McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A.

Toyota has launched its largest recall ever due to sliding floor mats that may cause crashes. The automaker has warned owners of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, approximately 4 million, to remove the driver’s side floor mat. The following models are affected by the recall:

07-10 Toyota Camry
05-10 Toyota Avalon
07-10 Toyota Tundra
05-10 Toyota Tacoma
04-09 Toyota Prius
07-10 Lexus ES 350
06-10 Lexus IS 250/350

The federal government says it has received 102 reports of jammed accelerators in Toyota and Lexus models, including 13 crashes, five deaths, and 17 injuries. In late August, four people died in a Lexus which was estimated at traveling 120 mph. In a 911 call, the passengers said the accelerator was stuck and they couldn’t turn off the engine. The company has requested that all owners of the models completely remove the driver’s seat mat. Toyota is currently working on a replacement mat. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call the Law Firm of McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. at 1-800-694-0994 for a free consultation.

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety has released their most dangerous automobiles for 2010 with respect to crash tests. According to the institute, smaller cars and lower level sedans are especially at risk. Bigger cars, because of the mass involved, obviously fair better in a crash, but also are more likely to roll.
The test results explain why the Chevrolet Aveo and Chrysler PT Cruiser, both inexpensive and smaller cars, have the worst crash test data. They join the Cadillac STS and Mercury Grand Marquis as some of the most dangerous for 2010. It is important to note that all of the cars on the list meet federal safety standards and they’re all much safer than anything on the road even 15 years ago. Also of importance according the institute is that other than the Cadillac STS, no luxury cars appear on the list because typically those are fitted with the highest end of technology.
The institute recommends buying mid-size cars to encompass all the buyer’s needs. While they have a little less powerful engine, they offer close to the gas mileage as a smaller vehicle does while still providing adequate space and good safety ratings.
Most dangerous automobile for 2010:

Jeep Wrangler 4 door
Jeep Wrangler 2 door
Nissan Titan
Chevy Aveo
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Mitsubishi Galant
Mercury Grand Marquis
Cadillac STS

In October of 2009 Ford Motor Company expanded it’s largest recall ever. Ford added 4.5 million vehicles equipped with faulty cruise control switches. For Ford, this is the eighth recall in the last 10 years, for a total of 16 million Ford vehicles with defective switches manufactured by Texas Instruments.
The switches can short circuit and cause under hood fires, even when the vehicle is parked and turned off. The faulty switches have been linked to approximately 500 vehicle fires nationwide, not to mention damage to homes and property. In 2003 Ford haulted installation on the switches, but the company still faces dozens of lawsuits. The lawsuits involve several claims for serious injuries or deaths of car owners and family members.
A plaintiff’s firm representing some families contend that a recall won’t solve the problem. If you own a Ford vehicle designed and built prior to 2004 it would be wise to see a Ford dealer for inspection. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call the Law Firm of McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. at 1-800-694-0994 for a free consultation.

A report issued by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) stated that Chinese drywall may be contaminated and might be the cause of American homeowners becoming ill or damaging their houses. Inez Tenenbaum, Chairman of the CPSC said her Chinese counterparts are assisting her by providing technical help to determine the cause of the problem. Tenenbaum has asked the Chinese drywall companies to examine carefully their responsibilities to the American consumer who are suffering from problems.

Domestic construction companies imported the drywall at the height of the housing boom when building materials were in short supply. The drywall, also known as wallboard or gypsum board, causes a chemical reaction that releases fumes that smell like rotten eggs. Because of the heat and humidity in the Southeast, the problem becomes magnified. Homeowners say the drywall is making them sick and damaging the wiring throughout their homes.

The early estimates indicate the price to U.S. consumers could be in the billions and insurers have yet to extend a helping hand. Homeowners are trying to seek relief for claims or from mortgage payments for homes that have become uninhabitable. Call the Law Firm of McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. at 1-800-694-0994 for a free consultation.

