Millions of Toyota and Lexus Vehicles Recalled Due to Defective Gas Pedals, Floor Mat Problems
The gas pedals in nearly four million Toyota and Lexus vehicles may be defective and can be pinned by floor mats, causing the vehicles to speed out of control. Drivers and passengers have been killed or seriously injured in accidents blamed on defective gas pedals and floor mats.

Toyota Motor Corp. recently announced a massive recall and said it would either fix or replace the gas pedals in millions of vehicles. An off-duty California Highway Patrol officer and three members of his family were killed when the accelerator in their Lexus ES350 became stuck. An investigation into the cause of the accident determined the floor mats in the vehicle were not the right size for the car and had pinned the accelerator to the floor.

Repairs to be Made
In addition to reconfiguring the gas pedals in the recalled vehicles, affected Lexus ES350, Camry, and Avalon models also will undergo repairs designed to reshape the floor surface beneath the pedal and create more room between the accelerator pedal and the floor board. Also, the Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES350, IS350 and IS250 models involved in the recall will have a brake override system installed to cut engine power in the event the accelerator and brake pedals are pressed at the same time.

Tanning Beds Linked to Dramatically Higher Melanoma Risk
A report from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer places UV tanning beds in the highest cancer risk category and says the items are “carcinogenic to humans.” The report found that exposure to ultraviolet radiation emitted from tanning beds before a person is age 30 results in a 75-percent increase in the risk of developing melanoma, a leading type of skin cancer.

Each year, about 62,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in the United States and about 8,000 people die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Worldwide, as many as 50,000 people die each year from melanoma, which accounts for about three out of every four skin cancer related deaths.

While makers of tanning beds continue to claim that their products are safer than bathing in natural sunlight, there is mounting evidence to show those claims are false and misleading. Millions of people of all ages use tanning beds to achieve a deep, dark tan. Now, we are finding out that many of those people may be at greatly increased risk of developing a potentially deadly form of skin cancer.

Melanoma Symptoms
Melanomas can form anywhere on the skin, but they most often appear on the arms, legs, back, face, head, and other areas of the body that are exposed to direct sunlight.

Other symptoms of melanoma include:

• Moles or other growths on the skin with irregular, asymmetrical shape
• Growths with different colors
• Growths with uneven, notched, or irregular borders
• Growths with a diameter of 1/4 inch or larger
• Growths that increase in size or change shapes over time

Have You Taken the Weight-Loss Drugs Xenical or Alli (Orlistat)? You May Be At Risk for Liver Failure

At least 32 people who have taken two forms of the weight-loss drug orlistat since 1999 have developed liver failure or liver disease. Alli is the brand name for the over-the-counter form of orlistat, while the prescription-strength form is sold under the brand name Xenical. The Food and Drug Administration is now formally investigating both drugs for a possible link to severe liver disease in users.

In 27 of the reported cases of injuries tied to Xenical and Alli, the patients had to be hospitalized, and in six cases, the user suffered liver failure. There were more cases linked to the use of Xenical than to Alli and most of the liver-injury cases were reported in Europe, where the drugs also are widely used.
Both Xenical and Alli are approved for use in conjunction with low-fat

and low-calorie diets to stop or reduce weight gain. Unlike most weight-loss drugs, which work by suppressing appetite or boosting metabolism, Xenical and Alli work by keeping the digestive system from absorbing dietary fat, which reduces daily caloric intake and can help limit unwanted weight gain. The drugs are seen by some as being safer than diet drugs that suppress appetite or increase metabolism, but the reports of serious liver disease are troubling.

FDA Looking Into Liver Damage Reports

In August 2009, the FDA announced it was beginning an investigation into dozens of reports of liver injuries in orlistat received from 1999 through October 2008. The FDA said its review of the reports is continuing and could end with the drugs either being ordered pulled from the market, slapped with packaging labels to warn physicians and users of the risks, and other safety measures.

Since the FDAs announcement, sales of Xenical and Alli have plummeted as women and doctors express concerns about their side effect risks. GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Alli, has launched an extensive public-relations campaign seeking to improve the reputation of its blockbuster diet drug, but many users and their physicians have already decided that the risks associated with the drug simply are too great when compared to the relative risks of serious liver injury.

Butter Flavoring Chemical Diacetyl has been linked to serious respiratory injuries.

