California Personal Injury Blog

Legendary Laker Kobe Bryant, His Daughter Gianna and Seven Others Killed in Helicopter Crash

Kobe Bryant, 41, the legendary Los Angeles Laker basketball player nicknamed “Black Mamba,” his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others died after the helicopter in which they were traveling crashed in the hills above Calabasas and burst into flames the morning of Jan. 26. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and 13-year-old daughter, Alyssa, who played on a club basketball team with Bryant’s daughter, were among the victims as was Christina Mauser, Bryant’s top assistant coach on the travel team. …Read the rest »

How Secrecy in Courts Affects Product Safety Regulation

An in-depth report by Reuters talks about how the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a regulatory federal agency tasked with protecting Americans from dangerous products, allows product manufacturers to be secretive about information that is crucial to consumer safety. This often means that the only way consumers can learn about a defective product that poses a threat to themselves and their families is from the evidence produced in product liability lawsuits. However, that evidence is hidden behind a wall of secrecy, inaccessible to consumers. …Read the rest »

Watchdog Group Wants Tougher Highway Safety Laws in California for Teen Drivers

While California has among the nation’s best highway safety laws when it comes to protecting people, its laws governing teen drivers need to be toughened, a report by the Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety, a nonpartisan watchdog group has found. According to a report in The Sacramento Bee, the advocacy group that studies that effectiveness of laws that are aimed at curbing distracted driving and seatbelt use, found that California did well in 10 out of 16 areas studied, notably when it comes to restrictions on DUI drivers, child protection and seat belt requirements. However, the state faltered when it came to laws involving teen drivers and on ignition locks to deter drunk driving. …Read the rest »

Lawsuits Pile Up as Nearly 140,000 Veterans Say They Lost Hearing Due to Defective 3M Earplugs

At least 300 more product liability lawsuits have been filed against 3M in federal courts as more military veterans accuse the company of knowingly making defective earplugs that caused veterans to lose hearing during combat in Iraq or Afghanistan or while training on U.S. military bases, according to a news report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. To date, nearly 2,000 U.S. veterans from states such as Minnesota, California and Texas have filed more than 1,000 lawsuits. So far, nearly 140,000 veterans nationwide have said they’ve suffered hearing loss as a result of these faulty earplugs. The company has denied that its products are defective. …Read the rest »

Toyota and Honda Recall More Than 6 Million Cars for Defective Airbags

Toyota and Honda are recalling more than 6 million vehicles because of separate safety concerns affecting airbags. According to a report in the New York Post, Toyota’s recall covers about 3.4 million vehicles worldwide including 2.9 million here in the United States. These vehicles may have an electronic defect that could prevent airbags from deploying in the event of a crash. The problem could also prevent the vehicles’ seatbelt pretensioners from working properly. This recall affects Corolla, Matrix, Avalon and Avalon Hybrid cars from model years 2011 to 2019. …Read the rest »

Study Shows Vaping Devices Like Juul is Reversing Anti-Tobacco Efforts

Research shows that the e-cigarette and vaping epidemic among youth continues to grow due to companies like Juul gaining popularity among teens and young adults. According to HealthDay News, the research published Jan. 21 in JAMA Pediatrics, reports that the number of Americans aged 15 to 34 who said they had tried one of the Juul devices, which look like flash drives, more than doubled between 2018 and 2019. …Read the rest »

NHTSA Probes Tesla Sudden Acceleration Complaints

Tesla is facing a new investigation as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says it will look into concerns surrounding instances of unintended acceleration reported by those who own the Model S, Model X and Model 3. According to CNET.com, in documents filed Jan. 13, the NHTSA said it got a defect petition on Dec. 19, 2019, requesting the agency to open an investigation into Tesla electric cars. …Read the rest »

Yes To Recalls Face Masks After Women Report Horrible Reactions

Popular skincare company “Yes To” is pulling its “Grapefruit Vitamin C Glow-Boosting Unicorn Paper Mask” after complaints from girls and women about horrible reactions to the product. According to Buzzfeed, many women have commented on the company’s social media accounts, complaining of a burning sensation and redness after using the masks. The recall comes after many shared frightening photos and descriptions of what they said was a reaction to the unicorn grapefruit mask, a shimmery fuchsia paper product saturated with ingredients advertised to leave complexions “bright and even.” …Read the rest »

Toyota Recalls About 696,000 Vehicles for Fuel Pump Problems

Toyota has announced that it is recalling about 696,000 Toyota and Lexus models over a fuel pump issue that could cause affected vehicles to stall. According to a Fox news report, the fuel pump in the affected vehicles may stop working, which could cause warning lights and messages to pop up on the instrument panel, and the engine to potentially run rough. As a result, the vehicle could stall, and this increases the likelihood of a crash if that happens when the car is traveling at a high rate of speed. …Read the rest »

Defect Causes Pressure Cooker Explosions Resulting in Severe Scalding Injuries

A manufacturing defect causes the Crock-Pot Express Pressure Cooker to unexpectedly spray its scalding contents to explode and burn users, a federal lawsuit filed this week says. According to a news report in the Sun-Sentinel, the lawsuit, which seeks a class action status, says the appliances were built with a defective pressure release valve that inaccurately indicates that pressure built up during the cooking process has escaped and that the cooker is safe to open. …Read the rest »