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Food Quality

In 1996, Congress passed landmark food safety legislation called the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). The goal of the FQPA is to protect the public from harmful pesticide residues. Under prior law, the EPA established "tolerances" (maximum legal levels) for pesticide chemical residues in food. The FQPA considers pesticide tolerances as "safe" when there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from cumulative exposure to pesticide residues. These tolerances are based on a risk assessment that includes all anticipated dietary exposures and all other exposures for which there is reliable information. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces tolerances for most foods. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Services enforces tolerances for meat, poultry, and some egg products.

Defective Consumer Products

Most goods that you buy, except houses, motor vehicles, and large equipment, are consumer products. Consumer products are considered defective if they are improperly designed or manufactured or fail to warn the consumer of the product's dangers. Manufacturers of consumer products have a duty to sell safe products to consumers. If you are injured while using a defective consumer product, you may be able to recover damages from the manufacturer. This article covers the following consumer products: appliances, home products, clothing, lawn mowers, home power tools, and sports equipment.

Sudden Car Acceleration and Product Liability

Sometimes automobiles unexpectedly accelerate out of control, causing serious accidents and deaths. In the past, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has attributed this problem to driver error - the driver hitting the gas instead of the brake by accident. However, recent studies have provided evidence that driver error may not be to blame. Instead, defective design may be to blame. As a result of the evidence suggesting design defect as the cause of sudden acceleration, the NHTSA has decided to investigate the problem again to determine what causes sudden acceleration.

Lack of Causation as a Defense in Drug Products Liability Litigation

Drug products liability is an area of law dealing with personal injuries that result from using a drug or medical device.

Latex Allergy Litigation Claims

Natural rubber latex is used to make surgical and examination gloves, adhesive bandages, intravenous catheters, and anesthesia equipment. Some users of latex products have developed sensitivities or allergies to latex. The problem is significant. U.S. government officials estimate that almost one million health care workers have developed an allergic reaction to latex. In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adopted a rule requiring manufacturers to place cautionary statements on products that come in contact with human skin and contain rubber latex.