Injuries from Diacetyl side effects include:

• Popcorn Lung
• Bronciolitis Obliterans
• Restrictive Airway Diseas
• Diacetyl Induced Bronchiolitis Obliterans
• Fibrotic Lungs

Symptoms of Diacetyl side effects include:

• Trouble breathing
• Asthma
• COPD
• Chronic Bronchiti
• Emphysema
• Pneumonia

What is Diacetyl?

Butter Flavoring Diacetyl is used in food flavorings for popcorn, candy, pet food, snack foods, baked goods and other food products. These products are known as food products containing diacetyl or FFCD’s.

Workers could be exposed in Popcorn Factories and Manufacturing Facilities, Candy Factories and Manufacturing Facilities, Bakeries, and Pet Food Manufacturing Facilities.

If you or a loved one has worked around Diacetyl or FCCD’s and have become sick, or been diagnosed with any serious lung or respiratory disease you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation but time is limited!

Bard Avaulta Mesh Product Draws Warning from FDA

Two common and troubling issues that have been affecting women for many years are pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). These problems have persisted over time, and in recent years, many different companies have been working to come up with products that are designed to help manage these conditions and to alleviate the pain, discomfort and struggle women who suffer from them must live with on a daily basis.

One such product is known as the Bard Avaulta Mesh, a transvaginal mesh product that’s supposed to help regulate the area of the body and provide not only comfort and relief from pain but also increased bladder control. The product in question is manufactured by Bard, one of the true corporate giants in the medical products industry, and for a time, the Bard Avaulta Mesh product sold well and provided early results that were promising.

Problems Arise

However, it wasn’t long before the Bard Avaulta Mesh product encountered serious problems as reported by medical professionals all over the United States, and those professionals included nine different manufacturers of these sorts of products. In all, over 1,000 reports and/or complaints have been generated, and the following are a few examples of the complications patients have encountered after having the Bard Avaulta Mesh product surgically implanted in the affected area:

• Erosion through vaginal epithelium
• Infection
• Pain
• Urinary problems
• Recurrence of prolapse and/or incontinence
• Bowel, bladder, and blood vessel perforation during insertion

In some cases, according to the report issued by the FDA, “vaginal scarring and mesh erosion led to a significant decrease in patient quality of life due to discomfort and pain, including dyspareunia.”

As you see, it now appears that the Bard Avaulta Mesh product has created a situation where the risks could be outweighing the potential gains of using this product. The only known and generally accepted corrective measures at this time include:

• Additional surgical procedures, some of which are done to remove the mesh
• IV therapy
• Blood transfusions
• Drainage of hematomas or abscesses

The Potent Antibiotic Levaquin Has Been Tied to Painful Tendon Ruptures, Other Injuries

Levaquin (generic levofloxacin) is a powerful, prescription antibiotic made by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical that has been linked to an increased risk of tendon ruptures, tendonitis, and other serious injuries. As part of the group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, Levaquin is commonly used to treat bacterial infections of the sinuses, skin, lungs, ears, airways, bones, and joints.

Tendons can rupture quickly, within hours of taking Levaquin, or may take weeks to develop. In some cases, patients feel pain and notice swelling or bruising in the area of the tendon, but some patients report seeing no symptoms of problems before they are injured.

FDA Warns Users of Levaquin About Risk of Tendon Ruptures

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July 2008 ordered Bayer to add prominent warnings about the risks of tendon ruptures and tendonitis to the packaging of Levaquin. The FDA required the drug manufacturer to further alert patients, pharmacists and physicians of the increased risk of such injuries after taking the drug.

Although the FDA said many of the injuries could be avoided if patients stopped taking the drug at the first sign of pain or swelling in the tendon and notified their physicians, some injured patients reported feeling no pain or swelling in the tendon before suffering their injuries.

ATFY - Helping Victims of Defective Chinese Drywall

In the early part of the 21st Century, the United States was experiencing a housing and building boom that had not been seen in its history. Millions of homes were being built and purchased, and given the extreme level of demand in place contractors and builders were crushed by deadlines like never before as well.

Given the reality of this demand within the market, many home builders felt pressure to continue to ramp up their production volume. When this happens, corners tend to be cut and details tend to be overlooked, which when building a home can lead to devastating results. This is especially true when subcontractors and enormous amounts of materials are involved.

Unfortunately, one of the issues that seems to be arising on the tail end of this housing boom involves drywall that was used in perhaps thousands of homes. This drywall was imported from China, and it’s causing a plethora of problems with homeowners across the Southeastern United States to the point where they need legal help. Below is an overview of the Chinese drywall issue.

