Space Inflamers: Defective Space Heaters Can Cause Fires and Injury
When temperatures plunge, many search for a cost-effective alternative to turning on the central heating system: space heaters. Small, localized sources of heat that give you the warmth you're looking for without wasting the energy it takes to heat parts of your home you're not occupying. With a variety of colors and styles to choose...
The Cost of Belonging: Hazing Injuries and the Law
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." So said Lord John Dahlberg-Acton in the 19th Century. Of his varied and highly-quotable commentaries as a historian and politician, this is the one that best stuck with us as a society. When placed in a position of absolute authority over their peers, people will often...
McDonald’s Recalls Step-It Fitness Wristbands after Reports of Wrist Irritation
In mid-August, McDonald's Inc. announced a recall of its Step-It Fitness Tracker Happy Meal toys. Encouraged by the burgeoning market of fitness wearables like the FitBit health tracker, as well as "smart" wearables like the Apple Watch, the wristband-like wearable device functioned as a pedometer, ostensibly to encourage physical activity among its young wearers. No...
What are the Limits of a Court’s Power? Musnuff v. Haeger
In that article, I mentioned larger issues and more technical legal matters that dealt with the powers of the court. Rather than muddying up the waters and trying to take on both subjects at the same time, it seemed prudent to re-visit these issues in their own article. Musnuff v. Haeger, which will be heard...
Hyundai Recalls Sonata for Ejecting Sunroof
In what had to be an embarrassing press release, Hyundai Motors announced the recall of certain 2015 and 2016 Sonata models with panoramic sunroofs. An estimated 62,811 "potentially affected" vehicles are believed to on the road at this time. It appears the affected Sonatas have problems keeping the sunroofs' tempered glass sheets secured to the...
Jurisdiction Measuring: Denton City Council Will Vote on Banning Handheld Device Use in Vehicles
Thanks in large part to increased safety measures in modern vehicles, crash fatalities saw a gradual decline for most of the 2000's. Unfortunately, that positive streak was broken by the increased prevalence and functionality of smartphones, which have become harder and harder to resist for the majority of the populace. We fiddle with them in...
Hyundai Genesis Coupes Recalled for Airbag System Error
Hyundai Motors has announced a recall of over 84,000 Genesis Coupe vehicles, effective December 2. It appears that once again, airbags are the central issue of an automotive recall. According to Hyundai, Genesis Coupes sold from 2010 through 2016 may suffer from electrical problems that affect airbag deployment. Given that the 2010 model was the...
How Many People Could Be Hurt By Jeep Wrangler Airbags?
News broke today that Fiat-Chrysler is recalling 220,000 2016 and 2017 Jeep Wranglers due to a wiring issue, which could cause airbags not to inflate and seat pretensioners not to engage during an accident. At this time there have been no reported injuries or fatalities due to this product defect, but that may simply be...
Fiat Chrysler Recalls Late-Model Jeep Wranglers for Airbag Wiring Fault
Another day, another auto recall for airbags that blow up, burst out randomly, or fail entirely. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has announced a recall of approximately 224,000 vehicles with potentially-faulty airbag sensors. The worldwide recall affects certain 2016 and 2017 models of the Jeep Wrangler SUV. In information released to the NHTSA, Fiat Chrysler notes...
We All Scream: Cookie-Dough Supplier Behind Latest Blue Bell Recall
As of late September another recall has joined the list of recalled Blue Bell products, but this one appears to be related to their partner supplier Aspen Hills, Inc., who made the tainted cookie dough included in the newly recalled products. What does this mean for people who may have been exposed to potentially tainted...
Viral Social Media Post Falsifies Crash Details, Blames Victims
You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes auto accidents are simply an acceptable hazard of driving to and fro. It may be a necessary evil to spend time behind the wheel, but the road holds many dangers. Some of them are environmental, certainly--weather conditions, road quality, loose debris--but drivers themselves are responsible for many...
Homeopathic Teething Tablets Analyzed Due to Allegedly Dangerous Ingredients
At some point or another in the past, you may have invested in a homeopathic remedy for what ails you or a loved one. I get it; it's not uncommon to dislike pharmaceutical companies when they charge you an arm and a leg for synthetic prescription drugs, each of which carries a long list of...
The House on Liability Hill: Haunted Houses and Premises Liability
Texas is just beginning to see the first signs of fall! I can tell because the temperature occasionally slips below 75 degrees and the ubiquitous "pumpkin spice," at this point a self-referential pop culture trope, has once again appeared in every conceivable form. And of course, Halloween approaches! Given how close October 31 is to...
Musnuff v. Haeger: Large Companies Hiding Evidence
One of the less discussed cases on the 2016 Supreme Court docket is Musnuff v. Haeger. The case is fascinating on a couple of levels. First, it is more confirmation that in civil litigation, large defendants and their attorneys will often go to great lengths to hide and obscure vital, potentially damaging evidence. Secondly, the...
It’s All in the Hips: Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacements and the Law
Medical science rose in part from a need and desire to combat and cure human frailty, and has made tremendous strides toward its effective treatment. For instance, many companies have devoted considerable resources to the creation of prosthetic devices and orthopedic implants to replace failing joints. One often-replaced area is the ball-and-socket joint system that...
The Electric GM Battery Test: Lithium and the Law
As circumstances have forced us to report several times recently, lithium-ion battery technology is far from perfect. A fully-depleted lithium-ion battery cannot be conventionally disposed of, as it required specialized recycling or hazardous-waste disposal. More than that, the composition of the battery can make it prone to thermal runaway events, which cause the battery to...
A Tale of Two Torts: Taxotere and WEN Hair Care
Like it or not--deny it or not--image is important to all of us. How we define ourselves is partly shaped by how we are perceived, or at least how we *think* we are perceived, by others. One area that commands a great deal of attention during our normal routine is our hair. It's a vital...
Irving Police Break Up Scam Drug Rehab Facility
I know "shocking" gets tossed around with too much frequency these days. It's an internet staple and an invitation to click-bait. However, it's difficult to find a better word to describe the story that 10 people were arrested yesterday in connection with running sham drug rehabilitation houses in Irving and Fort Worth, Texas. Initial charges...
Dallas County Bus Driver Scandal and Bus Accident Law
NBC 5, in some great reporting, recently broke a story about Dallas County school bus drivers and the ridiculous number of traffic citations they've received since the beginning of 2014. As a result, Dallas County Schools terminated 13 drivers and suspended an additional 229 drivers who cumulatively received 480 traffic tickets since January 1, 2014....
NHTSA Launches Investigation of 2012 Nissan Versa Airbag Sensors
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (or NHTSA, for brevity fans) has released information about a new investigation into approximately 155,000 Nissan Versa vehicles from the 2012 line. According to the report, three complaints have thus far been filed by motorists who have experienced allegedly-spontaneous side airbag deployment from forcefully closing their car doors....