Testosterone lawsuits: Testosterone Replacement Therapy MDL

On June 6, 2014, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (MDL) ordered that all Testosterone Replacement Therapy Lawsuits, including AndroGel, be consolidated in the Northern District of Illinois. This means that complaints files in U.S. District Courts across the country will be transferred to U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly.

If you or someone in  your family has suffered a heart attack or stroke sometime after having taken testosterone, we welcome your inquiry. The Product Liability attorneys here at SGB would be happy to provide a prompt and confidential evaluation of your case.

Dangerous Product Alert: E-Cigarettes May Pose Health Risk

Bloomberg is reporting that dangers and defects in electronic cigarettes could form the basis for product liability lawsuits if they are more damaging to human health than their manufacturers claim. Citing a report by Swiss Re Ltd. (the world’s second biggest reinsurer),  Bloomberg reported that a the insurance world is concerned about the risk that e-cigarettes may cause death, much like their tobacco counterparts. The Swiss Re report stated: “E-cigarettes are often marketed as a less harmful alternative to tobacco. Some health experts claim that e-cigarettes are useful for people trying to quit or cut down on nicotine, although no peer-reviewed study has proven such benefits. Their long-term health effects are not yet known since they have not been on the market long enough. Concerns focus on e-liquids, the key ingredients in e-cigarettes, which are powerful neurotoxins. When e-liquids are ingested or absorbed through the skin, they can cause vomiting and seizures and can even be lethal. Toxicologists warn that e-liquids pose a significant risk to public health, particularly to children. They also represent a serious workplace hazard for those preparing and selling them if proper precautions are not taken (e.g., wearing gloves while mixing e-liquids).”

Dangerous Product Update: Honda Car Rollover Verdict

A Philadelphia jury issued a $55.3 million verdict against Honda Motor Co. after a rollover car accident left a man paralyzed. According to the AP, the man was injured when a tire blew and caused a rollover. A defectively designed seatbelt failed to prevent the driver’s head from hitting the roof as the car rolled. The plaintiffs contended that Honda knew such injuries were possible based on testing conducted in 1992, but failed to correct the design defect.

Defective Product Alert: Chrysler Ignition Switch Recall

Hidden amidst the enormous recalls by GM, Chrysler quietly announced on Monday that it, too, would recall 696,000 sport utility vehicles and minivans made between 2007 and 2009 over a concern that the ignition key might turn off the engine.  It is unclear yet whether those recalls are due to the same parts manufacturer, or heightened attention to these recall problems.

Defective Product Update: GM Ignition Switch Recall Expanded to 7.55 million more vehicles

According to the USA Today  GM announced yesterday that it is recalling “about 7.55 million vehicles in the US, vastly expanding the number of cars snared into the automaker’s deadly ignition-switch scandal.”  The New York Times has now called it GM’s “safety crisis,” bringing “total figures for the year above 28 million cars — more than the 22 million recalled last year by all automakers combined.” GM officials reportedly claim that the company “was aware of seven crashes, eight injuries and three fatalities in the recalled vehicles, but said that there was no conclusive evidence that a defect had caused them.”

The GM cars involved in the ignition switch recall are:

Production Part Vehicles

• Chevrolet Cobalt (Model Years 2005-2007)
• Chevrolet HHR (Model Years 2006-2007)
• Daewoo G2X (Model Year 2007)
• Opel/Vauxhall GT (Model Year 2007)
• Pontiac G4 (Model Years 2005-2006)
• Pontiac G5 (Model Year 2007)
• Pontiac Pursuit (Model Years 2005-2006)
• Pontiac Solstice (Model Years 2006-2007)
• Saturn Ion (Model Years 2003-2007)
• Saturn Sky (Model Year 2007)

Service Part Vehicles

• Chevrolet Cobalt (Model Years 2008-2010)
• Chevrolet HHR (Model Years 2008-2011)
• Daewoo G2X (Model Years 2008-2009)
• Opel/Vauxhall GT (Model Years 2008-2010)
• Pontiac G5 (Model Years 2008-2010)
• Pontiac Solstice (Model Years 2008-2010)
• Saturn Sky (Model Years 2008-2010)