A defective auto can leave victims with catastrophic or fatal personal injuries. Auto defects can be found in a number of different makes and models. Even with the advancements in technology and manufacturing auto product liability cases continue to occur.

The reason why auto defects continue to happen is because corporations have continued to put profit over safety. A number of automobile manufacturers have continued to profit from cars that are using a 20 or 30 year old platform. That brand new car you drove off the lot last week could have a 30 year old platform under the skin.

Accident victims who have suffered serious personal injury are well advised to seek the council of an experienced California catastrophic injury lawyer. A skilled products liability lawyer will help accident victims receive a just settlement.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to an auto defect you can request a free copy of, "Still Unsafe At Any Speed." This book is offered at no cost to accident victims and will provide you with valuable information regarding common defects.

Elizabeth Amstone, 18, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after the driver of the car in which she was a passenger lost control and crashed the vehicle in Irwindale. According to a news report in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the car accident occurred the morning of December 1, 2009 after a 1995 Acura Integra, driven by Deshawn Johnson, 17, heading southbound on the 605 Freeway near Arrow Highway, veered to the right and on to a dirt embankment before rolling over on the shoulder. Amstone was ejected and fell partially on to the far right lane, California Highway Patrol officials said. It is not clear how fast the car was going or why it went off the road. CHP officials are not sure whether Amstone was wearing her seatbelt. She died at the scene while Deshawn escaped with minor injuries to his left hand and right leg.

Deadly Rollover Accident

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of young Elizabeth Amstone for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this young woman. They will be in my prayers.

There was one fatality and 232 injuries involving car accidents in Irwindale, California, according to CHP's 2007 traffic accident statistics. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 712 people died and 56,475 were injured as a result of car accidents in 2007.

Based on this news report, it's not clear exactly how or why the 17-year-old lost control of the Acura. Was he driving too fast? Did alcohol or drugs play a role? Was there a vehicle defect or a mechanical malfunction that caused him to lose control of the car? Was there a dangerous condition on the roadway? Did another driver run Deshawn Johnson off the freeway? The answers to these questions and more should help clarify what happened here.

Auto Products Liability Issues

If I were a member of Amstone's family, I'd also want to determine whether Amstone was ejected from the vehicle because of a defective seatbelt. Did her seat restraint system fail during this rollover crash causing her fatal injuries? In such cases, it would be a good idea to preserve the crashed vehicle, unaltered, so it can be carefully examined by an expert for seatbelt defects, other product defects or mechanical malfunctions. A reputed Los Angeles personal injury attorney, who has successfully handled seatbelt defect cases will be able to help this family and advise them about their legal rights and options.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

As products liability attorneys, we know that the makers of defective products often drag their feet on product recalls even when they have known for several years that those products could cause serious personal injury or even death to their unsuspecting consumer. Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Maclaren, a manufacturer of strollers, agreed to a voluntary recall earlier this month, of all models of its products sold as far back as 1999 admitting that the fingers of 12 children were cut off by the stroller's hinges when they were opened or closed. What we're just hearing about now is that Maclaren knew about its product defects at least for the last five years, but did absolutely nothing about it. According to an article in the New York Post, Maclaren is now facing a fine of $1 million or more because they failed to report this potential hazard to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Reporting Dangerous Products

Product manufacturers are required by federal law to report to the CPSC immediately on learning of a problem with a product that makes it a substantial hazard or poses a potential hazard. Maclaren knew that their strollers could amputate little fingers as early as July 12 2004 when a toddler in Connecticut lost his pinky. Carlos DeWinter, the 23-month-old underwent two surgeries to get his pinky reattached, but without luck. What did Maclaren do then? They blamed the child's mom for her "negligence."

In 2007, an engineer and former compliance officer for the CPSC testified that the stroller had a substantial design defect stating that the stroller designed and made in China violated federal guidelines intended to prevent exactly this type of horrible "scissoring effect." Maclaren did not report this incident although they had a legal obligation to do so. Instead, they quietly settled with the DeWinters for an undisclosed sum, allowing many other young children to get their fingers amputated. CPSC is currently investigating the case.