The Parties Involved

What seems to be making this ever-expanding problem that much more complicated is that there are several parties involved with the issue on several levels, making it difficult to pinpoint all of the responsible parties. No one seems to be sure which Chinese companies are responsible for the drywall, as only a few of the companies there are cooperating with the investigations that are currently taking place. Taishan Gypsum and Knauf Tianjin are two that have been mentioned, but others have yet to reveal themselves.

As a result, people are looking to the home builders when working to assign accountability for this problem. One such company, Lennar Homes, has been the subject of much scrutiny, particularly in Florida, but estimates indicate that during the housing boom, the United States imported more than 300 million square feet of drywall from China, which is enough to build approximately 35,000 homes.

The Problems

Another point of debate is how this problem originally arose. One allegation states that the drywall became problematic because it had to wait at sea for a period of weeks before it was allowed entry into the United States. According to the theory, the time spent on these ships exposed the drywall to the salt-filled sea air for too long, thereby damaging the product to the point that it began to rot before being used in the homes.

Other theories center on the lack of standards in place in China regarding manufacturing in general, as many different products over time have proven defective once inside the United States because of basic problems with the manufacture of them or the use of improper ingredients in them.

The Effects

The effects of using this defective Chinese drywall have been devastating for hundreds of homeowners already in places such as Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Alabama, among other locations in that area of the United States. These problems are basically twofold in nature, and each is described below:

1. Structural Damage - Clearly, when slowly rotting drywall is used inside of a home, it leads to serious structural damage. Reports of the effects of these products include the emanation of noxious sulfuric fumes that drive the occupants from the home, the rotting of walls, the corrosion of electrical work and the ruination of any plumbing that sits near this drywall. Generally, homeowners have faced thousands of dollars in repair costs to replace the products properly.
2. Health Risks - While some experts have downplayed the possibility of health problems resulting from exposure to these substances, others have stated unequivocally that inhaling the fumes given off by this drywall can lead to the development of serious respiratory problems, particularly with anyone who may be suffering from asthma or some other preexisting respiratory condition.

The Response

The response to this problem has been enormous already, and now it appears that the government is getting involved. The first step, which is usually the case, was for individual homeowners to contact defective products attorneys and to begin the process of investigating the situation and to file lawsuits as a result. This is continuing to happen, and class action possibilities loom on many fronts and with many potential defendants.

Both the Florida legislature and congress in Washington, D.C. have also begun the calls for investigations into the issue in order to find out which parties are responsible. Other politicians have called for numerous resignations of heads of companies and other entities on whom they believe responsibility fell for the placement of these products inside of people’s homes.

In terms of your response, if you believe that your home has been damaged because of the use of defective Chinese drywall, you need to take immediate steps to protect your rights. Contact the defective products attorneys at the law firm of Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Popular denture adhesive creams have recently been linked to serious neurological side effects. Among these dangerous side effects is a nerve disorder called neuropathy, a condition in which a person suffers from peripheral nerve damage.

Good Morning America had a large segment about Denture Cream and the health issues related.

View the entire “episode” here: http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=7504641

Denture Cream Side Effects

Denture creams have recently been linked to several serious, and potentially life-threatening, side effects caused by excess zinc contained in the denture creams. Although a small amount of the mineral zinc is necessary for a healthy diet, zinc is toxic when ingested in large amounts. Side effects of a zinc overdose associated with denture cream use may include:

• zinc poisoning
• copper depletion
• neuropathy
• other neurological side effects

Neuropathy, also referred to as peripheral neuropathy, is typically characterized by pain and numbness in the hands and feet. While most commonly caused by diabetes, neuropathy can result from many other problems, including traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems and exposure to toxins. One such toxin is the mineral zinc.

Contain Zinc

Denture adhesive creams, such as Fixodent and Poligrip contain zinc. Although zinc is safe if ingested in small amounts, it can be dangerous, and even deadly, if taken in excess. In addition to neuropathy, zinc overdose can lead to zinc poisoning, copper deficiency, and other neurological side effects.

In August 2008, a study published in the journal Neurology reported on four patients who suffered from neuropathy and other neurological side effects associated with zinc poisoning from denture cream. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, noted that while one tube of denture cream should last 3 to 10 weeks, patients in the report were all using at least two tubes of denture cream a week.

