2018 | California Personal Injury Blog

Waymo Plans Major Expansion of Driverless Cars in Arizona

Even as driverless car companies are unveiling their test vehicles on streets in cities nationwide, they are unleashing their lobbyists on Congress with the goal of keeping California regulators at bay, the Associated Press reports. According to the article, automakers are simply not happy with the prospect of California writing the rules of the driverless road. The fact that California has influenced air pollution and fuel economy rules has bothered automakers in the past. …Read the rest »

Off-Duty Los Angeles Fire Captain Killed in Collision with Caltrans Street Sweeper

The Daily Mail reports that 67-year-old George Anthony, the father of Casey Anthony, the Florida mom who was acquitted of murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee back in 2011, has been severely injured in a Florida car accident. According to the news report, George Anthony was driving his wife Cindy’s 1999 Toyota 4Runner Nov. 24 west on Interstate 4 in Daytona Beach when it went into the right shoulder. Florida Highway Patrol officials said Anthony then swerved left to get back on the road, but lost control. His car rolled over three times across three lanes of the highway. …Read the rest »

FDA Warns Consumers about Teething Jewelry After Child's Death

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about teething jewelry following the death of an 18-month-old child. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the child was strangled by an amber teething necklace during a nap. The FDA also received a report on a 7-month-old baby who choked on the beads of a wooden teething bracelet. …Read the rest »

16 People Sickened in California from Jennie-O Turkey, Recall Issued

At least 16 people were reported ill in California with at least one death – all linked to possible salmonella contamination in raw, Jennie-O ground turkey. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, more than 164,000 pounds of the ground turkey have been recalled. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 52 new cases of illness associated with the outbreak bringing the total number of illnesses to 216 people across 38 states since the outbreak began in November 2017. …Read the rest »

Toyota Recalls Tacoma Pickup Trucks for Brake Defects

Toyota is recalling 44,121 of its 2018 and 2019 Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks due to defective brakes. According to Consumer Reports, a faulty brake part could make it more difficult for these vehicles to come to a full stop, increasing the risk of a crash. The seal on the brake part could become damaged allowing the brake fluid to leak. As a result, drivers may notice sudden loss of braking performance or a change in how the brake pedal feels when pressed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). …Read the rest »

Judge Upholds $4.69 Billion Verdict Against J&J

Johnson & Johnson lost its motion in court this week to reverse a jury verdict that awarded $4.69 billion to women who said their ovarian cancer was caused by asbestos in the company’s baby powder and other talcum powder products, The New York Times reported. The jury had awarded the plaintiffs $4.14 billion in punitive damages and $550 million compensatory damages, which together account for one of the largest personal injury awards on record. …Read the rest »

Ford Recalls Nearly 1 Million Vehicles for Faulty Takata Airbags

Ford Motor Company has issued a massive recall of its F-150 and Super Duty pickup trucks for fire hazards. According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, the automaker recalled 874,082 vehicles in North America to replace an engine block heater cable. This cable is used by truck owners to keep their engines warm so they start more efficiently on cold winter days. The cable is a short cord that hangs off the truck that’s often attached to an extension cord plugged into the house or garage. Ford has said in a statement that a safety risk only exists when the vehicle is parked and the block heater cable is plugged into an electrical outlet. …Read the rest »

Kroger Starts Delivering Groceries in Driverless Cars in Arizona

The country’s largest grocery chain has made an entry into the driverless delivery market bringing supermarket food items to customers’ homes in a vehicle with nobody at the wheel. According to an Associated Press news report, the company is apparently doing this to lower delivery costs of everyday items. The launch has not been without hiccups. On the day of the launch, one of the compact cars did not drive as planned at a demonstration because of a dead battery and had to be pushed up a ramp and onto a truck by several people. The driverless cars will be limited to delivering within a mile of the supermarket. …Read the rest »

Da Vinci Surgical Robot Poses Serious Risks for Patients

An in-depth NBC news report this week went into the risks posed by the Da Vinci surgical robot, which is being used by hospitals nationwide to perform a variety of surgeries including hysterectomies. NBC spoke with patient Laurie Featherstone who opted for robotic surgery to remove her uterus after her doctor convinced her that it would be “minimally invasive” and would involve “less downtime, less scarring and less than a 3 percent complication risk.” …Read the rest »

California Company Recalls Eat Smart Salads for Listeria Contamination

Apio Inc. of Guadalupe, Calif., is voluntarily recalling its Eat Smart Single-Serve Salad Shake Ups for listeria contamination. According to a report on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA), website, the recall comes after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency informed that company that one random sample of Eat Smart Sweet Kale/Chous Frise Doux salads with a best-by date of Dec. 14, 2018 tested positive for listeria bacteria. As a precautionary measure, the company has recalled all products produced on the same day in the same production line. So far, the company says it is not aware of any illnesses linked to these products. …Read the rest »