Products Liability Issues

This may sound appalling, but it's far too common. Companies shy away from recalls because it costs them millions and affects their image. Although a few manufacturers are diligent about recalling defective products, most drag their feet or deny the product defects to make themselves look good. Maclaren, apparently, was no exception. Had they recalled these defective strollers right away, so many other young children would not have suffered the trauma of getting their fingers cut off! If your child has been a victim of these or other product defects, please contact a reputed personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled products liability cases to find out more about your legal rights and options. In such cases, injured victims may be eligible to seek compensation for medical expenses, cost of surgery, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other related damages.

A 26-year-old man was fatally injured in a San Bernardino, California motorcycle accident after he lost control of his 2005 Kawasaki Ninja and crashed into a garage the afternoon of November 17, 2009, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports. The man, who is yet to be identified, was riding his Kawasaki near a friend's house when he lost control and crashed into the garage door. The incident occurred in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The man was not wearing a helmet and sustained severe injuries. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department's Major Accident Investigation Team is looking into this fatal motorcycle crash.

My heart goes out to the family of this young man who was fatally injured in this motorcycle accident. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this man. This grieving family will be in my prayers.

Motorcycle Accidents in San Bernardino

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), two fatalities and 45 injuries were reported as a result of motorcycle accidents in Rancho Cucamonga, California. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 28 deaths and 627 injuries occurred in 2007 as a result of motorcycle accidents.

Based on this newspaper report, it is not clear how or why this young man lost control of his Kawasaki Ninja. The article does not state that the victim was riding his motorcycle recklessly or negligently at the time. It's also not clear whether he was a novice rider. The question here though, is why did the man lose control of his motorcycle. Was there a vehicle defect or a mechanical malfunction in the Kawasaki Ninja, which may have caused him to lose control and crash? In my opinion, and from previous auto product recalls involving this motorbike, it's definitely something to look into.

Auto Products Liability Issues

According to consumer complaints on the Web site Automotix.net, several Kawasaki Ninja users have complained about brake failure in their vehicles model years 2001 through 2006. Some 2006-2007 Ninja’s were recalled due to defects in the rear suspension. If an auto product defect is suspected in this case, the family of this deceased victim would be well-advised to contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled auto products liability issues. It is also a good idea to preserve the motorcycle in its current condition so it can be carefully analyzed by an expert for product defects, malfunctions and other evidence.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

President Obama this week has issued a product liability directive limiting the use of federal preemption to override state laws which allow injured victims to file lawsuits against the manufacturers of defective products for damages. The president has clearly stated that preemption of state law by executive departments and agencies should be undertaken "only with full consideration of the legitimate prerogatives of the states and with sufficient legal basis for preemption." Preemption of state common law will no longer be presumed or asserted by regulatory agencies absent "explicit preemption by Congress or an otherwise sufficient basis under applicable legal principles."

This is a major victory for the rights of all Americans under state law. It is also the culmination of over a decade of work by our friends at the American Association for Justice (AAJ) who have tirelessly fought for the rights of all Americans.

The legal concept of preemption has been in the news lately, particularly in two recent historic Supreme Court rulings. In Reigel v. Medtronic, the court held that companies that manufacture medical devices may not be sued in state courts for damages caused by product defects. In another different case, Wyeth v. Levine, the high court ruled that drug manufacturers can be held liable for personal injury damages caused by defective products.

President Obama's directive provides that:

• Heads of departments and agencies should not include in regulatory preambles statements that the department or agency intends to preempt State law through the regulation except where preemption provisions are also included in the codified regulation.
• Heads of departments and agencies should not include preemption provisions in codified regulations except where such provisions would be justified under legal principles governing preemption.
• Heads of departments and agencies should review regulations issued within the past 10 years that contain statements in regulatory preambles or codified provisions intended by the department or agency to preempt State law, in order to decide whether such statements or provisions are justified under applicable legal principles governing preemption.

