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Car Accidents
3 Reasons to Hire Phillips Webster

Our attorneys have decades of experience negotiating with insurance companies regarding all types of vehicle accidents. If you have been injured in a wreck, contact us today.

  1. We represent EVERYONE in need anywhere in Washington - Minor and Major Injuries
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$1.5 MILLION - CAR ACCIDENT WRONGFUL DEATH
Vancouver, Washington car accident that resulted in a death

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Archive for January, 2010

Graco Initiates Massive Stroller Recall

Faulty Hinge, Finger Injury, Graco Stroller Injury, Severed finger, Stroller Recall

January 29th, 2010: Washington Law Blogger

Products for infants and small children generate billions of dollars in revenue every year, and one of the leading companies within this market space is Graco.  One of the product lines within which Graco has been especially successful is with strollers, as the company has sold millions of units in recent years.  Unfortunately, recent news has revealed that Graco has initiated a huge recall of 1.5 million strollers because of serious safety concerns that relate to a defect.  These problems have prompted the involvement of Graco recall lawyers in several situations.

Why Graco Recall Lawyers Are Fielding Inquiries

Graco initiated this recall because of reports of seven different injuries to small children.  Two children suffered deep lacerations to their fingers when they touched the moving hinge that adjusts the canopy on the stroller.  Unfortunately, five children suffered through the severing of fingers for the same reason.  The foundation of the problem is that this hinge is not covered, which leaves the turning mechanism exposed.

As a result of this Graco defect, the company has begun the process of recalling these 1.5 million units.  Anyone who owns a Graco stroller is strongly encouraged to look at the inside rear panel of the unit above the rear wheels for the model number.  The model numbers recalled include:

6303MYC, 6303MYC3, 6320IVY, 6320LAU, 6330CAP, 6330THR, 6330THR3, 6F00QIN3, 6F00RRY3, 6F03GLN3, 6G10CSE3, 7235GGA, 7235GGA2, 7236CDR2, 7237HOL2, 7237HOL3, 7240DNB, 7240DNB2, 7240MKL2, 7240MKL3, 7241DDH2, 7241DHO3, 7255CLP, 7255CLP2, 7255CRA2, 7255CRA3, 7255CSA3, 7255GPK3, 7255GRN, 7255GRN2, 7255JJB3, 7255ORC2, 7255WLO2, 7255WLO3, 7256CLO2, 7256SPM2, 7256SPM3, 7260BAN, 7260BAN2, 7260BAN3, 7260MRA2, 7260MRA3, 7260PKR, 7260PKR2, 7270BIA, 7270BIA2, 7E01JON2, 7E01JON3, 7F00LPE3, 7F00RSH3, 7F01FOR3, 7F02GLM3, 7F04TAY3, 7F07EMA3, 7F08DSW3, 7F08LAN3, 7G00DLS3, 7G00DLS4, 7G01CRL3, 7G04KRA3, 7G05GPR3, 7G06WSR3, 7G07ABB3, 7G07BAT3.

The model names include the Graco Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers.

The Graco Stroller Recall and the Overall Reaction

Graco has announced that anyone who owns a defective stroller can contact the company to obtain a free repair kit that’s intended to cover this moving hinge.  This could be problematic because it not only depends on the parent or owner to properly affix the cover to the hinge, but could also limit Graco’s liability if someone is injured by this hinge after it’s covered.

If you or your child has been injured by a defective Graco stroller, you need to contact the Graco recall lawyers at Phillips Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Product Liability

Yasmin Side Effects Lawyers Moving Claims Forward

Yasmin, Yasmin Discovery Committee, Yasmin Science Committee, Yasmin side effects, Yasmin side effects lawyers

January 28th, 2010: Washington Law Blogger

When a drug is found to be problematic because it leads to the development of health problems for those who either have used it or are using it, the matter usually moves into the legal world.  When many different people suffer harm from a drug that leads to the filing of claims, it can be referred to as a ‘mass tort’ issue.  Such is the case with those who have suffered from Yasmin side effects.  Yasmin is a birth control drug that’s been linked to several different serious health problems, and Yasmin side effects lawyers from around the country have prepared legal claims against the manufacturer.  Below is an update regarding the situation.

Yasmin Side Effects Lawsuits Moving Forward

Overall, the claims that have been filed against the makers of Yasmin have been progressing.  The cases are beginning to be filed in the Southern District of Illinois.  There are several renowned law firms involved in the litigation, and the efforts to coordinate the claims, the strategies to be used and the different roles that different Yasmin side effects attorneys should play are all being defined.  This cooperative effort can be critical to those who have suffered from Yasmin side effects, as it only provides those harmed with a stronger level of advocacy.  Examples of prestigious law firms that are involved with this Yasmin litigation include attorneys from Levin Papantonio, Weitz Luxemburg, Seeger Weiss, Burg Simpson and Girardi Keese.

