Consumers Alerts

Fungal meningitis has been in the news lately because of a surge in cases. These cases have been linked to an epidural steroid injection from the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts that was contaminated. As of October 7, the outbreak stood at 91 and affected people from Minnesota to Ohio and beyond, according to the CDC.

The two cases in Minnesota involve two women in their 40s. They both have been hospitalized and are undergoing treatment. It is expected that there are additional cases in Minnesota because approximately 950 people have been injected with the contaminated drug.

Fungal meningitis is rare. In fact, it is the rarest of the different types of meningitis and can cause strokes because it causes an inflammation of the spinal cord and lining of the brain. It is not contagious. Those who have been infected have been said to have received the epidural steroid injection starting on May 1st. However, anyone who had received the contaminated injection would have become ill within a week of receiving it.

According to the CDC, it is believed that the fungus contaminated the medicine at some point during processing at the New England Compounding Center. The center then shipped the drug to 76 facilities.

By this point, all of the centers in the 23 affected states should have contacted anyone who had received the injection.

In addition, the New England Compounding Center has now recalled all of the injectable steroid. They had initially claimed three lots.

The CDC has warned that this type of epidural injection is not like the injection that pregnant women receive when they are delivering a baby. That type of injection is non-steroidal.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible: nausea, dizziness, severe headache, sensitivity to light, fever, numbness, weakness, and stiff neck.

At TSR Injury Law Firm we represent clients suffering serious illness and potentially life threatening complications of food poisoning and food borne illness including salmonella and E coli. E Coli and salmonella are two common yet serious bacteria that can lead to food poisoning including symptoms of abdominal cramping, diarrhea and serious side effects such as kidney failure, heart attack and even death. Our lawyers have dealt with countless cases of food borne illness and can assist you during this time.

Call a personal injury attorney at TSR Injury Law to discuss your legal rights today.

E Coli Food Poisoning

E Coli is a serious type of food poisoning that comes from the intestines of cattle and other animals. Most E coli outbreaks come from foods such as ground beef, spinach, lettuce, pizza, unpasteurized apple and orange juice, milk and most recently, hazelnuts. TSR Injury Law Firm represents one of the people affected by the recent E Coli Hazelnut Outbreak.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 73,000 E Coli infections in the United States per year with an average of 2,100 cases being severe enough that the patient is hospitalized. There are several symptoms of E Coli, some of which can be potentially life threatening, especially to young children or the elderly. This includes:

• Abdominal cramping and diarrhea
• Gall stones
• Dizziness, hallucinations, tremors and other central nervous system complications
• Kidney failure
• Heart problems
• Seizures and coma
• Stroke and heart problems including heart attacks and congestive heart failure
• Death

Salmonella Food Borne Illness Lawsuits

Salmonella poisoning occurs when a person comes in contact with the group of bacteria termed salmonella which can result in a number of serious illness including Salmonella Enteritidis and typhoid. Most salmonella cases are found due to uncooked meats, soil and water. In many instances you may suffer from a minor case of salmonella poisoning and not even realize it apart from the mild upset stomach and cramping. In other instances, however, you could become extremely sick due to this food borne illness.

Salmonella Poisoning Lawsuits

Salmonella often causes stomach cramping as well as diarrhea which can lead to hospitalization, especially in children and in the elderly. There have been lawsuits and instances of serious illness as well as death due to salmonella poisoning found in King Nut peanut butter, cantaloupes, chicken, ground beef and tuna. Some of the cases have resulted at a restaurant while others involve foods that have been sold in regular grocery stores.

E Coli Poisoning Lawyers

Even a mild case of food poisoning can result in devastating and often tragic results. If you or someone in your family has suffered from a food borne illness such as E coli or salmonella there is something you can do – you can contact an experienced food borne illness lawyer as soon as possible.

At TSR Injury Law Firm we have worked with several clients suffering from food borne illnesses including a recent man suffering from food poisoning after the hazelnut E coli outbreak. We can ensure that you are compensated for any physical, emotional and financial suffering you have endured including medical expenses, pain, loss of income and other. Contact the lawyers at TSR Injury Law Firm at (612) TSR-TIME today.

A Minnesota woman is suing Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon, and Gynecare over complications she allegedly suffered after having vaginal mesh implanted.

