North Haven CT Legal Blog

The FDA warns parents that Claire's makeup may contain asbestos

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Products Liability on Friday, March 22, 2019.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a consumer warning earlier this month. They described how routine tests that they'd performed showed that some of Claire's cosmetics had traces of the cancer-causing asbestos in them. Claire's, a popular mall retailer that offers jewelry, makeup and other accessories for young kids, denies their claims.

In the FDA's consumer warning alert issued on March 6, they outlined how they first determined that some of the company's products were contaminated with asbestos back in 2017. They immediately recalled Claire's contour palette (batch/lot number: 04/17), their eye shadows (batch/lot number: 08/17) and their compact powder (batch/lot number: 07/15).

An East Haven police chase results in 2 motorists getting hurt

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, March 15, 2019.

Two area residents filed a lawsuit against the East Haven Police Department late last week. In their filing, they allege that they suffered serious injuries as a result of police officers engaging in a high-speed pursuit of a wanted suspect on March 3.

According to the plaintiffs' filing, an East Haven woman and her daughter had just pulled up to a red light after taking Interstate 91 north's Exit 5 just before 7:30 a.m. that day. Around that same time, and unbeknownst to the plaintiff, police were chasing a suspect northbound on I-91 as he headed into the direction of New Haven.

Mild brain injuries can cause major pain and suffering

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Most people experience a blow to the head at some point in their lives, and, in many cases, these are superficial injuries with no lasting effects. However, the brain is much more vulnerable than people often realize, and it can suffer damage from a head injury that the victim does not even realize occurred.

Sometimes, this damage is equivalent to that of a tough hangover, and it passes easily. In other instances, a victim may receive a blow to the head in a car accident or some other situation and suffer significant damage without any outward indications.

Birth control pills are recalled for containing too many placebos

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Products Liability on Friday, March 8, 2019.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a nationwide recall of four lots of birth control pills manufactured by the Apotex Corporation this week. In their press release, they noted that their Ethinyl Estradiol (EE) and Drospirenone (DRSP) tablets were all found to have a packaging error that could result in women becoming pregnant.

In their press release announcing the recall, the FDA highlighted how the packaging errors that resulted in the recall vary. Some of the blister packs have empty pockets. Others have the tablets arranged incorrectly. In the case of the latter, women may find think that they're taking an active pill when they're really taking a placebo. This can result in the patient not being protected against an unwanted pregnancy.

Don't wait to build your claim after a truck accident

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

One moment you're driving along the interstate, and in the next moment you find yourself in the middle of a serious truck accident. Do you know what to do first, or how to begin building a lawsuit? These accidents can cause enormous damage and leave victims with serious, even fatal injuries. Once the initial shock of the experience wears off, you may find it difficult to know how to proceed while keeping your legal rights secure.

After any accident, you should check yourself and others in the vehicle for injuries. Even if you don't think you suffered any serious injury, it is still important to receive medical care immediately, because not all serious injuries cause pain right away.

Helmets are effective at saving motorcyclists' lives

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, March 1, 2019.

There's a lot of research that's been done about how effective helmets are in preventing motorcyclists' injuries and deaths. Researchers' findings have led many state legislators to propose and ratify laws requiring bikers of all ages to wear motorcycle helmets. Connecticut, however, isn't one of those states where such legislation exists.

Motorcycle injury and death rates would perhaps be lower if such laws existed in this state.

After a dog bite: Your safety and well-being come first

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC on Monday, February 25, 2019.

If you were bitten by a dog, it may have been a friend's or neighbor's pet, or it could have been a stranger's dog. Whether you know the animal or not, you should take nothing for granted and make sure you get medical attention immediately. Infection can spread quickly in the body, and you may need to be administered drugs in order to help your body cope with the injury.

Seeking medical attention costs money, and enduring a dog attack can also be an extremely upsetting experience. It is likely that you have suffered a significant amount of pain because of the incident, and you may be feeling anxious or upset, even weeks or months after the attack. In fact, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a relatively common consequence of a dog attack. Being diagnosed with PTSD can mean a course of therapy (and perhaps medication) can help you heal.

Why some conditions are misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Medical Malpractice on Thursday, February 21, 2019.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a medical condition that's often difficult for doctors to diagnose. Individuals who have it often experience a wide variety of symptoms including tingling, heat sensitivity, pain, numbness and fatigue. There's no test for it. Many of the symptoms that MS patients suffer are similar to those that accompany other conditions.

Stroke

Grocery store injuries don't just have to occur inside to sue

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Premises Liability on Friday, February 15, 2019.

If there's one commonality among the different New Haven grocery stores, it's that they all are bright inside thanks to their use of fluorescent bulbs. The truth is that despite being well-lit, countless individuals have slip-and-fall incidents both in and outside of grocery stores every year. If you're seriously injured in such an incident, you'll be relieved to find out that you may be able to sue the store for your medical costs and lost wages.

Many slip-and-falls that occur inside a grocery store happen because someone spills something that doesn't get reported to staff and cleaned up in time before another customer comes along and slips down in the spill. Slip-and-falls also can occur if the staff mops or waxes the floors at busy times of the day or in highly trafficked areas of the store. They even happen at entryways when people track rain, snow or ice inside.

Was the dog bite MY fault?

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

A dog attack can be a traumatic experience. If you or someone you love was bitten, you should seek medical attention to ensure that the wound does not become infected and to prevent acquiring any diseases from the dog. This medical attention will likely incur costs, so many people take action to gain compensation from the owner of the dog.

However, it is common for dog bite victims to hesitate before making a personal injury claim against the owner of the dog, especially if the owner is a neighbor or friend. Sometimes, people don't want to bring a claim because they wonder if the incident was their fault. Some victims even blame themselves for provoking the dog.