year olds.  It does not stop there, either, as drivers older than that are certainly not immune to engaging in the distracted driving practice causing injuries and fatalities.  In fact, studies have shown that typical drivers out on the roads on a daily basis are distracted over half the time they drive.  The distractions can be anything that makes them take their eyes off the road, even for a second. 

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Sunscreen Could Weaken Sperm

As the weather warms up and the urge to do any activity that involves sunshine revs up with spring and summer, often time the bottles and tubes of sunscreen come out.  There is a warning out about a side effect of sunscreen that may have people rethinking slathering the stuff on liberally and often.  Copenhagen researchers have found that UV filters in sunscreens are made up of chemicals that are endocrine disruptors that mimic the female hormone progesterone.  While that sunscreen’s endocrine disruptors are filtering the sun, they could also be filtering the proper functioning of sperm, with the progesterone mimicker messing up the signals in the sperm cells and possibly affecting fertility.  Research found that even in small quantities the UV filters had an impact on sperm.  Sunscreens are not the only products containing UV filters, so it is good to check any of those lotions and creams used often on a daily basis year round. 

Many might be mumbling to themselves at this point that here is another product that one is supposed to use as prevention for one thing (cancer), but now it is found to possibly cause another (infertility).  If the possible infertility is a concern, skin cancer risks can be minimized by avoiding sun exposure during midday hours by staying inside or wearing hats and clothing to protect the skin.  Inserra & Kelley Law Offices wants you to be safe and healthy to live life to the fullest, and will keep its readership up to date on things that can interfere with that health and well-being.   

Dirty Surgical Scopes and Infection Risks

Medical scope contamination is a bigger problem than understood with 300 to 350 patients and 41 hospitals worldwide (most in the U.S.) reporting patients being stricken with bacterial infections linked to the scopes.  These figures may even be under-representing the true statistics given the fact that many hospitals do not always test patients for antibiotic resistant superbugs that cause the infections.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been criticized for its lack of attention to this problem being the fault of the manufacturer rather than the hospitals.  Hospitals have reported following manufacturer instructions for in-hospital cleaning of the scopes, but infections have continued.  Olympus is a Japanese manufacturer of medical scopes and is the most prevalent manufacturer of medical scopes used in the United States.  The FDA decided to keep the Olympus medical scopes on the market, but the complex design of the scopes makes them very difficult to clean appropriately to prevent infection.  Body fluids and other debris can be stuck in the medical device’s crevices and joints despite manufacturer informed efforts at cleaning and disinfecting them. 

If you or someone you love has experienced a bacterial infection after a medical procedure involving Olympus or other brand name medical scopes, contact your medical provider and do not hesitate to contact the caring experts at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to see whether you may be entitled to compensation.    

Fisher Price Infant Cradle Recall

Fisher Price has issued a recall on three of its infant cradle swings because a peg can come out of the seat and then cause a fall of its precious cargo, your baby.  The models include the CHM84 Soothing Savanna Cradle ‘n Swing, the CMR40 Sweet Surroundings Cradle ‘n Swing, and the CMR43 Sweet Surroundings Butterfly Friends Cradle ‘n Swing.  Stores and online sites, including but not limited to, Target and Amazon sold the thirty-four thousand swings impacted by this recall.  For more information on what to do if you own one of these swings, go to www.service.mattel.com to look at their Recalls & Safety Alerts tab for more information.   

If you or someone you love has experienced injury from a falling accident related to one of these Fisher Price swings, contact your medical provider and do not hesitate to contact the caring experts at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to see whether you may be entitled to compensation.    

Skateboards Responsible for 176 Kids in the ER Every Day

The weather is warming up and the kids are hopping on skateboards for fun in increasing numbers.  Parents beware that 176 kids wind up in the ER every day in the United States due to injuries in skateboarding accidents.  Male skateboarders are even more likely to be injuries, with common injuries including fractures, dislocations, sprains/strains, and bruises.  While the upper and lower extremities are the most common injury sites, skateboard injuries can also involve the face, head, or neck, especially for younger skateboarders. 

