Category: Consumer Law

kea Outdoor Candles Leads to Recall, $500,000 Penalty The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced dangers in two separate Ikea products:Ikea Outdoor Candles: IKEA sold about 133,000 six-pack sets of the outdoor candles in the United States between February 2001 and July 2005. The firm also sold an additional 1.3 million candle sets internationally. During that time, the firm received at least 32 reports worldwide of unexpected flare-ups, including fire, scorching and twelve reported injuries, including minor to serious burns. In May 2006, CPSC and IKEA announced the recall of the candles. IKEA North America Services LLC, of Conshohocken, Pa., has… Read More

Eli Lilly has settled once again for improperly marketing the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa. I blogged on this subject earlier this year. See Eli Lilly Settles Claims Over Zyprexa. Then, later in the year, drug giant Merck settled cases over deceptive television advertisements. See $58 Million Merck Settlement To Change Deceptive TV Drug Advertisements. Are the drug companies an evil empire? Well, maybe so, but they are not beyond the reach of those that have our best interests in mind — i.e., Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, Jr. Here’s the latest: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 7, 2008 Contact: Christine Gasparac: (916) 324-5500 Attorney General… Read More

How do you feel when you see a perfectly healthy person park in the disabled parking zone? Don’t you just want to shake them and say “Hey, what are you doing? There’s an elderly lady over there who NEEDS this spot.” This issue is of particular importance to me because, as you know, I represent injured people — legitimately injured people for whom the designated disabled parking spots mean the difference between being able to be a part of the world or staying home while being alienated from the rest of society. Well, welcome to Handicapped Fraud.org. Here’s their mission statement: Handicappedfraud.org was launched as… Read More

From practical to stylish, high tech companies worldwide are developing and marketing new hands-free devices to help you comply with the new hands-free cell phone laws in various states in the union.  Being an attorney who represents injured people, I’m thrilled to see the proliferation of these devices.  I can’t tell you how many clients will come to me after a devastating car accident and say “She/he was on the cell phone and didn’t see me.”  It reminds me of a case that I had several years ago where my client was rear-ended by a guy who was watching a… Read More

Donie Vanitzian (see her bio below), the preeminent consumer protection advocate, has written a fabulous book, published by Thompson-West. A must read for any owner, or prospective owner, of a condominium or a property which is governed by a homeowners association. Click here to order it directly from Thompson-West! This guide is an annual pamphlet that discusses all aspects of subdivision and condominium law from a homeowner’s perspective, as well as from a homeowner’s association and developer’s perspective. It provides advice on what to avoid and what to look for when purchasing a common interest development, as well as guidance on mediation, arbitration,… Read More

As you know by now, I’m a great proponent of the new California hands-free law which goes into effect on July 1, 2008. I blogged about it in May: Click Here. A corollary, of course, are my rants and raves about texting while driving: Click here, here, here and here. So, I’ve decided to post (yet again) on this subject and provide several useful links to articles, videos and hands-free equipment vendors below. What to Expect from California’s New Hands-Free Law: The Public Policy Institute of California writes the following press release: Update: 2009 Law Bans Text Messaging while Driving – See Video As of July 1, 2008,… Read More

Yet more outrage today when I read the Center for Responsible Lending report entitled “Tarnished Golden Years: Unauthorized Bank and Credit Union Overdraft Fees Threaten Financial Security of Older Americans.” (Read entire report here) The Center has yet another report, Shredded Security, which reports the following: As AARP reports this week that bankruptcy among older Americans has doubled since 1991, and as banks raise their overdraft fees and make it easier to hit their account holders with multiple charges, we release findings on how unauthorized overdrafts strip fees from Americans 55 and older at the level of $4.5 billion per year. Nearly $1 billion of… Read More

I just found this fantastic Slowpoke cartoon by Jen Sorensen entitled “Slouching Towards Hypocrisy.” Amusingly poignant. To paraphrase former First Lady Nancy Reagan, “Just Say No To Tort Reform.”

I was having lunch with Los Angeles Real Estate genius Lou Woolf a couple of weeks ago. Lou handles probate properties in a unique fashion. Oftentimes probate properties are in grave disrepair and, as a result, are almost unmarketable. Lou Woolf has a solution for this problem: Hire tradespeople who, because of Lou’s stellar reputation earned during 30+ years in the Los Angeles Real Estate Market, are willing to repair and beautify the downtrodden home and wait to be paid until after the home is sold. In so doing, Lou is able to maximize the results for his probate clients.… Read More

I asked attorney Michael Klijian to write an article regarding the handling of traffic tickets. Mr. Klijian’s practice focuses on defending drivers who have been ticketed for any and all types of traffic infractions in and around the Greater Los Angeles area, Beverly Hills and the San Fernando Valley . He handles each matter with the utmost of intregity, professionalism and skill. Mr. Klijian has proved to be a passionate advocate of Southern California drivers. A Guideline For Handling Traffic Tickets by Michael Klijian, Attorney at Law There are many different violations that drivers are cited for on a daily basis. My attempt… Read More