Gainesville Personal Injury Law Blog

The past few months have seen hundreds of cases of lung injuries related to the use of vaping products or e-cigarettes. In some instances, the resulting respiratory distress has been so severe that the patients did not recover. Last week the Centers for Disease Control reported one death in Florida related to vaping. The fatality, the first reported in the state, is one of 12 that have occurred across the country per the CDC's report. 

The problem has become so significant that public health officials have given it a name: vaping-associated pulmonary illnesses. At the end of last month, the CDC issued a warning that vaping could lead to severe pulmonary disease. In early September, the agency took matters a step further in recommending that, while its investigation is ongoing, consumers consider refraining from using e-cigarette products at all. Furthermore, questions still remain as to what action, if any, the state government should take in response to the escalating crisis. 

Nearly every driver has faced the same challenges – desperate to save time and multi-task while behind the wheel. Unfortunately, anything that takes attention from what's going on around the car can ultimately be dangerous to us and other drivers. Distractions can be lumped into numerous categories and while Florida has several laws in place to punish cell phone use, drivers can still be distracted by eating, reading, personal grooming, manipulating a GPS unit, manipulating in-car audio systems and arguing with passengers.

As devastating as the effects of a car accident can be for those involved and their families, the consequences can be much more far-reaching. A predawn car crash involving two vehicles on Florida's Sawgrass Expressway earlier this week killed one driver and injured another. Not only that, but a portion of the expressway also remained closed for five hours thereafter due to debris from the crash blocking the southbound lanes. 

Because the crash is still under investigation, authorities could not release any information as to its cause. However, they were able to describe what they found at the scene. They observed one of the vehicles facing east in the center lane after rolling over. Its driver, a 37-year-old woman, escaped the crash with only minor injuries. It is not known whether she went to the hospital or received any medical treatment. The other vehicle had collided with a guardrail, resulting in damage to its front. It had also sustained heavy damage to its rear. Authorities found it facing east in the grass median. Its driver, a 38-year-old woman, did not survive. 

Consumers in Gainesville are likely confident that the food products that they purchase at the grocery store or order at a restaurant are completely safe (why else would they be made available for consumption?). Yet the fact that several such products are recalled every year in the U.S. dispels this notion. According to information shared by the United States Department of Agriculture, 125 such recalls were initiated in the U.S. in 2018 alone. 

When one learns that they have consumed a recalled food product, they might reasonably panic thinking that their health has been compromised and their lives could potentially be in danger. While their fears are justified, not every recalled product has the potential to cause serious harm. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration breaks down product recalls into the following three categories: 

• Class I: These recalls involve products whose consumption presents the potential for serious adverse health consequences or even death
• Class II: These recalls involve products whose consumption may cause adverse health consequences, yet the effects of which are likely temporary
• Class III: These recalls involve products whose consumption is unlikely to cause adverse health consequences