Legal News & Consumer Rights

EPA Sets New Lower Standard for PFOA, PFOS Levels in Drinking Water

When the Environmental Protection Agency suggested in 2015 that the community of Hoosick Falls, New York, aim to have no more than 100 parts per trillion (ppt) of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in their drinking water, people were confused. In 2009, the EPA had set a…

By Roopal Luhana

/ 13 Jul 2016

Study Shows Nearly Half of Medical Devices Approved Before Studies Published

Many consumers believe that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carefully reviews clinical trials completed on a medical device before approving it for sale on the market. Manufacturers seeking approval are expected to perform careful trials that prove the safety and efficacy of their devices,…

By Roopal Luhana

/ 11 Jul 2016

Government Files Lawsuit Against Philadelphia Company for Unlawful Retaliation

If your fingers are crushed in a press brake and you speak up about it, should you be fired? According to a federal lawsuit, absolutely not, but that’s what happened to an employee who worked at the Lloyd Industries’ Montgomeryville plant. He had to have…

By Steven Cohn

/ 7 Jul 2016

Study Identifies Risk Factors for Duodenoscope Superbug Infection

The FDA announced in January 2016 that Olympus America was recalling its TJF-Q180V duodenoscope because of concerns about contamination leading to serious antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. In an effort to reduce the risk of infection, Olympus updated the product with a new design and labeli

By Kendra Goldhirsch

/ 5 Jul 2016

Perfluorinated Chemicals Remain a Danger to the Environment and Human Health

The American Chemical Society (ACS), in its May 2016 issue of Chemical and Engineering News, reported on the growing concern about perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) tainting our drinking water. After several towns in the Northeast, including Hoosick Falls, New York, reported higher-than-advised levels

By Roopal Luhana

/ 1 Jul 2016

Judge Campbell Sets Deadlines for Bard IVC Filter Bellwether Selection Process

Last August, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated all federally filed Bard IVC filter lawsuits into one court in the District of Arizona. Since then, both sides have been working toward the selection of a small number of cases that will go…

By Eric T. Chaffin

/ 27 Jun 2016

Non-Profit Group Urges EPA to Act on PFOA Contamination

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been hinting at changes in its recommended exposure to toxic chemicals like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other Polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs)— a family of chemicals that have been used since the 1950s in various commercial applications. Meanwhile,

By Roopal Luhana

/ 24 Jun 2016

NHTSA Kicks Off “Click It or Ticket” Campaign to Increase Seat Belt Use

It’s not new news that wearing a seat belt helps protect you from serious injuries in a car accident. But some people still haven’t gotten the message. According to data from 2014, over 21,000 vehicle passengers were killed and more than 11,000 of those weren’t…

By Eric T. Chaffin

/ 22 Jun 2016

Hawaii Claims Takata and Honda Were Aware of Air Bag Dangers

On May 13, 2016, the state of Hawaii became the first state to sue air bag manufacturer Takata because of its faulty air bags, some of which have exploded upon deployment, causing over 100 injuries and at least 11 deaths worldwide. The air bag lawsuit…

By Steven Cohn

/ 20 Jun 2016

OSHA Encouraging Safety in Fifth Year of Fall Prevention Campaign

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is working to increase awareness of fall hazards in the construction industry. According to the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), falls are the number one cause of fatal injuries in construction. In 2010, falls caused 267…

By Steven Cohn

/ 17 Jun 2016

Olympus Aware of Duodenoscope Link to Infections, but Delayed Action

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year. About 23,000 of them die as a result of these infections. There are a number of ways people can become infected, but the…

By Roopal Luhana

/ 13 Jun 2016

5 Reasons Large Trucks Can Be Dangerous on the Road

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), most deaths in large truck accidents are passenger vehicle occupants. In 2014, a total of 3,660 people died in large truck crashes—68 percent of these were occupants of other vehicles, and 15 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists,…

By Eric T. Chaffin

/ 17 May 2016