Asbestos litigation in Texas just became a lot harder. The Texas Supreme Court recently overturned a Corpus Christi mechanic’s $169,000 damage award because he failed to quantify how much asbestos had been inhaled on the job. Arturo Flores, working a mechanic for more than 30 years, was exposed to asbestos every time he ground brake…
For years, Johnson & Johnson obscured evidence that its popular Ortho Evra birth control patch delivered much more estrogen than standard birth control pills, potentially increasing the risk of blood clots and strokes, according to internal company documents. But because the Food and Drug Administration approved the patch, the company is arguing in court that…
A day after Toyota Motor Corp. announced an indefinite suspension of U.S. sales on an unprecedented scale to fix faulty gas pedals, the automaker said late Wednesday that it will recall an additional 1.1 million vehicles in the United States over floor mat problems. Toyota said Thursday’s recall would affect five models: 2008-10 Highlander, 2009-10…
GlaxoSmithKline said Thursday it Will remove zinc from its denture cream after reports that excessive use over many years can cause neurological damage and blood problems in consumers. The British manufacturer will stop making and marketing Super Poligrip Original, Ultra Fresh and Extra Care products in the U.S. The company plans to reformulate the creams…
Hundreds of people taking the diabetes drug Avandia needlessly suffer heart attacks and heart failure each month, according to confidential government reports that recommend that the drug be removed from the market. The reports, obtained by The New York Times, say that if every diabetic now taking Avandia were instead given a similar pill named…
Toyota has for years blocked access to data stored in devices similar to airline “black boxes” that could explain crashes blamed on sudden unintended acceleration, according to an Associated Press review of lawsuits nationwide and interviews with auto crash experts. The AP investigation found that Toyota has been inconsistent — and sometimes contradictory — in…
Ikea is settling three separate defective product lawsuits brought against it for the wrongful deaths of three young boys. The Swedish company will pay $50 million to the families of the boys who died when Ikea dressers toppled over with crushing force. In all cases, the lethal furniture was one of Ikea’s Malm dressers, a line of…
The U.S. auto safety agency has opened an investigation into complaints that another 1 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles can roll away after the owners shift transmissions into park, a problem similar to the one being blamed in the wrongful death of “Star Trek” actor Anton Yelchin. The investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration…
Japan’s Takata could be close to settlement with the US Department of Justice over its massive exploding-airbag recall in what would amount as the largest exploding airbag settlement ever. The company is expected to pay up to $1 billion to resolve allegations of criminal wrongdoing in handling its faulty airbags, the Wall Street Journal reported on…
U.S. safety regulators have opened three investigations into safety issues with about 1.65 million vehicles made by Stellantis. The largest probe covers 1.34 million Jeep Cherokee small SUVs from the 2014 through 2020 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 80 complaints that the electronic parking brakes can turn on while…
