We enjoy mocking Banzai and their tendency to put wildly inaccurate photographs of their products on the boxes. But another wild inaccuracy led to tragedy in Massachusetts in 2006, when a 29-year-old mother went headfirst down an inflatable waterslide that collapsed. She broke her neck and later died as a result of the injuries. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before awarding her survivors $20.6 million–and they weren’t even allowed to hear about the other person allegedly paralyzed by a similar injury while using the same product. [More]
injuries
Seven Former Players Sue NFL Over Concussions
By 8.19.11
One of the dark sides of pro football is the toll the game takes on players, leaving some with permanent brain injuries brought on by concussions. Seven former NFL players are suing the league over its handling of concussion-related injuries, alleging teams trained players to hit in ways that led to head injuries, failed to properly treat concussions and tried to hide links between the game and brain injuries. [More]
Video Games You Can Play While Injured
By 4.17.11
If you do a lot of typing and gaming in less-than-ideal ergonomic conditions, you’re probably putting yourself at risk of a hand or wrist injury. But even if you manage to put yourself out of commission, you can still indulge your hobby. [More]
Ski Lift Breaks Down, Injures 8 People
By 12.29.10
An aging Maine ski lift succumbed to winds that sent several riders plummeting to the ground, hospitalizing at least five adults and three children. [More]
Military Aircraft At Show Breaks Wind, Hurts 10 Onlookers
By 6.1.10
A Memorial Day air show celebration turned ugly when a Marine Corps aircraft unleashed a wind blast that leveled several spectators, injuring 10. [More]
A MacBook Burned My Boss's Skin
By 4.28.10
Miriam says her boss had her skin blistered by a MacBook. Apparently the computer ran hot, but not uncomfortably so. The next thing the MacBook attack victim knew her skin, pictured, was blistered. [More]
Snow Thrower Wheels Still Exploding 4 Years After Recall
By 2.15.10
Recalls are imprecise and never fully successful, but how can they be improved? Jeff Gelles of the Philadelphia Inquirer took a look at the recall problem with snow throwers manufactured by a company called MTD, and sold under Yard Machines, Troy-Bilt, and Craftsman brands. The snow throwers used plastic wheel rims which sometimes exploded, so in 2006 the company cooperated with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and announced a recall. [More]
Generation 2 Cribs Recalled After 3 Deaths
By 2.9.10
The Generation 2 crib, which was sold by ChildDESIGNS until the company folded in 2005, is being recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after reports of three infant deaths and 28 other safety incidents. Usually in a recall like this, the manufacturer offers to send out repair kits or replacement parts, but as the manufacturer no longer exists the CPSC is urging consumers to stop using the crib for good, effective immediately. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out the $60-160 dollars that it cost. [More]
Oregon Woman Sues McDonalds Over Too-Hot Coffee
By 2.6.10
A woman in Oregon has sued her local McDonald’s franchisee after spilling hot coffee from the drive-thru window on herself. She claims that the coffee was too hot and the lid too loose, and seeks $7,500 in damages. [More]
US Airways Pilot Pulls Plane Over To Kick Off Unruly Passenger
By 11.17.09
A 49-year-old Scottish man with an injured arm grew angry at the crew on his US Airways flight to London last night, so he demanded they turn the plane around and take him back to Philadelphia. Instead, the pilot, who has had it up to here with you kids, landed the plane at Logan International Airport in Boston and had him removed.
Air Compressor Company Re-Recalls 700,000 Products After Continuing To Receive Injury Complaints
By 10.9.09
In 2006, DeVilbiss recalled nearly 700,000 pressure washers and air compressors to replace the pneumatic tires, which were sometimes bursting on models that used plastic rims. Apparently not enough consumers responded then, because the complaints keep rolling in, so they’ve announced a do-over.
Free Ice Cream Doesn't Heal Broken Leg, But It Helps
By 9.25.09
As summer winds down, Michael from Maryland shared with us a delightful story about an ice cream chain going above and beyond. It shows the lengths to which people will go in order to get something for free, and the thoughfulness of a company after the pursuit of free stuff went wrong.
Airbag Defect Prompts Honda To Recall 440,000 Cars
By 8.1.09
If you own a Honda and don’t like getting shot in the face with jagged metal fragments, you may want to keep an eye out for a recall notice. The automaker announced yesterday that it would recall 440,000 Civics, Accords, and Acura TL sedans sold between 2001 and 2003.
Watch Out For The Five Worst Teen Jobs Of 2009
By 6.30.09
Because we took a lot of seasonal jobs/were easily bored, we had quite a few jobs as a teenager. But although our workplaces exposed us to hazards like deli slicers and Christmas Eve mall shoppers, we’re relieved to learn we never had one of the National Consumer League’s Five Worst Teen Jobs.
AIG Keeps Fighting Man Over Wheelchair, Glasses, And False Leg
By 4.18.09
AIG needs its money for its own problems, people, and doesn’t want to have to share with insurance claimants! That’s why they’ve fought every request from John Woodson, a man who lost a leg, an eye, and 70% of the vision in the remaining eye while working as a contractor in Iraq. He told ABC News, “You constantly are worried about who is going to pay these bills, who is going to take care of me? Because you can’t rely on AIG to come through for you. I don’t understand how a company of their size and their magnitude, with government bailouts and money and support, I don’t understand their not taking care of the individuals that were injured.”
Martha Stewart And Kmart Settle With Magician Who Lost Fingertip In Lounge Chair
By 4.13.09
It looks like a certain Des Moines magician/hand model will be able to afford a fancy new gold fingertip soon, or at least a gold-plated one, because he’s settled his lawsuit against Kmart and Martha Stewart Omnimedia for an undisclosed amount.
These Martha Stewart/Kmart Lounge Chairs Keep Cutting Off Fingertips
By 4.2.09
Holy $#!@, this lounge chair will eat your fingers! Fox5 New York has a video report on dangerously unsafe lounge chairs sold at Kmart under the Martha Stewart brand. Naturally (we’re not making this up), the chairs are designed to complement the Martha Stewart Spontaneously Shattering Glass Patio Tables also sold at Kmart.
By 3.9.09
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Dog owners who value their fingers might want to give up their retractable leashes in favor of the more traditional, less amputation-prone fixed-length leash. [Consumer Reports] (Photo: me and the sysop)
