Archive

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of about 55,000 LED flashlight sets due to an increased fire hazard. Sold exclusively at Target, the agency said the flashlights can heat up to the point of causing a fire. The sets were sold from October 2010 to December 2011.  Staff Report, United Press International

Salt Lake County in Iowa has agreed to pay $144,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of a man who died of starvation in a Salt Lake Country jail in early 2011. Over a period of four months, the man lost almost 100 pounds while imprisoned, according to jail records, and the medical [...]

The AP reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Bloch’s Best Inc. of Monsey, N.Y., is recalling a batch of its Laromme Vanilla Rugelach “because some ingredients labels may have omitted eggs.” The piece notes that “the pastry was distributed in stores in Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey.”

The Baltimore Sun reports, “The [...]

The AP (1/7) reported that bicycle helmets imported from China by Triple Eight Distribution of Port Washington, N.Y., sold online and at bicycle, sporting goods stores and other stores nationally from August 2006 through November 2011 for about $40″ are being recalled. Little Tricky helmets are marketed for children and youth and feature a large [...]

What began as a case about negligent contamination of the domestic long-grain rice supply with genetically modified rice ended with the Arkansas Supreme Court striking down a blanket cap on punitive damages. That cap was approved by the state’s general assembly in 2003, but the court concluded that the cap conflicts with a state constitutional [...]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of almost 3,000 bicycle pedals due to potential cracking in the pedal body. Imported by Performance, Inc., the agency said the pedals can break during use, causing the rider to lose control of the bike and potentially fall. There have been three reports of pedals breaking [...]

In continuing coverage, NBC Nightly News (1/4, story 7, 2:15, Dahlgren) reported on a small-claims lawsuit brought by former lawyer Heather Peters, challenging as misleading mileage claims made for the Honda Civic hybrid she bought. It notes that Peters says she “just wanted my car fixed. I didn’t intend to be a crusader.” But when [...]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of 4,500 portable gas grills due to potential gas leakage, which can lead to fire and burn hazards. Manufactured by Uni-O Industries, the agency said the regulator on the grill can leak gas, which can potentially ignite and burn the user. There have been 10 reports [...]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of about 1,000 children’s fleece robes due to the failure to comply with flammability requirements. Imported by Hanna Andersson, the agency reported the robes do not meet Federal Flammability Standards, and can therefor pose an increased risk of burn injuries. There have been no injuries reported. [...]

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from Applebee’s International Inc. over a lawsuit filed by more than 5,500 bartenders and servers who claim they are being underpaid. The lawsuit claims that since the plaintiffs spent “more than 20%” of their hours cleaning and preparing, they should earn minimum wage for that [...]

A former professor at NYU has filed a lawsuit against the school accusing the university of firing him because he gave actor James Franco a “D” in one of his classes. According to the professor, the actor attended only two of the 14 classes in “Directing the Actor II” because he was shooting a movie. [...]

A California district judge has given the go-ahead to a lawsuit against Facebook Inc. and the sponsored advertisements on Facebook.com. The lawsuit claims the ads on Facebook that use a Facebook user’s name and profile picture, claiming the user “likes” a product is a fraudulent violation of state laws. The plaintiffs demand compensation for the [...]

Honda Motor has announced a recall of 304,000 vehicles due to a problem with the air-bags, which may inflate with too much pressure during a crash. The recall covers vehicles manufactured in 2001 and 2002 across the globe. There have been 20 reported related accidents, including two fatalities in the U.S. and this is an [...]

Sears, Roebuck & Co. has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by an African-American female employee who worked at several Sears stores in Oklahoma City. The woman claimed in her suit that during her 28-year employment, she “was passed over for promotion to supervisor several times in favor of younger, less [...]

Auto maker Volvo has announced a recall of more than 19,000 vehicles due to incorrect labeling on the optional spare tire kit. The company said the information on the labels can lead to “improper tire inflation and result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.” The recall covers 2006-2012 C70 convertibles and [...]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, along with Health Canada, have announce a recall of 2,200 wardrobe mirror doors sold at IKEA due to a laceration hazard. The agency said the glass on the mirror can detach, fall and shatter, posing a risk of injury. IKEA said it has received 14 reports of mirrors detaching, but [...]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada have announced a recall of about 1,000 combo battery chargers due to a burn and fire hazard. Imported by Horizon Hobby Inc., the Losi NiMH Start-Up Combo Charger has a tendency to overheat, which can lead to burns and fires. There have been eight reports of batteries [...]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of 760 Twist and Sort Toys for children due to a choking hazard. The company said the small wooden pegs on the toys can detach, posing a choking risk to small children. The toys were sold across the U.S. from September 2010 to November 2011.  Staff [...]

British sports car maker Group Lotus Plc. has issued a recall of 5,037 Elise vehicles due to issues with the oil lines. The company issued the recall after discovering the oil-cooler lines may detach, causing oil to leak and increase the risk of fire. The recall covers 2005 and 2006 model-year cars.  Angela Greiling Keane, [...]

A Baltimore jury has awarded $18.5 million to the family of a local man who was murdered by a fellow inmate on a prison bus in 2005. The jury ruled the state and the correctional officers on the bus were negligent in failing to prevent the murder. The state argued that the incident was not [...]