June 5th, 2008
Although it may seem that everyday brings a new list of products that have been recalled due to some dangerous defect, it is important to stay up to date with information regarding products that may affect the health of you and your family. Missing information about a recall could lead to devastating consequences.
Medtronic defibrillators fall under this category. In recent months, Medtronic has come under fire as an extremely dangerous defect which effects certain models of their defibrillators has come to the attention of the public. This defect and the problems it causes are detailed below, but if you or someone you love has been injured as a result of this device, contact a defibrillator lawsuit lawyer immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.
What a Defibrillator Does
The Medtronic defibrillator is a device that is implanted in a patient’s chest to automatically monitor the consistency of that patient’s heart rhythm. It works like almost any other defibrillator, sending a ’shock wave’ to the patient’s heart when the heartbeat falls out of rhythm. The device is meant to work an average of ten years at a time, as any replacement necessities with this device require additional surgery.
The Problem with Medtronic Defibrillators
Recent reports regarding the defective nature of this product involve one main component of the overall system, the Sprint Fidelis Wire Lead. This wire lead is implanted into the patient’s chest along with the main unit of the system. It is used to send the shock wave that jolts the heart back into a steady rhythm.
This wire lead is a critical component of the defibrillator in general. Unfortunately, the wire lead has been found to malfunction in several different situations. Specifically, the wire lead has shown a tendency to tear once inside the patient, which means that the shock that is sent from the main component of the device never reaches the heart.
The Consequences
When a product such as a defibrillator does not work properly, that means that the heart is not going to be shocked back into rhythm when it needs that support. Any heartbeat that remains irregular can lead to the ultimate failure of the heart. Heart failure can lead to immediate and deadly consequences.
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June 5th, 2008
If you have ever been in a car accident that has resulted in a whiplash injury, you will understand what a painful experience it can be. The effects of whiplash which occur when the neck and head are thrown forward and back can be amongst others headaches, sickness, neck stiffness and spinal injuries.
Sometimes the effects of whiplash are not recognised immediately and take some time to develop which can result in pain at a later stage, sometime after the accident. Protection against whiplash injuries is limited and very few car manufacturers have spent considerable time investigating how best to minimise the effects of these injuries. Previous studies have shown that the position of the seating and head rests can afford some protection against whiplash but little has been done to educate people on how to make the adjustments themselves. Further to this many people do not understand what whiplash is and how devastating the effects can be.
Whilst car manufacturers should do more there are complications as not all drivers and passengers are the same size and shape and therefore finding a one size fits all solution is difficult. Recent studies in Sweden have shown that women are more at risk of sustain a whiplash injury in their vehicle is hit from behind due to the way they typically configure their seating arrangement. The study found that women tend to move their seats so that they sit higher and closer to the steering wheel. This meant that they had a more upright back rest which left them more susceptible to neck injuries if their car was hit in the rear.
The study also found that the effects of a rear ended accident were different for the depending on the type of crash test dummy which was used in the trials. Traditionally crash test dummies have been built around the way men sit to drive which fails to address the difference in the way women sit to drive. The study recommended that female dummies by devised to help get more accurate test results. However not everyone agrees with this call. MIRA Ltd is a company which carries out international safety tests on vehicles, and say they do believe that there are crash test dummies which do represent how women seat themselves in cars and that there is legislation from the EU which covers the seating positions which must be tested .
If this is the case then maybe women are not adjusting their seating to the optimum position to prevent injuries. The most likely reason for this is that they do not know where the best seating positions are. Education for all drivers needs to be provided to ensure they understand that seating arrangements in the car can make a difference if they are hit in a crash. Whether this education comes from the car manufactures’, the government or even insurers there needs to be a clear message sent out to the driving population in order to reduce the effects of whiplash.
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June 5th, 2008
There’s nothing scarier in an impending accident than feeling a loss of control of steering and maneuverability due to a loss of traction or skidding of tires and wheels. Skilled brake application is a learnable skill that should be practiced, and this skill’s importance should never be underestimated for accident avoidance is paramount. Excellent braking allows for more precise swerving and (hopefully) missing that other driver that has spontaneously made his or her way into your intended path.
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