Law Firm of Phillips Webster Playing Prominent Roles in Yasmin Side Effects Litigation

One of the steps that is often taken when a mass tort issue arises is to organize different attorneys into different committees.  This is done to provide more efficiency for all of those who have been harmed and to make sure that every step of the litigation is fully managed by top-level attorneys.  Three different Yasmin side effects lawyers from Phillips Webster have been named to Yasmin litigation committees.

Glenn Phillips, one of the partners of the firm, has been named to the Discovery Committee for the Yasmin litigation.  In addition to Mr. Phillips’ place on the Discovery Committee, Lowell Finson and Liz Dudley have been named to the Science Committee.  These committees play a critical role in defining the legal issues and evidence that needs to be presented in order to make sure that those who have suffered from Yasmin side effects have every aspect of their cases properly presented to the court.

If you or someone you love has been harmed by Yasmin, you need to contact the Yasmin side effects lawyers at Phillips Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Defective Drugs

Massive Toyota Recall Leads to Halt of Sales and Production of Eight Models

Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Defective Toyota vehicles, Matrix, RAV4, Toyota recall, Toyota recall lawyers

January 27th, 2010: Washington Law Blogger

Last week, Toyota announced a massive recall of 2.3 million vehicles because of a dangerous defect that had been discovered in several models it manufactures.  This defect concerns the gas pedal and its tendency to stick in a position that could lead to uncontrolled acceleration and speed.  Clearly, this defect has generated a strong reaction that prompted inquiries across the country to Toyota recall lawyers.  Now comes word that perhaps the strongest reaction to this Toyota recall has come from the manufacturer.

Toyota Recall Lawyers – The Models Affected by the Recall

Originally, the recall of these Toyota models concerned the following models:

  • 2009-2010 RAV4
  • 2009-2010 Corolla
  • 2009-2010 Matrix
  • 2005-2010 Avalon
  • Certain 2007-2010 Camrys
  • 2010 Highlander
  • 2007-2010 Tundra
  • 2008-2010 Sequoia

What was a bit strange about this recall is that Toyota did not recommend that owners stop driving these models.  Instead, the manufacturer recommended that drivers seek repairs from the nearest Toyota dealer if they discovered that the gas pedal on their vehicle was not functioning properly.

Toyota’s Next Step in the Recall

Perhaps based partially on their lack of a solution, Toyota has now announced that it is suspending manufacturing and sales for these models.  While experts agree that halting sales for recalled vehicles is a common step, halting the manufacture of them is not.  It could speak to the level of danger this defect creates when one considers that Toyota only sold a total of 1.8 million vehicles during 2009.

Toyota has indicated that this halt in production is how they will proceed because they need to investigate and identify the cause of this defect before more defective Toyota vehicles reach the consumer.  In addition, the company wants to make whatever repairs are necessary to the affected models that have already been built before they find their way onto the lots of their dealerships.

How to Proceed – Obtaining an Experienced Recall Lawyer

If you own one of these defective Toyota models, you need to take action given the obvious danger that such a defect creates.  Contact the Toyota recall lawyers at Phillips Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation, as the firm has decades of collective experience in holding large corporations accountable for the defective products they place onto the marketplace.

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Posted in Product Liability

Meridia Side Effects Report Leads to Different Reactions from FDA and EMA

Abbott Laboratories, EMA, European Medicines Agency, FDA, Meridia, Meridia side effects, Meridia side effects lawyers, SCOUT

January 26th, 2010: Washington Law Blogger

The obesity drug Meridia has been on the market in the United States for almost 13 years, and it’s been used worldwide by millions of people under one brand name or another.  Recent reports of Meridia side effects have led to the initiation of a massive study designed to determine whether the risks of keeping Meridia on the market outweigh the benefits even while Meridia side effects lawyers have filed claims against Abbott Laboratories for the harm the drug has caused many people.  The preliminary results of this massive study have been released, and different regulatory agencies have taken different steps in reaction to this new data.

Meridia Side Effects Study – Lawyers  Focus in

The current study, which is known as the SCOUT study, was undertaken because of reports of Meridia side effects that include heart problems and Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, or PPH.  When the study was announced, the FDA released a statement that it would monitor the study’s progress and determine how to proceed based on the data that was uncovered as a result of this work.

While the final results of the SCOUT study are not expected until March, preliminary conclusions that have been released include the finding that those patients who use Meridia and have a history of heart problems face a higher risk of suffering from heart attacks and strokes than those who do not have this history.  This has prompted different reactions around the world.

Different Legal Reactions to Meridia Side Effects

In response to this preliminary conclusion, both the FDA, which regulates drugs and medications in the United States and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that oversees drugs and medications in the European Union issued immediate responses to the news.  This release has also led to differing approaches being taken by these regulatory bodies.

