Snowstorm Health Dangers

The obvious thing most folks think about when the local news stations are warning of impending winter storms would be that it will be dangerous for driving.  The nation has been undergoing some big winter storms and cold this winter that has made for bad roads and accidents, but there are also other health and safety dangers created by winter’s fury.  When the temperatures dip, people often forget frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes and have dire health consequences, including amputations.  A tingling and painful feeling on skin, especially the extremities of fingers and toes should immediately send people towards somewhere indoors to be safe.  Once a person has been out in the elements and experienced such symptoms indicating the possible start of frostbite, they are at increased risk when going back outside shortly thereafter.  Individuals can be at an even higher risk of frostbite, or hypothermia, when alcohol has been consumed, as the alcohol causes the body to feel warm and underestimate how cold it is and it also messes with the body’s temperature regulation and can lead to problems quickly.

Other factors that can mess with the body’s temperature regulation system and signals are aging and also prescription medications.  This can leave individuals susceptible to becoming victims of hypothermia even inside a home that is not heated properly.  Therefore, winter storms and weather can cause hypothermia to those stranded or staying outside too long, but also people indoors, especially those of advanced age.  It is very wise to keep track of elderly family members, neighbors, and friends in winter months to assure they are staying warm enough and their home temperature gauges are at safe settings.  Another risk for inside can be power outages that keep the heat off altogether for extended periods of time.  When the power is out or home heating systems are not keeping up with demand, people often resort to space heaters to help stay warm.  Use of space heaters ups fire risks from space heaters placed too close to flammable items and electrical fires from extension cords and overloaded electrical outlets.  It is imperative that space heaters be kept at least three feet from flammable items and that they not be left unattended.  Extension cords should be avoided and the space heater and its cord should be inspected to be sure it is up to safety standards. 

Winter storms bring the requirement of shoveling walks and driveways to meet city regulations and keep things safe for pedestrians and vehicles.  People who are otherwise sedentary are now outdoors performing some of the most strenuous activity there is.  Shoveling involves every muscle of the body, as well as the cardiac system, to lift heavy snow, bend over, and endure cold temperatures.  This can be a recipe for disasters and snow shoveling does too often lead to cardiac events that risk health and even life.  Individuals who are in poor physical condition, or are advanced in age with health risks, should avoid snow shoveling if at all possible.  It is unfortunate that many people, due to finances and a lack of people to reach out and help them, have to get out and shovel to their own detriment.  Every safety precaution should be taken in this instance to be sure the individual is as warmly dressed as possible in layers and that breaks are taken with short duration shoveling times.  Even better, is when neighbors, friends, and families pitch in and help those who are at risk when shoveling.    

It is extremely important to be ready for the winter season and its hazards out driving, on one’s property, and even inside.  If possible, have plans in place well before winter storms to help dictate driver safety, shoveling safety, and home safety.  If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, or other type of accident that was the fault of another, do not hesitate to contact Inserra & Kelley Law Offices for assistance.  Our caring professionals want you to be safe and want to keep you informed on when you may be entitled to compensation. 

Master Herbs Recall of Cough Syrup Containing Morphine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Master Herbs, Inc. has had to voluntarily recall one of its products, due to the presence of morphine.  Master Herbs Licorice Coughing Liquid does not list on its label that it contains the opioid, morphine, in its 100 milliliter bottles sold in Chinese grocery stores.  The consumer believing they are getting a natural, healthy cough syrup could get the unwelcome surprise of depressed respirations and even death from hypersensitivity to morphine.  Young children are especially prone to such respiratory depression from morphine during a respiratory illness, as well as people taking other medications that could interact dangerously with the opioid.

The recall allows for consumers to return their bottles of the Licorice Coughing Syrup to the retail outlet where it was purchased and those who have distributed it through retail or wholesale outlets have been told to stop selling it and return remaining product on their shelves to Master Herbs, Inc.            

If you or a loved one has been harmed by Master Herbs Licorice Coughing Syrup, consult your medical provider and do not hesitate to contact the caring professionals at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices.  Our firm values your safety and health, and you may be entitled to compensation. 

