Month: December 2010

Sean Bowman’s family alleges that due to a serious, hidden flaw in Windstar vans that Ford took years to do anything about, the 28-year-old Massachusetts father was killed on his way to pick up his two young daughters. The safety defect in the Windstar’s rear axle, which makes it vulnerable to snapping in half unexpectedly…

On December 17, 2010, the trustee for Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, Irving Picard, and the Manhattan US Attorney’s office announced a $7.2 billion settlement with the estate of Jeffry Picower. Picower, who died in October of last year, was one of the wealthiest Americans and a Madoff investor for over 35 years. The lawsuit…

On December 21, 2010, Arrow International announced a recall of its 5800 Series Intra-Aortic Balloon (IAB) Catheters with Super Arrow-Flex Sheath Introducer. Arrow International is a subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated, a global provider of medical technology products. This recall comes on the heels of an increase in “stuck in sheath” reports involving the use of…

The minimum amount of automobile insurance coverage Texans must buy will be going up Jan. 1. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, coverage must increase because liability limits no longer pay for all expenses after a crash. On Jan. 1, the limits become $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for…

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) is voluntarily recalling about 2.2 million space heaters that can malfunction and overheat, possibly causing fires. The retail giant said it would recall the Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze and Comfort Essentials 1,500-watt heaters, as it has received 21 reports of incidents, including 11 reports of property damage beyond the heater….

On January 1, 2011, the minimum amount of automobile liability insurance coverage for Texans is going to increase. Under current Texas law, a driver must carry liability insurance limits of at least $25,000.00 for each injured person, $50,000.00 limits per accident, and $25,000.00 for property damage per accident. This particular coverage is often referred to…

Hoping to erase a troubling legacy of preventable infections and deaths, most U.S. hospitals on Jan. 1 will begin reporting the number of patients who contract bloodstream infections following their treatment in intensive-care units. The information about infections involving catheters will be made public on a government website later in 2011, giving consumers a fast,…