People with poorly fitting dentures sometimes use large amounts of denture cream to fix the problem. Unfortunately, these people are often unaware of the risk of zinc overdose, as the Fixodent and Poligrip labels do not contain warnings about zinc poisoning, copper depletion, or neuropathy. To help prevent zinc poisoning from denture adhesive creams, patients with poorly fitting dentures should seek professional help instead of using additional adhesive cream.

Additionally, denture cream users who experience the symptoms of zinc poisoning or neuropathy should contact a doctor immediately. These symptoms may include weakness, loss of sensation, tingling in the extremities, and numbness.

More Than 35 Million Americans

Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently does not require denture cream manufacturers to disclose the potential side effects associated with denture adhesive cream, many of the more than 35 million Americans who wear dentures are unaware of the link between denture adhesive creams and serious side effects. Consequently, several lawsuits have emerged alleging that denture cream manufacturers should be held accountable for failing to warn consumers of the risk of serious side effects with their products.

Depending on your particular circumstances, a lawyer may be able to help you collect monetary compensation for your dental adhesive cream related injuries, including compensation for:

• medical bills
• lost income
• pain and suffering
• more

Hydroxycut Lawsuit Alert

On May 1, 2009 the FDA sent out a warning to consumers to stop using Hydroxycut Products; dietary supplements used for weight loss as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Lovate and MuscleTech brand names. Thus far Hydroxycut has been linked to at least one death and twenty three reports of serious health problems; consumers who use the products are at risk of serious liver injury. Some of the health problems associated with the Hydroxycut products include jaundice, elevated liver enzymes (an indicator of potential liver problems), seizures, cardiovascular disorders, rhabdomyolysis (a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure) and liver damage requiring liver transplant.

Hydroxycut, Lovate and MuscleTech products are manufactured by Lovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Lovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. The products being recalled by Lovate are:

• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
• Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
• Hydroxycut 24
• Hydroxycut Carb Control
• Hydroxycut Natural

Patients who reported experiencing liver injury after taking Hydroxycut products were using the product at the doses recommended on the bottle. Some of the symptoms associated with liver injury include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) and brown urine. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching, and loss of appetite. The FDA urges consumers to discontinue the use of Hydroxycut to avoid the risk of suffering from any undue health problems.

If you or someone you love has suffered severe Hydroxycut side effects, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your suffering and losses. Contact our service today to get in touch with attorneys experienced with Hydroxycut side effects and who can make sure your legal rights are protected.

** We are very proud of the results that we obtain for our consumers, but past results afford no guarantee of future results; that every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

Yaz, Yasmin & Ocella Linked to Serious Side Effects

Yasmin is one of the latest in a growing line of birth control products that’s designed to help women prevent unwanted pregnancies. It’s been largely successful over time, and there are many advantages to using Yasmin, also known as “Yaz” and “Yas” by some, which has led to a large volume of sales.

Unfortunately, Yasmin has come under public scrutiny in recent days because of its alleged link to the development of serious side effects. Below is an overview of Yasmin, how it works, how it’s administered and the side effects to which it’s been linked. If you or someone you love has suffered as a result of using Yasmin, you need to contact a defective drugs lawyer as soon as possible in order to schedule a free initial consultation.

About Yasmin

Yasmin is easy to manage, as it’s simply taken in pill form after obtaining a prescription from your doctor, and generally it’s taken every day. While there are ancillary uses for Yasmin, such as for acne in relatively rare cases, Yasmin works by preventing ovulation. It also changes the woman’s cervical and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.

Yasmin is manufactured by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, and it was originally approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May of 2001. It was sold all over the world and even led to the introduction of other, similar drugs that were basically seen as generic forms of the original. As stated above, the sales of Yasmin were quite successful in terms of the revenue generated.

Problems Arise

Unfortunately, as is often the case with new and “innovative” drugs that hit the market, Yasmin has encountered recent problems and has been linked to the development of serious side effects. These side effects include:

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Pulmonary embolism (PE)
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Death

These problems were seen to be particularly prevalent among women who had used Yasmin and had any sort of history involving cardiovascular problems. Other health histories that have been found to be quite dangerous when taking Yasmin include:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Overweight
• Liver cancer
• Gallbladder problems
• Diabetes

More is being discovered in terms of the potential risks related to using Yasmin every day, and if you have been taking it and have any history involving any of the health issues above, you need to be wary of what’s happening and watch closely for any signs of problems.