The FDA has announced that Abbott Laboratories must attach a ‘Black Box Warning’ to containers of Meridia that clearly warn both doctors and patients of the risk of developing Meridia side effects if the drug is used.  This level of regulation would represent the ‘middle ground’ for the FDA, as it’s more severe than simply issuing a warning and less severe than initiating a recall.

Meanwhile, the EMA has put forth a stronger reaction to this preliminary data.  It has released a ‘Dear Doctor’ letter to physicians, pharmacists and medical professionals across the European Union that directly recommends that those medical professionals stop prescribing Meridia and that the marketing of the drug should also end.  The drug is sold under different brand names in Europe that include Reductil.

How to Proceed in Finding a Meridia Side Effects Lawyer

While the EMA has no jurisdiction over the United States, the fact that it has recommended that people stop using Meridia is certainly evidence that the drug presents the possibility of developing dangerous Meridia side effects.  If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of using this drug, you need to contact the Meridia side effects lawyers at Phillips Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Defective Drugs

Minor and Deadly Weekend Accidents

Car Accident, Deputy Killed, Fatal Accident, Four Car Accident, Grant County, Minor Accident

January 21st, 2010: Washington Legal

Over the weekend a Grant County Sheriff’s deputy was killed in a car accident near Quincy Sunday night while this week an East Wenatchee woman was in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with a head injury suffered in a four-car accident Thursday.

The latter happened at 4:50 p.m. Thursday when a Chevrolet Monte Carlo crossed the centerline of Highway 97A about two miles south of Entiat and struck head-on a northbound Mini Cooper. Upon impact both cars impacted additional victims one being a Honda Accord, the driver reportedly not injured, the other being a Toyota Prius, the driver of which was reportedly sent to Harborview.

This weekend Grant County Emergency Services reported a deputy on routine patrol involved in a deadly one-car accident.

The Washington State Patrol was also at the scene at State Highway 283 and Road No. NW conducting an investigation.

The scene is about 10 miles southeast of Quincy, and 12 miles south of Ephrata.

These two examples demonstrate the extent of car accidents which can range from deadly to minor. Four car accidents to one car accidents are all common and prove the need for cautious and careful driving.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Bellevue Woman Imprisoned for Administering Bogus Cosmetic Treatments

Botox Injury, Botox Malpractice, counterfeit drugs, Fake Botox Injection, Restylane Injury

January 21st, 2010: Washington Law Blogger

A Bellevue Salon owner, Xin He, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle Friday to 13 months in prison and one year of supervised release for a felony count of “Misbranding of a Drug While Held for Sale” and two other misdemeanor counts.  He’s salon was offering and administering unlicensed and counterfeit Botox and Restylane treatments, by employee Faith He, despite warnings from employers, regulators, and agents.  Faith He was not a medical doctor licensed to use injectable treatments for wrinkle removal such as Botox and Restylane.

As early as 2004, Faith He had injected a substance represented as Restylane into the face of a Snohomish, Washington woman.  Records show that the face of the victim had become inflamed and she sought treatment from a dermatologist.  The substance injected into the Washington woman’s face was later revealed to not be Restylane.  Despite a cease and desist order in 2006, Faith He was once again injecting victims with misrepresented Botox in the Bellevue salon.  A Bothell woman, whom had received false Botox injections from He, had to be treated by a plastic surgeon after injection sites became hard and swollen.

Each year in the United States, including Washington, consumers are injured by individuals who are not licensed to perform such medical treatments.  Most times, drugs and/or devices used to administer these treatments are not approved by the FDA and can easily injur recipients.  injuries can range from burns, infection, to permanent scarring and tissue damage.  If you feel that you may have fallen victim to harmful counterfeit drugs such as mock Botox or Restylane, contact an attorney at Phillips Webster to protect your rights.

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Posted in Medical Malpractice

Cautionary Steps to Avoid Car Collisions in Washington

Accident Injuries, Car Accident, Car Accident Lawyer, collision, Washington Accident

January 6th, 2010: Washington Legal

Downtown Seattle—A nasty accident occurred on 20th and Main that has left one or more people injured, both of whom were transported to Harborview for treatment of unspecified injuries.
A collision that seems to have involved three vehicles were involved, including a DirecTV van, resulted in a child in a car-seat being ejected.
Too often car accidents—which are already a headache (no pun intended)—become more serious when small but significant actions are avoided. In this case the child’s car seat, which was improperly placed in the car resulted in serious injuries. While there is no way of knowing whether the accident would have caused serious injuries anyway, the possibilities when proper action is taken greatly reduces the chances of greater problems.

Such actions that can help drivers in car accidents include:

1. Wearing seatbelts.
2. Well-maintained vehicle.
3. Avoiding distractions (i.e. cell phones, radio, etc.)

A few small steps can help reduce the injuries inherent in an auto collision.

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Posted in Auto Accidents