November 29, 2007

Baby seats recalled after children hurt

A South African baby seat manufacturer recalled about 1 million of its “Baby Sitter” seats after 28 reports of babies falling out of the seats, including three skull fractures, according to an Associated Press report.

Bumbo International, which manufactured the child seats, recalled the products because babies were at risk for serious head injuries when the seats are placed on a table, countertop, chair or other raised surface and the infants arch their backs, possibly causing them to flip out of the seats and fall onto the floor.

The product, which is described as a single piece of molded foam, was sold extensively in the United States at stores like Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Toys “R” Us, USA Baby, and other children retailers and online stores from August 2003 through October 2007. For more information, consumers are urged to call (877) 932-8626 or visit www.bumbosafety.com .

The alarming trend of child product recalls is near epidemic proportions in the United States. Regrettably, many of these child product recalls are the result of overseas manufacturing. American companies use cheaper foreign labor to help their profit margin, but at what price? In cases like these, it appears the price is the health and well being of our children.

Defective or recalled children’s toys and products can result in serious physical injuries such as disfigurement, paralysis, head injury, bone fractures, burns, and other types of physical trauma. These injuries may require expensive surgeries, specialists, and other accident related medical treatments. With the representation of a skilled South Carolina defective toy lawyer at the Louthian Law Firm you may be able to recover monetary compensation to help pay for your child’s injury related expenses.

November 27, 2007

Kroger recalls salmon dip

7.5 ounce packages of Kroger Smoked Salmon Dip were recalled recently after Georgia inspectors found deadly bacteria in the product’s packaging, according to an Associated Press report.

The product recall affected the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina. The package markings read: “Use By 04 Nov. 2007A LN3”. Kroger officials have asked people to look at the code date on any packages they bought and if it matches the code date above, they should bring it back to their Kroger store for a full refund.

South Carolina Food recalls can be some of the scariest and most wide ranging of product recalls. In this instance, the packaging for the salmon dip contained the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause the disease listeriosis. Listeriosis has been known to cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth in pregnant women. The company that packaged the product is called House of Thaller Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn. Ironically, Tennessee was not one of the main areas that the recall affected.

If you or someone you care about has been seriously injured or killed by someone else's careless attitude toward food safety, you have the right to hold the careless party responsible in court. With almost 50 years of experience, the Louthian Law Firm can help you evaluate your case and protect your interests. To preserve your right to a day in court, contact one of our experienced South Carolina food recall attorneys as soon as possible, at 1-866-410-5656, for a free case evaluation.

November 21, 2007

1 killed, 30 hurt in bus crash

A bus driver was killed and 30 of his passengers were injured when his tour bus drove off a South Carolina highway into some trees on early Monday morning. The bus accident happened on a rural stretch of highway and no other vehicles were involved. The tour bus was traveling from St. Stephen to Miami for a cruise, according to an Associated Press report.

George William Thomas, 58, veered off Interstate 26 at around 1 a.m. after he suffered a brain aneurysm, according to Dorchester County officials. He died from injuries related to the crash near Ridgeville, about 25 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina. The 30 passengers on the bus mostly suffered minor injuries.

South Carolina Bus accidents can be some of the most serious and often tragic vehicle accidents on our highways. City buses and interstate buses are required to abide by several important safety regulations. Drivers must not drive over a certain amount of hours in a 24 hour period, they must be properly trained and licensed, and they must travel at slower speed limits than other drivers.

Our South Carolina bus accident attorneys have experience fighting for the rights of those who are injured due to the negligence of auto and bus operators. In this instance the driver of the tour bus was charged with careless driving in a separate commercial bus accident eight months prior. No one was injured, but the question remains, was Mr. Thomas fit to operate this bus? Was the medical condition that caused the crash, pre-existing? Did his employer know about it? These are all questions that should be answered when establishing negligence in a South Carolina personal injury matter.

The lawyers at the Louthian Law Firm have experience in handling bus accident cases throughout the entire state. We offer free, no-obligation consultations for any potential case. Contact our offices today.

November 4, 2007

Santee Cooper sued over rate increase, violating agreement

Santee Cooper, a South Carolina owned utility provider, is being sued for raising rates to pay for a building project but never returning the rates to their old prices after the project was completed, as they had agreed to. The suit alleges that the utility company owes around 150,000 customers hundreds of millions of dollars in paybacks for the 1994-1995 rate increase, an AP Report states.

“In a nutshell, Santee Cooper raised their rates to pay for a capital improvement project. It was only for a set amount of time. After that period, they were supposed to lower it, and they never reduced the rate like they were supposed to,” said Don E. Watson a Myrtle Beach motel and restaurant owner who is the lead plaintiff in the suit.

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November 2, 2007

Women filing more pregnancy discrimination claims nationally

A growing number of women are filing pregnancy discrimination claims with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), according to a Marketwatch report by Kristen Grencher published on Wednesday, October 24th. Pregnancy discrimination claims have jumped 45 percent since 1992, and the EEOC received 4,901 complaints last year, up from 4,287 filed in 2001.

Last month, the EEOC charged business information provider Bloomberg with engaging in a pattern of reducing the pay of female employees after they announced their pregnancies or when they returned from maternity leave. The lawsuit alleges some women were replaced by junior male counterparts, excluded from management meetings, and subjected to stereotypes about their ability to perform their jobs because of their family responsibilities.

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