Three of the major workhorses is pickups were chosen in side crash tests by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety in 2009. The Dodge Ram 1500, Chevy Silverado 1500, and Nissan Titan were classified as doing a poor job based on tests. Even with side airbags, the protection for the occupants is no better than marginal. According to the institute, the size, weight, and height should have helped these three perform well. However, after testing not only did the features not help, they performed worse than many cars that were evaluated.
The institute’s side tests assess occupant protection in vehicles struck in the side by SUV’s or pickups. These results can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories, while frontal crash tests cannot. The kinetic energy element involved in side test crashes depends on the weight and speed of the moving barrier, which are the same in every test. Frontal crash tests against an immovable barrier depend on the test vehicle’s weight and speed.
In the Silverado’s tests, it was the combination of poor side structure and a lack of side torso airbags. The result is an unprotected upper body of the occupant. The Silverado test also revealed some intrusion into the occupant compartment. In contrast, the Ram and Titan’s side structures are designed to limit intrusion. The Ram’s side structure earns a good rating, while the Titan earns an acceptable rating.
Just for comparison, the three previously tested models that earned awards were the Honda Ridgeline, Ford F-150, and Toyota Tundra. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call the Law Firm of McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. at 1-800-694-0994 for a free consultation.

Labels: Pickup Truck Side Crash Tests

The weight loss dietary supplement Hydroxycut has been recalled by the Food and Drug Administration and Lovate Health Sciences (FDA Consumer Warning PDF Here). The recall was announced after the FDA reported serious side effects, including liver failure. To date, the FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems linked to Hydroxycut products. The agency also received a report of 1 death related to Hydroxycut; a teenage male who used the product.

It was over a decade ago that Fen-phen, an anti-obesity drug, was used as a weight loss supplement. It was later determined that Fen-phen was linked to an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension and valvular heart disease. In 1997 the FDA requested that fen-phen be removed from the market. The FDA noted in the finding from doctors that approximately 30 percent of patients who were evaluated had abnormal echocardiograms, even though they had no symptoms. Soon after the removal of Fen-phen, thousands of lawsuits were filed alleging it caused serious heart conditions and even death.

Now with liver failure and other serious conditions attributed to Hydroxycut products, the FDA had to take action. A 2008 case series and review of herbal supplements noted that Hydroxycut had been suspected to have possible liver toxicity. During this case study, two women developed acute hepatitis during a short time frame of usage. It was also noted that neither of these women had any history of liver problems.

It will be difficult to determine just how many people have been affected by Hydroxycut products because they could be purchased without a prescription. If you have taken Hydroxycut products please see your doctor. For a free consultation regarding Hydroxycut products, please call McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. at 1-800-694-0994 or visit their website today. Their offices are conveniently located in Aiken, Camden, Columbia, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, and Sumter, South Carolina.

Airbags and seat belts save lives. But airbags can cause permanent injuries and even death from spinal cord and brain injuries. These injuries can happen to children or any other person short in statue that sits close to the steering wheel or dashboard.

Children riding in the front seat can be seriously injured or killed when an airbag comes out in a crash. Airbags explode with great force and are equivalent to the power of a 12 gauge shotgun shell. Even when belted, it can kill or permanently injure those close to it.

It is important to realize that the energy in a collision increases by the square of the speed. For example, a car that crashes into a wall at 60 mph has FOUR times the energy of a car that crashes into a wall at 30 mph. If you double the speed of a car, from 30 mph to 60 mph, the energy released is squared (900 versus 3600).

Seatbelts and airbags are designed to work together and they perform most safely the greater the distance from passenger to dashboard or steering wheel. Follow these rules to minimize injuries in car:

• Children 12 and under and adults short in statue, should ride restrained in the rear seat.
• Infants should never ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger side airbag.
• Small children should ride in the rear seat in child safety seats approved for their age and size.
• The safest position for a child safety seat is in the middle of the back seat.
• Everyone should always use both lap and shoulder belts.
• Drivers should sit back as far as possible from the steering wheel. Never closer than 10 inches from the center of the steering wheel to the breastbone.
• Increase the distance from the steering wheel to increase the margin of safety in a crash and the risk of injury from both the collision and an airbag.
• Buckle up and slide the seat back as far as possible to allow safe operation.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call the Law Firm of McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. at 1-800-694-0994 for a free consultation.