Texas Train/Railroad Crossing Injury Lawyers

According to the Federal Railroad Administrator’s Office of Safety Analysis, over 13,000 railroad-related incidents occurred in the United States last year alone. In these incidents, over 800 people suffered fatal injuries. Another 8,000 plus were injured. The Federal Railroad Administration identifies several causes for railroad-related incidents, including, but not limited to, collisions, derailments, track problems, human factors/failures, equipment problems, signal problems, and miscellaneous causes.

Due to the often inherent risks and dangers present, railroad workers are oftentimes subjected to hazardous environments and activities. The U.S. Congress, back in 1908, passed the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, commonly referred to as FELA, in order to curb the staggering number of railroad accidents and railroad work-related injuries that were occurring. FELA simply allows for benefits for railroad workers who are injured on the job. When a railroad worker is injured on the job, or develops an illness due to hazardous work conditions, a FELA claim should be considered to assist with lost wages, medical costs, and other related damages.

As might be expected, due to the size, weight, and speed of trains, damages can often be devastating when railroad-related incidents occur. Very often, railroad-related incidents cause catastrophic or even fatal injuries. Railroad crossing injuries can often arise due to inadequate or improperly maintained warnings or signs, non-working traffic control devices, improperly maintained equipment, overgrown vegetation at crossings that obstructs visibility to motorists. The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with train/railroad crossing injuries and the prosecution of claims on behalf of victims. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of a train injury, particularly those injuries which are caused by the negligent acts of another or by a defective product.

If you have a question regarding a railroad work-related injury or a railroad crossing collision, call The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation. Help is just a phone call away. Our firm’s attorneys, staff, investigators, and cutting edge consultants and experts stand ready to assist. The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, train crashes, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle/18-Wheeler crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.

Massive Drop-Side Baby Crib Recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 23, 2009Release # 10-046
Firm's Recall Hotline: (877) 274-0277CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908HC Media Contact: (613) 957-2983
Infant Entrapment and Suffocation Prompts Stork Craft to Recall More Than 2.1 Million Drop-Side Cribs

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia, Canada, today announced the voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including about 147,000 Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. The recall involves approximately 1,213,000 units distributed in the United States and 968,000 units distributed in Canada.
CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit. They should find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free repair kit that converts the drop-side on these cribs to a fixed side.

The cribs’ drop-side plastic hardware can break, deform, or parts can become missing. In addition, the drop-side can be installed upside-down, which can result in broken or disengaged plastic parts. All of these problems can cause the drop-side to detach in one or more corners. When the drop-side detaches, it creates space between the drop-side and the crib mattress. The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. Complete detachment of drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib.

CPSC, Health Canada, and Stork Craft are aware of 110 incidents of drop-side detachment; 67 incidents occurred in the United States and 43 in Canada. The incidents include 15 entrapments; 12 in the U.S. and three in Canada. Four of the entrapments resulted in suffocation: a 7-month-old in Gouverneur, N.Y.; a 7-month-old in New Iberia, La.; a 6-month-old in Summersville, W.Va.; and a 9-month-old in Bronx, N.Y. Included in these incidents are 20 falls from cribs; 12 in the U.S. and eight in Canada. Fall injuries ranged from concussion to bumps and bruises. The cribs involved in these incidents had plastic drop-side hardware that had broken, missing, or deformed claws, connectors, tracks, or flexible tab stops; loose or missing metal spring clips; stripped screws; and/or drop-sides installed upside-down.

This recall involves Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. This recall does not involve any cribs that do not have a drop-side. This recall does not involve any cribs with metal rod drop-side hardware. It involves only those cribs with plastic trigger and one-hand-system drop-side hardware.

This recall includes Stork Craft cribs with manufacturing and distribution dates between January 1993 and October 2009. This recall also includes Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo that have manufacturing dates between October 1997 and December 2004. The Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo were first sold in the U.S. in July 1998 and in Canada in September 1998. The cribs were sold in various styles and finishes. The manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm’s name, address, and contact information are located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The firm’s insignia “storkcraft baby” or “storkling” is inscribed on the drop-side teething rail of some cribs. In Stork Craft cribs that contain the “Fisher-Price” logo, this logo can be found on the crib’s teething rail, in the manufacturer’s instructions, on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board, and on the end panels of the Twinkle-Twinkle and Crystal crib models.

