California Personal Injury Blog

A federal jury has awarded a U.S. Army veteran $8.2 million after finding that combat earplugs sold by 3M Co. caused him to suffer hearing loss and tinnitus.

The condition can cause victims to experience ringing or other noises in one or both of their ears.

According to a Reuters news report, this is the biggest verdict yet against the company in mass tort litigation over the product. The earplugs were developed by Aearo Technologies LLC, which 3M purchased in 2008. …Read the rest »

A second person has been killed by a dangerous exploding airbag inflator made by Tennessee-based company ARC.

The company has been under investigation by a federal agency for more than six years regarding the faulty inflators, but there has been no resolution.

According to an Associated Press news report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted recall documents filed by General Motors that revealed the second death, the driver of a 2015 Chevy Traverse SUV with an ARC inflator that blew apart, spewing shrapnel. …Read the rest »

Specialized Bicycle is recalling nearly 7,000 bicycles sold in the United States last year and this year because of a defect that could cause the bike’s frame to crack.

According to a news report, the dangerous defect could cause the bikes to break apart when jolted by an impact, such as riding over a pothole.

The recall involves all Tarmac SL7 models sold by the Northern California-based bike company, with about 6,900 sold nationwide from July 2020 through August 2021. …Read the rest »

LG Electronics has agreed to reimburse General Motors up to $1.9 billion to fix Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles because of a fire risk caused by defective batteries.

According to a CNBC news report, problems with the Chevy Bolt, which is GM’s flagship mainstream electric vehicle, can cause fires in the cars without warning. This issue has led the automaker to recall all of the electric cars made since production began in 2016.

It is believed that the problem is caused by the vehicle batteries supplied by South Korean supplier LG, and a settlement has now been agreed upon. …Read the rest »

U.S. safety regulators want to know why Tesla did not file recall documents when it updated Autopilot software to better identify parked emergency vehicles.

According to an Associated Press news report, in a letter to the automaker, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) told Tesla that it must recall vehicles if an over-the-internet update deals with a safety defect.

The auto giant issued an online update to improve safety but failed to follow NHTSA guidelines regarding road safety recalls. …Read the rest »

Oklahoma-based retail giant Hobby Lobby is recalling thousands of wooden stools because they may pose falling dangers, putting users at risk of injuries.

According to a news report, the recall affects the White Wood Stool, which has white, squared-off legs and a brown, curved seat. The problem with the stool is that it can break while in use posing fall and injury hazards, an alert posted on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) website states.

The faulty stools have already prompted a series of complaints from users who have been involved in accidents. …Read the rest »

Ford Motor Company has issued a recall for about 37,625 Ranger Super Cab pickup trucks because of two problems that could prevent child safety seats from being properly installed.

According to Consumer Reports, the fixed head restraints in these models could interfere with the installation of taller rigid anchor-mounted child seats and prevent them from being secured, putting young passengers at risk.

The recalled vehicles are newer models from the 2020 and 2021 model years. …Read the rest »

Twitch, a video live streaming service that focuses on streaming video games live including broadcasts of e-sports competitions, has confirmed that it has had a large data breach.

According to CNET.com, the company pointed to an error in the Twitch server configuration change that exposed some data to the Internet.

The leaked data allegedly includes the Amazon-owned streaming platform’s source code, reports on creator payouts, and details about an unreleased Steam competitor from Amazon Game Studios. …Read the rest »

A group of law enforcement officers in Texas are suing Tesla after a Model X with Autopilot engaged crashed into five police officers.

According to a report in The Verge, the crash took place on Feb. 27 in Splendora, a small town in Montgomery County in eastern Texas, where several officers were injured in an autonomous car crash.

According to the lawsuit, the Model X SUV crashed into several police officers while they were engaged in a traffic stop on the Eastex Freeway in Texas. …Read the rest »

A new national survey has found that more than 2 million U.S. teens say they use e-cigarettes with 25% of them saying they vape daily.

According to a CNN news report, a survey conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed record uses of e-cigarettes.

Teens have continued to get a hold of vaping devices even with many middle and high school students forced to stay at home through the pandemic. …Read the rest »