FDA Revises Requirements for Transvaginal Devices

 

Have you had the condition of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repaired via a surgical mesh product?  If the answer is yes, you should be aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made revisions to the data requirements regarding these devices after receiving thousands and thousands of reports of problem complications and consequences from their use. 

Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition in which pelvic floor muscles/tissue are stretched out, ripped, or weakened to the point that it cannot provide the support to the pelvic organs that normally prevents prolapse of those organs into the vagina.  The surgical mesh used to fix this problem was originally utilized to fix abdominal hernias, but the use for POP became common in the 1970s.  Problems that can occur include heavy bleeding, urinary issues, infection, nerve damage, and even the perforation of organs, which paves the way for a lot of pain and complications. 

Around one hundred thousand lawsuits have resulted from the dangerous surgical mesh complications because if it were not for wrong design and the use of cheap materials, many complications and health issues could have been prevented.  Companies who have made the surgical mesh devices include Boston Scientific Corp., Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon, and C. R. Bard.  The FDA ordered the reclassification of the devices from moderate-risk class II devices to high-risk class III devices, as well as other written requirements.   

If you or a loved one has suffered the harmful effects of a surgical mesh device used for POP, do not hesitate to contact Inserra & Kelley Law Offices as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.   

Takata Air Bag Deaths in Hondas

has announced that the Takata air bag faulty inflators have caused at least nine deaths.  Recalls of the faulty Takata air bags have been made in past years and at least one death due to the bad inflator has occurred since April of 2015 showing there are still faulty Takata air bags out on the roads.  The inflators will explode when they undergo too much force, which results in the spraying of metal shrapnel and all of the deaths linked to this problem have occurred in vehicles manufactured by Honda Motor Company.    

If your Honda has a Takata air bag system, be sure to check the details of the recall for Honda owners at http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Owners/takata-update and pay heed to the recall to prevent possible injury or death to you or your loved ones.  If you or a loved one has already been injured by the Takata air bag system, please contact the professionals at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to see if you may be entitled to compensation. 

Beware of Imported Kratom Leaf

You may or may not be familiar with the green leaf, kratom, that is imported in product forms such as drink form, powdered products, and bars, and have been sold in places like convenience stores, as well as on the internet.  Kratom is touted by many as a pain reliever, and even a product to help kick heroin addiction, and hails from Southeast Asia.  The green leaf actually alters the mind and can be used for pain or withdrawal, but then hook the user to an addiction to the kratom. 

Kratom has resulted in dangerous side effects such as respiratory depression, seizures, and even suicide, but many crave its stated benefits of hitting the opiate receptor of the brain and giving opioid-like effects to the user.  Local lawmakers and the U.S Food and Drug administration have experienced some confusion over whether to allow or ban kratom, with Wyoming, Vermont, Tennessee, and Indiana making it illegal.  To date, it is still a product that consumers can find access to and further studies and cost benefit analyses will have to be done in the future to determine its fate. 

When making decisions about the products you or your loved ones use, the caring professionals at Inserra & Kelley  want you to be as informed as possible in regards to product dangers versus possible benefits.  It is always wise to contact your medical provider to discuss whether any product like kratom would be beneficial or harmful to your individual health and wellness.      

Possible Links Between Yeast Infection Drug and Miscarriage

Warnings have been released regarding the popular prescription drug, fluconazole (or name brand Diflucan), available in pill and liquid form to patients prescribed it for yeast infections.  A large study has been done in Denmark that has shown that the drug is quite possibly linked to miscarriages when used liberally during pregnancy.  In fact, out of the women studied, it was found that there was an almost fifty percent increase in miscarriage in pregnancies in the first six months for users of fluconazole in a low dose amount.  The risk increased substantially with increased doses over 150 milligrams.  Researchers are concerned enough to warn medical professionals to be cautious in prescribing the drug to pregnant women, especially in earlier pregnancy.  Hormonal changes cause frequent yeast infections in pregnant women, so it is very common for doctors to prescribe fluconazole for pregnant women and it is actually available in over-the-counter versions of creams and suppositories as well.