Major retailers in the United States and Canada sold the recalled cribs including BJ’s Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com from January 1993 through October 2009 for between $100 and $400.

The cribs were manufactured in Canada, China and Indonesia.

For additional information, contact Stork Craft toll-free at (877) 274-0277 anytime to order the free repair kit, or log on to http://www.storkcraft.com/Recalls.aspx?Recalls=USA
Important Message from CPSC:

CPSC would like to remind parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop-side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Any disengagement can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with tape, wire or rope.

The Stewart Law Firm remains steadfast in the pursuit of justice representing victims who have suffered injury, harm, or damage due to a defective product. If you have any question about a possible defective crib claim, please contact The Stewart Law Firm, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, Texas 78704.

The Stewart Law Firm...Texas Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers

Child sexual abuse is a horrific crime which can often lead to unimaginable injury, harm, and damage to victims. Child sex abuse victims very often deal with numerous debilitating emotions, including shame, confusion, anger, depression. Abuse victims also sometimes deal with other related injuries and limitations, including, but not limited to, post traumatic stress disorder. School can become an issue. Relationships often become problematic and strained. Work can be impacted. Very often, victims of child sexual abuse continue to experience difficulties long after the abuse stops. The healing process can sometimes be long and tumultuous. Not only can psychological and counseling costs be astronomical, but long rehabilitation may be required. The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with child sexual abuse injuries and the prosecution of claims on behalf of victims. The Stewart Law Firm is committed to holding abusers and organizations accountable for the betrayal of trust that sometimes occurs, whether it is a church, school, youth group, athletic league, or other organization. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of child sexual abuse. If you have questions regarding a child sexual abuse claim, call The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation.

The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, child sexual abuse, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle crashes, train crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.

Maclaren USA Stroller Recall for Fingertip Amputations

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 9, 2009Release # 10-033
Firm's Recall Hotline: (877) 688-2326CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
Maclaren USA Recalls to Repair Strollers Following Fingertip Amputations
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Maclaren Strollers
Units: About one million
Distributor: Maclaren USA, Inc., of South Norwalk, Conn.
Hazard: The stroller’s hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the stroller’s hinge mechanism, resulting in 12 reports of fingertip amputations in the United States.
Description: This recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers. The word “Maclaren” is printed on the stroller. The affected models included Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.
Sold at: Babies“R”Us, Target and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide from 1999 through November 2009 for between $100 and $360.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these recalled strollers and contact Maclaren USA to receive a free repair kit.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Maclaren USA toll-free at (877) 688-2326 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at http://www.maclarenbaby.com/us/content/view/88573/98889729/lang,en/
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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx. If you or a loved one has any question about protecting your legal rights, including any question about a defective product that caused injury, harm, or damage, call The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation. The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with the prosecution of claims on behalf of injury victims. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of a catastrophic personal injury, particularly those injuries which are caused by the negligent acts of another or by a defective product. The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle crashes, train crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.

Statute of Limitations in Texas Injury Claims

A Statute of Limitations is a law which places a strict time limit on being able to initiate civil legal action. When a statute of limitations has expired, it is no longer possible to bring a legal action against someone for injury, harm, or damages that have been suffered. Each state has its own statute of limitations for filing lawsuits. These statutes limit the right of an injured party to file a lawsuit unless it is done within a specified time period. Statute of limitation laws are put in place in order to prevent fraudulent and stale claims from arising after evidence has been lost or after facts have become obscure through the passage of time, defective memories, and death or disappearance of witnesses.

Personal injury, wrongful death, and defective product claims are generally governed by a two (2) year statute of limitation. There are some very narrow exceptions that may apply to limitations periods. In order to assure that evidence is properly preserved, witness statements are taken, and complete investigations of claims can be timely completed, most accident victims will benefit from seeking good legal counsel early in the process. If you or a loved one has any question about protecting your legal rights, including any question about the statute of limitations period that might apply to your claim, call The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation. The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with the prosecution of claims on behalf of injury victims. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of a catastrophic personal injury, particularly those injuries which are caused by the negligent acts of another or by a defective product.The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle crashes, train crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.