Archive for the ‘ Product Liability’ Category

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Dole Toxic Chemical Case Thrown Out of Court

Friday, July 30th, 2010

Earlier this week, a Los Angeles court threw out a 2007 multimillion-dollar verdict in a Dole Food Company product liability case. The case involved six Nicaraguan men who claimed they are sterile from exposure to pesticides. These men alleged to have worked on a Dole banana farm back in the 1970s in Nicaragua.

The U.S. stopped using the pesticide in question, DBCP (dibromochloropropane), during the 1970s. Workers claimed that Nicaraguan banana farms continued to use DBCP. Nicaraguan citizens who have claimed they sustained countless injuries due to Dole’s chemical use were banking on a successful settlement.

This verdict is a tremendous victory for Dole Food Co. Los Angeles Judge Chaney cited there was no evidence proving who actually worked on a banana farm and whether the workers that did during that time had exposure to the chemical. Thousands of Nicaraguan workers have claimed injury from pesticide exposure.

Additionally, the court dismissed two other cases in question due to fraud. It seems that both Nicaraguan and American personal injury attorneys may have altered medical exams and tried to hire phony banana farm employees. Of the six men in this case, one helped commit fraud, and two others never worked on a banana farm. The others had no supporting evidence of working on the farms.

The Los Angeles defective product attorneys at The Law Offices of Samer Habbas have been following this case closely. We have many clients who have experienced injury due to exposure to toxic chemicals at their workplaces. We have also found that a case like this in the news helps people who have been truly impaired to seek the advice of a personal injury lawyer. If you believe you are a victim of toxic chemicals, call us today at 888.848.5084 to discuss your case.

Toyota Widens Recall in Effort to Contain Crisis

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

This New York Times article details Toyota’s growing recall problems with this new announcement of recalled hybrid models. Toyota Motor Corporation, one of the world’s premier brands with a long reputation for quality, is reeling from severe blows to its image with the well-documented recall of several models for sticking accelerator problems and this new announcement. The new recall is intended to address reports of brake problems on several Toyota hybrid models. The world’s largest automaker announced recently that it would recall 437,000 of its popular Prius hybrid and other gas-electric hybrids to fix what the company is calling a glitch in the braking system.

The company says that 223,000 of the recalled hybrids are in Japan and another 155,000 are being recalled in Europe and the U.S. The recall affects:

  • All 2010 Prius models

  • 270 plug-in Priuses

  • 28,000 Lexus HS250h models

  • 11,000 Sai hybrids

Toyota has reported that older Prius models are not included in the recall. Toyota has said that when traveling over slippery surfaces, “the brakes falter for just split moment,” he said. “But if you make sure to push firmly down on the brakes, they will work without fail.”

The problem has been traced to the regenerative brake system that helps recharge the hybrids’ batteries. If you or someone you care for has suffered and injury due to malfunctioning brakes, the Los Angeles Prius recall attorneys at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas may be able to help you receive the compensation your deserve. California Prius recall lawyers Samer Habbas has many years of experience helping people in product liability cases and isn’t afraid to take on the legal teams of large corporations. To schedule a free consultation with Los Angeles Toyota Prius brake recall lawyer Samer Habbas, call his law offices today.

Toyota Gas Pedal Recall: Should You Stop Driving Your Car?

Monday, February 8th, 2010

News sources and government officials alike are sending mixed messages to U.S. Toyota owners. If you own a Toyota model that is the subject of a recall for a defective gas pedal, should you stop driving your car? The answer, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is no.

In a congressional hearing earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood advised Toyota owners to stop driving their cars unless it was to a local Toyota dealer. LaHood backpedaled from the statement later in the week after Toyota’s stock plummeted and outraged investors. The NHTSA announced yesterday that Toyota car owners subject to the gas acceleration recall should contact their car dealer and set up an appointment to have the defective gas pedal fixed. (more…)

Toyota’s Problems Continue with 2010 Prius Defective Brake Pedals

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

It looks like Toyota Motor Corporation has added to its list of woes with the 2010 Prius Hybrid. The Prius, the best-selling hybrid car in the world, is known for being environmentally friendly, offering owners better performance and lower gas mileage. However, the Prius has been the subject of recent investigations by both Japanese and US governmental agencies for its faulty brakes. The regenerative brake system is what makes hybrid cars perform better while using less fuel. Toyota Prius owners have complained that the brakes fail to work properly when driving over a slippery surface, pothole or road bump.

Amidst falling stock prices and a product recall for defective gas pedals, the issue with Prius defective brakes is under scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In a press release yesterday by the NHTSA, the organization announced it would be investigating the safety of the Prius. Faulty brakes in the Prius have been the cause of at least four auto accidents, two of which have resulted in personal injuries. The NHTSA has also received at least 124 complaints from consumers about the defective Prius brakes.

(more…)

Toyota Recalls 4.26 Million Vehicles for ‘Very Dangerous’ Gas Pedal Defects

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Toyota Motor Corp. recently announced a huge recall that affects 4.26 million cars and trucks manufactured since the 2002 model year. The recall is to modify and replace gas pedals that may stick and cause a vehicle to accelerate out of control. Toyota issued a statement that said the recall involves floor mats that can jam the accelerator pedal open and have done so at least 1000 times on Toyota vehicles.

The gas pedal problems have been widely reported with one especially well publicized incident in San Diego that claimed the lives of a California Highway Patrol officer and three members of his family. Since the 2002 model year, Toyota and Lexus cars and trucks have been involved in more than one thousand sudden-acceleration incidents that claimed 19 lives, resulting in the biggest recall in company history.

“We are very, very confident that we have addressed this issue,” Toyota spokesperson Irv Miller told reporters in detailing the recall plans Wednesday.

(more…)

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