Although we are getting a little closer all the time to Spring, we still have some winter left for 2017 and the possibilities of being stuck driving in blizzard conditions.  Fortunately, there are ways to drive as safe as is possible in such conditions with the advice of those out fighting the roads to help us stay safe, the snowplow driver.  The first thing these professional want us to know is that it is simply best if you do not drive at all!  This seems like simple logic, but in our fast-paced, demanding world there are unfortunately more and more unable to, or choosing not to, heed such advice.  Of course there are those like healthcare providers, public servants, first responders, and so on who simply have to get out there on those roads.  The snowplows can better do their jobs to get us out there again sooner, however, if we just let them have the roads to themselves. 

If you do find yourself as one of the unlucky ones out there during blizzard or any bad weather conditions, following too closely is just not advised.  Again, this seems like it would be common sense that every driver would know, but there are too many tailgating drivers who just cannot seem to help themselves driving in good or bad conditions.  It is wise to leave plenty of space in front of and behind you in slick and blizzard conditions, as stopping will not happen on a dime and could cost you your life or the lives of others.  It is wise to not only leave plenty of space, but to also drive much slower.  If you should find yourself sliding without the ability to stop, do not do the natural reaction and slam on those brakes or your car could lock up and/or fishtail. 

Another thing snowplow drivers want drivers out there in ill-advised conditions to know is that four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive systems do not mean vehicles will be able to stop or steer safely in icy or slushy conditions.  If you wonder, just look around at many of the vehicles seen in the ditches during icy or slushy conditions after barreling down the road with the operators having faith they are immune to anything with four-wheel or all-wheel drive!   It can also be helpful to have specialty winter tires, especially if living in areas prone to winter driving difficulties.  Although they can be a significant investment, they are an investment in safety and can be lifesaving. 

Finally, know that even snowplow drivers can find themselves the victims of wrecks when conditions get extremely bad, or when conditions such as black ice catch them unaware.  Watch out for snowplow drivers for both your own safety and theirs.  Inexperienced or careless drivers can hurt themselves or the professionals when out driving in blizzard conditions, so it is best to heed the warnings, road, and weather reports rather than gambling with your life or the lives of others. 

If you or a loved one has already been injured in a motor vehicle accident, whether caused by bad weather conditions or something else, do not hesitate to contact  Inserra Kelley Sewell, personal injury attorneys, experts in auto accident claims, to discuss your possible injury compensation.     

Conair, the manufacturer of Cuisinart Food Processors, has issued a voluntary recall of the food processor after receiving 69 reports as of December 13, 2016 of their owners discovering pieces of the blade in their food after using the processors.  Injuries received included 30 different reports of lacerations and tooth injuries in the mouth from consuming foods with broken blade pieces.  Apparently, over time, the metal blades are possibly prone to crack and eventually break so that metal pieces wind up in the unsuspecting eater’s food.  Cuisinart Food Processor owners can go to www.cuisinart.com and click on the tab for recalls or call 877-339-2534 to check for models and how to get replacement blades.  It is recommended by Conair that use of the affected Cuisinart Food Processors be completely stopped until a new blade has been provided free of charge.    

If you or a loved one has already been injured by a Cuisinart Food Processor, consult your medical provider and contact  Inserra Kelley Sewell, personal injury attorneys, to discuss your possible injury claim.    

In June of 2016 manufacturer, Ethicon, subsidiary of giant Johnson & Johnson, began to withdraw from the market the surgical mesh for hernias called Physiomesh. The product is a flexible composite mesh and it was found that revisions were needed in a large number of hernia repairs using Physiomesh. This market withdrawal was helpful in keeping the product from being used with patients in surgeries after the withdrawal, but was of no good for those already having surgery with Physiomesh and suffering consequences. In fact, it has been estimated that as of November, 2016 300,000 Physiomesh implants might have been placed after its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2010!

Complications from Physiomesh have been alleged as infection within and also around the mesh once it’s implanted. This can cause abdominal abscesses, intestinal fistula, bowel obstruction, and possible other complications. Complications have required major surgery in patients, while not correcting the original pre-surgical diagnosis. There have been at least 650 Adverse Event Reports to the FDA with no real consequences to Ethicon. It is expected that this will result in a very large number of lawsuits and a motion for Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) to consolidate all of the cases and fight the giant Ethicon.

If you or a loved one has been injured by Physiomesh, or any medical device, drug, or other product, consult your medical provider and please contact Inserra Kelley Sewell, Personal Injury Attorneys, to discuss your potential justice and entitlement to compensation for your damages.

 

Johnson & Johnson has lost a third case regarding its defective, dangerous hip implants and have been ordered to pay out over one billion dollars!  This is a victory for the consumer patient against a giant manufacturing metal on metal hip implants that have been known to cause terrible health consequences over and over.  Companies, such as Johnson & Johnson, DePuy, and Smith & Nephew have manufactured these metal on metal joint implant medical devices and failed to inform the public time and time again about their dangers for metallic blood poisoning and carcinogens being let loose in the body of patients once the metal parts rub against each other.  The plaintiffs involved in this lawsuit experienced tissue death, bone erosion, and other injuries from the Johnson & Johnson hip implants, so it is justice to see the company be held accountable after its product caused life changing problems for innocent and unaware patients.   Of course the manufacturing giant has already promised appeals, but they face over eight thousand lawsuits over their hip implants.    

If you or a loved one has been injured by a recalled medical device product, such as the Johnson & Johnson, DePuy, or Smith & Nephew metal on metal joint implants, consult your medical provider and please contact  Inserra Kelley Sewell, Personal Injury Attorneys, to discuss your possible claim and entitlement to compensation for your damages.     

Smith & Nephew is a medical device manufacturer in London that provides their products worldwide used in hip, knee, and shoulder replacements.  Their latest recall involving their hip replacement systems and the company voluntarily mailed out safety notice letters to inform the consumer on November 15, 2016. 

The devices involved in the recall are the modular neck hip prostheses of the Modular SMF and Modular REDAPT revision femoral hip systems.  The joint replacement manufacturing giant made the decision to issue the hip system recalls because of, in their words, “a higher than anticipated complaint and adverse event trend.”  This is not the first time the company has seen such complaints and adverse events in their history, but this latest one is due to their medical devices posing the danger to patients of metal debris being released by the implant into the blood.  This can cause chromium and cobalt ion releases into the blood that can cause blood poisoning and also DNA damage (genotoxicity).  Muscles and bones can be destroyed with these issues and the toxicity can carry over to other organs as well.  The cobalt ions have caused heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy).  Metal poisoning occurs when there is loosening of the medical device and the bone and muscle surrounding the replacement deteriorate. Read more