There are tips for keeping your skateboarders safe, with the number one tip being to never allow them on their skateboards without safety gear that includes a helmet, knee and elbow pads, and wrist guards.  Skateboard parks are preferred over free riding out on the streets and sidewalks, due to the chances of uneven surfaces, potholes, cracks, and traffic when riders are not contained in the designated skateboarding park.  The conditions outside can also make a difference, so riders should not be out in the dark or in inclement weather such as rain, heavy wind, ice, snow, and conditions ripe for lightening.   

Inserra & Kelley Law Offices wants you safe and injury-free and is on the lookout for the latest safety and health concerns to pass along to you and your families.      

Grilling Season Alert: Wire Brushes Cause Injuries

Grilling season is upon us and people are pulling out their wire grill brushes to get those grills ready to go.  Beware being one of the grillers (or eaters of grilled delights) ending up in the emergency room with injuries from ingesting wire bristles from grill brushes!  Bristles from these wire brushes can commonly come out during cleaning and wind up in the food prepared on the grill.  Ingesting the wire bristles can lead to injuries of the mouth, throat, tonsils, stomach, and intestines.    

What is the grilling fanatic to do?  There are simple strategies to keep you and your loved ones from injury by checking the brush before every use, replacing those with loose bristles, and checking the grill itself before the cooking commences.  Inserra & Kelley Law Offices wants you safe and injury-free and is on the lookout for the latest safety and health concerns to pass along to you and your families.      

Weight Loss Surgery and Vision Loss

The last thing likely on the mind of the patient about to undergo weight loss surgery is vision loss or problems, but can be a reality when the surgery leads to vitamin deficiency.  A Texas woman experienced vision problems and pain, as well as lesions after bariatric surgery and it was pointed out that such symptoms are resultant from extreme Vitamin A deficiency.  Vitamin A is vital for eye health, so a lack can lead to extreme optical eye dryness, night blindness, and Bitot spots (lesions), which are raised bumpy lesions on the sclera (white part of the eye). 

Since bariatric surgery is designed to decrease the amounts of food calories and nutrients absorbed by the body, vitamin deficiencies, including Vitamin A deficiencies, can occur to the detriment of the patient.  Even in the case of taking a multi-vitamin following bariatric surgery, appropriate vitamins may not be absorbed for health.  A vitamin A infusion helped the Texas woman with her vision issues, but it would be necessary to continue getting the vitamin infusions or have a surgery to improve the intestines to be permanently rid of the problem.  Vitamin A deficiency damage can be an irreversible problem, so it is recommended that bariatric surgical patients taken in appropriate nutrition for health following the procedure. 

Inserra & Kelley Law Offices wants everyone to live life to the fullest with health and well-being.  We are here to alert readers to possible threats to living the best life and our attorneys are here to answer any questions you may have regarding possible injuries or illnesses related to accidents, procedures, and products.     

Concussions and Cognitive Skills

Not surprisingly, many clients of our firm suffer from head injuries, concussion, and traumatic brain injuries as a result of accidents.  Much research has been done and publicized in recent years due to concerns of long-term effects from head injuries.  While in the past it was thought by medical providers and other experts that a concussion victim might experience cognitive deficits for weeks after injury, a new school of thought is stating that the effects could last much more long-term, as in up to 55 years long-term. 

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Banned Drug Found in Weight Loss Supplements

Beware users of supplements for weight-loss or workouts, as researchers are alarmed by the presence of a stimulant drug banned in the United States and for sports in supplements used by Americans. Methylsynephrine (aka oxilofrine) is the stimulant drug used in some countries for raising blood pressure for those with low blood pressure problems.  Unfortunately, medical providers prescribing it for this use are giving up to 40 milligram doses, but if a consumer is getting this stimulant in their supplement they are being instructed by the labels to take 75 milligrams per dose, and up to 250 milligrams in a single day!  This takes this dose up to very dangerous levels for individuals who may already have high blood pressure or heart conditions (many undetected).  The results could be dire or even fatal since this drug increases blood pressure, and because it is often combined in supplements with additional stimulants that will do the same thing. 

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