Volkswagen recently recalled more than 71,000 2011 Jettas for a design defect that could cause the vehicles' headlights or wipers to spontaneously turn off or the engine to stall.  Officials with the automobile manufacturer said that the vehicles were designed with wiring that connects the horn and theft alarm system to the converter box.  

The converter box controls the Jettas' lighting systems, wipers, and engine.  No injuries have been reported from the defect but, in rare circumstances, the recalled vehicle could cause one of the aforementioned problems and increase the chance of an accident occuring.  The Jettas involved in the recall were produced between March 2010 and March 2011.

If you or someone you love has been injured by a product with a design defect, contact the Chicago design defect lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 to set up an appointment to meet with one of our compassionate personal injury attorneys. 

The family of a young boy injured in a Little League game in suburban Chicago in May filed suit against the bat manufacturer, Easton, last Tuesday.  In May, 11-year old Jake Schutter was pitching in his Little League game when a batter, using a metal Easton bat, hit a line drive back towards the pitching mound.  Schutter was hit by the ball on the left side of his head.  After the ball hit him, the boy fell down and immediately started vomiting.

The design defect product liability lawsuit claims that Schutter has permanently lost hearing in his left ear and suffered from brain injuries as a result of the incident.  The suit was filed in Chicago federal court and states that the Easton BT265 bat propels baseballs at a speed that is dangerous for children.  The bats have been advertised by the manufacturer as capable of hitting baseballs through cement walls.

Pfizer recently issued a recall of 38,000 bottles of their cholesterol fighting drug Lipitor sold in 40mg bottles in the United States.  Earlier this year, the company recalled more than 190,000 bottles the same product.  Both recalls were as a result of complaints of an uncharacteristic odor coming from the drug's bottle.

The defective products were investigated and found to contain TBA, a chemical used in wood preservation.  TBA is often used to treat wooden pallets used to transport products.  However, Pfizer claims that they do not allow the use of TBA and that they use a third party to bottle Lipitor.  

While the Food and Drug Administration is not currently worried about serious medical complications from taking the drug, they are concerned about possible health issues for people who refrain from taking their medication.

If you or someone you know has suffered medical complications from a defective product, contact the Chicago injury attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 to learn more about your rights. 

Over 1,200 cases of salmonella food poisoning in 22 states led the Food and Drug Administration to recall over 550 million eggs produced at Wright County and Hillandale Farms egg farms in Iowa.  Salmonella is a bacteria that can get into a person's gastrointestinal system and cause food poisoning.  

The initial recall was on August 13th and only involved 228 million eggs from three of Wright County's farms.  However, the recall was later expanded to include Wright County's two other farms and Hillandale farms after investigators realized they used the same chicken and feed distributors.  

The recalled eggs were originally distributed to stores on May 16th.  Reports of food poisoning related to the recalled eggs are concentrated in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.  

If you or someone you know has suffered from a defective food product, contact the Chicago defective food products lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 to learn more about your rights. 

The widow of a Euclid police officer who died in a caraccident while on duty in 2007 is suing Ford Motor Co and an Ohio distributor.The lawsuit, filed Monday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, claims thatthe 2007 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor’s fuel tank is so vulnerable topuncture that it exploded when Patrolman George Brentar lost control of hisvehicle and crashed into a pole.

The 22-year veteran of the police force was watching forspeeders on Lakeland Boulevard in 2007 when he veered off road and slammed intoa pole. The car ignited on impact.

The lawsuit claims that the vehicle had two problems. First,the car did not come equipped with an electronic stability control feature. Andsecond, and most directly linked to Brentar’s death was the positioning of thegas tank.

The fuel tank was behind the rear axle of the car, making itextremely easy to puncture.

Ford has released a statement expressing sympathy forBrentar’s family but denying any blame for his death.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a caraccident, it is important to speak to a lawyer you can trust, an attorneywith experience. Please contact the Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers of Friedman& Bonebrake, P.C. by calling 312-466-8200.