At Inserra & Kelley Law Offices we strive to keep you informed so that you and your loved ones can make the best choices for your health.  If you or a loved one is pregnant, use caution and have informed conversations with your doctors about the prescription drug, fluconazole should it be recommended to you. 

Ice More Than a Sliding Out of Control Danger on the Roads

 

When you think of ice and the hazards of driving at this time of year it is natural to think of spinning out on dangerously icy roads, but there is also a hazard when the ice is not cleaned off of your vehicle before your road trip begins.  When ice (and even snow) is not cleaned off a vehicle it poses the danger of flying off when the vehicle is in motion and can become a projectile headed for other vehicles out on the road.  This can be especially dangerous when the ice flies and shatters the windshield of another vehicle while it is also in motion on busy roads, which could lead to injury from glass/ice coming through the windshield or losing control of the vehicle and crashing.   Next time you travel, take care to remove ALL ice and snow from the entire vehicle, including the roof, hood, trunk, and truck bed, not just the windshield and windows. 

If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident due to the fault of another driver, do not hesitate to contact Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to see if you may be entitled to compensation.  Our firm strives to keep you informed of any possible danger out on the highways and byways and will keep you updated on safety hazards and preventative actions that can save the lives of many.   

Button Battery Beware

Lithium button batteries are highly popular during and following the holiday season and commonly used in watches, hearing aids, remote controls, calculators, toys, and even musical greeting cards.  A sad story has been reported of a toddler in Oklahoma losing his life after the ingestion of one of these button batteries.  The batteries are of a small enough size that they can pass through the body’s systems without problems, but they can also unfortunately become caught somewhere such as the esophagus and then the alkaline in the batteries exposes the swallower to danger as was the case with two year old Brianna Florer, who died three days after Christmas, 2015.  In addition to curious children being at risk of swallowing the button batteries, it has also been found that elderly adults can mistake the batteries for pills and swallow them as well.   Chemical burns can ensue once the body has been exposed to the alkaline substance of the batteries within two hours, and it should be noted that little Brianna of Oklahoma lived six days after swallowing one of these button batteries.  Symptoms that can occur after swallowing can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chest pain, and bloody vomiting, but it can also be quite possible the victim will not exhibit any symptoms at all. 

The family of little Brianna made the decision to publicize her loss in order to protect others from the same fate and want everyone out there to be aware and take every precaution possible when using products containing the button battery.  Inserra & Kelley Law Offices seeks to make its readership aware of possible product dangers out there, as we want you and your family to be proactively protected for safer and healthier living. 

EOS Lip Balm Lawsuit

It’s the cold, dry time of year that makes lip balm a staple for many people, but popular Evolution of Smooth (EOS) lip balm is now the subject of a lawsuit due to disturbing side effects.  Celebrity promoters Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears are used to market the lip balm touted to provide relief of dry lips.  However, now there are complaints it makes the lips dryer than before use, and has even caused painful unattractive blisters and rashes on the lips.   

A class action lawsuit has been filed as of January 12, 2016 in Los Angeles, naming plaintiff Rachel Cronin.  Ms. Cronin applied EOS lip balm and within hours she had really dry, course lips of a sandpaper quality that would definitely not be the goal of using the product.  Thinking she just needed to keep applying more EOS, she did so and the next side effect was cracked edges before full-out “severe blistering and rashes” for which she had to seek medical care.  EOS claims its lip balm is a natural, organic, gluten-free product and in a tweet in response to the class action lawsuit, the company is sticking but its product’s safety and rigorous product testing.  Time will tell whether further individuals come forward complaining of EOS less than natural, wholesome side effects, and in the meantime consumers will have to decide whether trying the product is worth the risk it may hold. 

  If you or someone you know has suffered problems related to EOS lip balm, you may be entitled to compensation.  Do not hesitate to contact the caring professionals at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to discuss your specific options.