The woman sates that she suffered a number of complications from a number of vaginal mesh products, including Gynenesh, which was manufactured by the defendants. The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota on August 13. It was then transferred to the Southern District of West Virginia’s vaginal mesh MDL on August 29.

The plaintiff states that she had surgery on July 5, 2005 in which she received vaginal mesh products, including Gynemesh, due to suffering from symptomatic vaginal prolapse and stress urinary incontinence.

After the surgery, she says she started experiencing complications, which included occasional vaginal bleeding and the continuation of urinary incontinence. The problems worsened, so she was able to undergo surgery in 2008 because it was found that she had vaginal mesh erosion. The doctor gave her a hormone cream prescription, but the complications continued.

She had surgery again in 2008 to remove parts of the vaginal mesh, but her problems continued and this resulted in a second surgery in mid-September 2008. In her complaint, she says that she continues to suffer from complications and will most likely have to have more surgeries, thus suffering permanent disability.

She is seeking compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, disability, and her legal expenses.

Unfortunately, the plaintiff’s case is not unusual because the FDA had to issue a public warning in 2011 about transvaginal mesh complications. These complications include infections, vaginal scarring, urinary issues, bleeding, and much more. This warning was issued because the issues are not rare. It was in June 2012 that Ethicon pulled five of its transvaginal mesh products off of the market.

Women who have had vaginal mesh devices implanted and who are suffering complications are encouraged to speak to their personal injury lawyer to see if they are eligible to be compensated for their injuries.

Crocs have become such a huge shoe fad that they are identifiable by name. They have achieved a level of prevalence that allows for there to be two distinct groups, consisting of people who either love or hate crocs. There seems to be no middle ground.

The plastic shoes have become exceptionally popular for children. Crocs, which are made of plastic and don’t require any laces, are an ideal solution for parents who might not have time to stop and tie a child’s shoe every five minutes. They are also very easy to clean.

Unfortunately, these shoes which are so much fun for kids to wear because of all of the colors available, have come under serious scrutiny due to escalator accidents involving the shoes. These accidents almost always involve a child wearing their colorful crocs.

What happens in escalator accidents is that a child will be standing on the outside of the step. The shoe, which is made of plastic, will rub against the side of the escalator. This friction generates heat which then melts the plastic just enough that it can be drawn into the gap between the step and the side of the escalator.

Once the shoe has been drawn into the side of the escalator, it is all too easy for it to get caught in the mechanism driving the stairs. This continues to occur until a child’s foot is cut or maimed.

If you or your child has been injured on an escalator wearing Crocs, contact the Minneapolis defective products lawyers of TSR Injury Law at (612) TSR-TIME or submit our contact form.

The Minnesota Department of Health announced that two children have become ill with Salmonella poisoning linked to Krinos brand tahini. This is a product that was recalled earlier in May. At the time of the recall, the FDA said there had been no illnesses connected to the tahini. The childrens’ illnesses were caused by two separate strains of bacteria found in the recalled tahini.

According to the FDA, the tahini recall initially occurred on April 28 after Salmonella Montevideo was found by the Michigan Department of Agriculture in a routine sampling. The FDA then found Salmonella Mbandaka in the same tahini brand, thus resulting in the official May recall. The strains have the same DNA of an outbreak that affected several people in a number of states.

In the Minnesota cases, one of the infections matches the Salmonella Mbandaka outbreak and the other matches the Salmonella Montevideo outbreak. Neither child has had to be hospitalized. Both children are recovering at home and are so far doing well.

The recalled tahini product is of the Krinos brand and it is a sesame paste. It was distributed all over the United States. The tahini is sold in 1 pound glass jars and 2 pound glass jars. There are also 40 pound plastic pails. The expiration dates for the affected products range from January 1, 2014 to June 8 2014, as well as October 16, 2014 and March 15, 2015. If you have the product in any of the sizes with the aforementioned expiration dates, you are encouraged to dispose of it immediately.

If you purchased the product, consumed it, and experienced Salmonella symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention. The symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever. The bacteria is known to cause fatal infections and long-term problems that can be quite severe, especially in young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with compromised immune systems.

Injured by a defective product or produce? You may be eligible for a claim. Contact TSR Injury Law today.