Important sudden acceleration automobile defect case set for trial

All eyes in the automobile defect world of product liability litigation will be on Los Angeles County Superior Court in the coming weeks. Toyota faces trial for the sudden acceleration defect: Norika Uno's  car accelerated to over 100 miles per hour in city streets, culminating in a crash that took his life. She leaves behind an aggrieved son and husband.

Toyota has paid over $1billion in settlements but here the plaintiffs and their lawyers are holding Toyota's feet to the fire. It's hard to tell if this one will go all the way through trial or if we are looking at a game of chicken. However it shakes down, it will be very interesting to see what happens.

From another case I have heard a 911 call from a driver who was in a car that had unintentionally accelerated and could not stop; it's the sound of terror. These types of defects should not be happening today.

Sometimes, but not always, the defect is that the accelerator gets caught on the floor. A driver might attempt to reach to the floor to un-stick the accelerator but this is easier said than done (you have to take your eyes off the road to do this).

LA Times reporters Jerry Hirsh and Ken Bensinger have recently reported on the Norkia Uno v. Toyota trial. I commend the article to you.

Important sudden acceleration automobile defect case set for trial

All eyes in the automobile defect world of product liability litigation will be on Los Angeles County Superior Court in the coming weeks. Toyota faces trial for the sudden acceleration defect: Norika Uno's  car accelerated to over 100 miles per hour in city streets, culminating in a crash that took his life. She leaves behind an aggrieved son and husband.

Toyota has paid over $1billion in settlements but here the plaintiffs and their lawyers are holding Toyota's feet to the fire. It's hard to tell if this one will go all the way through trial or if we are looking at a game of chicken. However it shakes down, it will be very interesting to see what happens.

From another case I have heard a 911 call from a driver who was in a car that had unintentionally accelerated and could not stop; it's the sound of terror. These types of defects should not be happening today.

Sometimes, but not always, the defect is that the accelerator gets caught on the floor. A driver might attempt to reach to the floor to un-stick the accelerator but this is easier said than done (you have to take your eyes off the road to do this).

LA Times reporters Jerry Hirsh and Ken Bensinger have recently reported on the Norkia Uno v. Toyota trial. I commend the article to you.

Needless exposure to asbestos: an OSHA citation in 2013

The United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known by its acroynm OSHA, has fined Ford Motor Company $41,000 for eight serious violations to OSHA's code. The violations appear something out of yesteryear:  Ford exposed employees to asbestos.

One of these alleged violations occurred when a pipe fitter was exposed to insulation containing asbestos, without any respiratory protection. This is a fact that commonly arises in asbestos litigation where the exposure happened decades ago. That this failure to protect workers would happen in 2013 boggles the mind. You can read the OSHA news release here. Attorneys for those unnecessarily exposed to asbestos often hear claims from representatives from defendants that byx date everyone protected workers and that respiratory equipment was ubiquitous. The OSHA citations demonstrate that if there are companies not protecting workers today, how can anyone be so certain they were protected decades ago?  We know that's not so; countless workers were commonly and needlessly exposed to asbestos prior to and during the 1960s and 1970s. Employers disregarded OSHA regulations thenand if OSHA's citations are accurate there are even violations today. It's a sad commentary.  Meanwhile, we'll keep paying attention to this latest development.

Needless exposure to asbestos: an OSHA citation in 2013

The United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known by its acroynm OSHA, has fined Ford Motor Company $41,000 for eight serious violations to OSHA's code. The violations appear something out of yesteryear:  Ford exposed employees to asbestos.

One of these alleged violations occurred when a pipe fitter was exposed to insulation containing asbestos, without any respiratory protection. This is a fact that commonly arises in asbestos litigation where the exposure happened decades ago. That this failure to protect workers would happen in 2013 boggles the mind. You can read the OSHA news release here. Attorneys for those unnecessarily exposed to asbestos often hear claims from representatives from defendants that by  x date everyone protected workers and that respiratory equipment was ubiquitous. The OSHA citations demonstrate that if there are companies not protecting workers today, how can anyone be so certain they were protected decades ago?  We know that's not so; countless workers were commonly and needlessly exposed to asbestos prior to and during the 1960s and 1970s. Employers disregarded OSHA regulations then  and if OSHA's citations are accurate there are even violations today. It's a sad commentary.  Meanwhile, we'll keep paying attention to this latest development.

Seattle can do better when it comes to safe cycling

Seattle has been outed. For a city that prides itself on innovation, forward thinking, progressive ideas, and protective of the environment, it just doesn't measure up when it comes to bicycle safety. And yet the promotion and support of safe bicyling is exactly what progressive, forward thinking and environmentally concerned cities around the world are doing.  To learn more about the benefits of safe urban cycling, I encourage you to check out Rutgers University Professor John Pucher's op-ed piece in the Seattle Times. Professor Pucher explains how we used to be ahead of the pack when it came to promoting safe cycling.  But we've been surpassed by cities all over the globe. It's time we made this a priority in Seattle. Too many cyclists are injured here; many of the serious injuries are preventable if only we provided safe and separate bike lanes on our streets.   To learn more about innovative bicycle safety and the cycling boom around the world, I encourage you to take a look at Professor Pucher's PowerPoint presentation.

It pains me to see a family devastated by a cycling injury.  Anything we can do to promote cycling and to ensure that there are opportunities for safe transport is a step in the right direction. Seattlites and our elected leaders just need to make this a priority.