As AAJ President Les Weisbrod says, this is an enormous victory.

"It reflects what we believe the law in reality has always been and how it should always have been applied," Weisbrod says. "This corrects a decade of abuse of the regulatory process and signifies a triumph both for states' rights and for the legal rights of all Americans and their families."

There was no question that the preemption issue was a major assault on our civil justice system. Thanks to AAJ's efforts and the efforts of consumer attorneys and advocates around the country, we have fought this battle successfully. I commend the AAJ for their leadership on this important issue.

Dorel has recalled 76,600 Eddie Bauer-brand defective play yards because of a defective design that could pose a suffocation hazard. According to an article in Consumer Reports, the play yards have rocking bassinets and their rocking attachments can remain in a tilted position or in a non-rocking mode causing an infant to roll to the corner or side and become wedged or pressed against a corner, side or bottom.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dorel has received 10 reports so far, of babies rolling to one side, including six infants who had their faces pressed against the side or the bottom of the bassinet. One child was reportedly turning purple and was out of breath when discovered. No deaths or major personal injuries have been reported as a result of this product defect. The product recall affects Eddie Bauer Soothe and Sway portable play yards. The defective play yards were all manufactured in China before December 1, 2008. They were sold at major retail outlets such as Target, Sears and Burlington Coat Factory in the United States. They were also sold in Canada and over the Internet between January 2008 and May 2009 for about $150.

Consumers are asked to immediately stop using the defective bassinet attachment of the play yard and contact Dorel Juvenile Group for a $40 voucher toward the purchase of a new Dorel product. If you need more information about this consumer product safety recall, please call Dorel Juvenile Group at 1-888-233-4903.

These play yards are the latest in millions of children's products that have been recalled over the last year or two. Almost all of these defective products have a manufacturing or a design defect that puts the children in danger. Several children have died as a result of suffocation or positional asphyxiation caused by a defective crib or bassinet. There is no excuse for such blatant lack of quality control. In many cases, young children died tragically and unnecessarily because the product manufacturers did not act responsibly by recalling these defective products in a timely manner.

I think it is crucial to hold such businesses accountable for the defective products they put on the market. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a defective product, please call experienced product defect attorneys, who will fight for your rights and make the manufacturer pay for their negligence and disregard for the safety and well being of consumers.

KTM North America Inc. is recalling its defective motorcycles made for off-road use because of a front fork failure, according to a consumer safety alert issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The front fork inner tube on the off-road motorcycles can crack and separate from the front fork axle posing a risk of injury or death to the rider. This defective product recall involves model year 2009 KTM off-road motorcycles. The model name and logo are located on the right and left shrouds. The recalled models include: 125SX, 150SX, 250XC-W and 300XC-W. These products, made in Austria, were sold by KTM dealers nationwide from December 2008 through April 2009 for between $6,000 and $8,000.

So far no personal injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of these product defects. Consumers are, however, asked to stop using these motorcycles immediately and contact their local KTM dealer to schedule a free repair. Registered owners of the recalled off-road motorcycles are being sent a direct notice. If you would like more information about this recall, please call KTM at 1-888-985-6090.

This is apparently not the first time KTM has had product defect issues. In fact, KTM issued an identical product recall in April of its 2009 Duke and SMC motorcycles. In those products too, the company said the front forks could develop cracks resulting in the possibility of the inner tube separating from the axle clamp. This defect was caused, officials say, by improper heat treatment of the front fork inner tubes from the factory. So, essentially, it was a manufacturing defect.

Most product defects usually involve manufacturing defects or design defects. Either can be extremely dangerous because in vehicles what these defects mean is there is an increased potential to crash and cause serious personal injury or death to the occupants. If you have been seriously injured, or if you have lost someone as a result of a defective product, please contact a reputed product defect law firm to find out more about your legal rights and options.