FTC Faces Lawsuit Over Used Car Recall Dangers

If you’re looking to buy a used car, how do you know if a vehicle is safe? Thanks to the Takata airbag recall, it’s become more complicated than ever before.

Consumer groups sued the Federal Trade Commission earlier this week for dangerously misleading used car buyers. Last year, the FTC reached a decision with General Motors and two major used-car chains allowing dealerships to advertise used cars as “certified pre-owned” even if they had an outstanding recall making them unsafe to drive. The lawsuit aims to overturn this decision.

Consumer safety groups filing the lawsuit include the Center for Auto Safety, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and three of its state counterparts. They argue that the ruling leaves used car buyers vulnerable to potentially deadly defects.

The matter is further complicated by the immense volume of auto recalls in recent years. […]

The IIHS Announces 2017 Top Safety Picks

Thinking of buying a new car? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced last week their 2017 Top Safety Picks.

Out of 200 models evaluated by the IIHS, 82 vehicles made the cut.

There are two awards categories: Top Safety Pick, and Top Safety Pick Plus. To qualify for either of these lists, vehicles must earn good ratings in a series of crashworthiness tests and advanced or superior ratings for crash prevention. In all, 44 earned Top Safety Pick status, and 38 Top Safety Pick Plus.

2017 Top Safety Pick Criteria

For the 3rd year in a row, automatic braking factored significantly into vehicle safety ratings. Automakers have voluntarily pledged to make automatic braking standard in all new vehicles by 2022. The feature has already become more common in new models. And that’s a good thing — […]

Canada Issues IVC Filter Warning After Numerous Reports of Complications

IVC filter warning tells of defective blood clot prevention product

At the end of last month, Health Canada issued an updated IVC filter warning for physicians and patients.

After receiving 121 reports of severe problems associated with IVC filters as of June 6, the Canadian government’s public health department released updated information regarding the safety of these devices.

IVC Filter Warning: Blood Clot Filters Can Cause Harm

IVC (inferior vena cava) filters are tiny, spider-like wire filters used to prevent pulmonary embolism by catching blood clots that travel from the legs toward the lungs. Unfortunately, the FDA has received over 900 reports of complications. IVC filters can break apart, sending small metal fragments throughout the body. This can result in serious injury or death.

The longer the IVC filter remains in place, the greater the risk of complication.  […]

Jeep that Killed Actor Anton Yelchin was Under Recall

What may appear to be a freak accident may actually be the result of a widespread safety problem that has caused hundreds of crashes across the United States in recent months.

The vehicle that killed actor Anton Yelchin, 27, was part of a safety recall issued two months ago. Yelchin was crushed to death when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward down his driveway and pinned him against a fence.

Yelchin’s Jeep was included in a recall that was issued after hundreds of similar – but nonfatal – accidents were reported. Due to a gear shift problem, drivers can mistakenly believe their car is in park, when it is actually in drive or neutral. The confusion stems from a monostable gear shift lever, which rests in a default position, unlike the traditional gear shift, which moves to a different position for each gear. […]

Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million in cancer lawsuit

Baby powder found to contain cancer-causing ingredient, talcum powder

A Missouri jury has awarded $72 million to the family of Jacqueline Fox, a woman who died of ovarian cancer she says was caused by decades of using Johnson’s baby powder, which contains talc.

A pathologist found that Fox’s ovaries showed talc inflammation which later turned to cancer. Jacqueline Fox was one of more than 1000 people who filed suit against Johnson & Johnson for failing to warn customers about the dangers associated with talcum powder, but her case was the first to result in monetary compensation.

It is especially alarming that such a ubiquitous household product can be found to contain cancer-causing ingredients. But, this isn’t the first time Johnson & Johnson has come under scrutiny for the safety of their products.  Following consumer demands and bad press, […]