Consumers who thought they were lighting an ordinary bug repellent experienced something akin to a Molotov cocktail, said one victim. The ceramic firepots sold at Bed Bath and Beyond use a gel-based fuel, which is over 90 percent ethanol. The fuel, called FireGel, is supposedly safe, but a 14-year-old boy in New York suffered...
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Authorities Charge Maryland Man in Bus Crash
Maryland authorities charged a 49-year-old man for his role in an accident involving a school bus filled with kindergarten students. Last month, the man’s SUV swerved in front of the bus, causing the bus to overturn. Seventeen people suffered injuries in the accident, including 10 of the children. Now the driver faces charges of reckless...
Read MoreOur Firm Would Like to Congratulate Julie Heiden on Being Named Professional of the Year in Personal Injury Law
Cambridge Who’s Who has named Julie H. Heiden, partner at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P., Professional of the Year in Personal Injury Law. Ms. Heiden has received this special honor based on her professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities and years of service as a Northern Virginia...
Read MoreCar Rental Companies Renting Out Recalled Vehicles
A 2010 audit by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that car rental companies fix only half of recalled vehicles within a year. This past April, the American Car Rental Association (ACRA) announced a proposal that would allow rental companies to decide the seriousness of automobile recall issues. The measure gives rental...
Read MoreVirginia Police Still Searching for Truck that Caused Motorcycle Accident
Virginia authorities are still on the lookout for the driver of a red four-door pickup that caused a motorcycle accident last month on U.S. 250. According to police, the 58-year-old motorcyclist was traveling on U.S. 250 on his Harley Davidson, and the pickup was approaching from the opposite direction. The pickup made a...
Read MoreDC Woman Injured when Car Crashes into her Hotel Room
A 77-year-old Washington, D.C. woman got an unusual wake-up call earlier this month while staying at a New Jersey Holiday Inn. At approximately 1:40 a.m., a car crashed through the window of her hotel room while she was sleeping. The accident trapped her between the car and the wall for about 20 minutes...
Read MoreOne Million Dangerous Pool and Spa Drain Covers Recalled
The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of one million spa and pool drain covers that pose entrapment hazards. The covers are dangerous products that could cause death or serious injury to kids and adults, according to the CPSC. There is a risk of a suction lock occurring and trapping...
Read MoreFederal Agency May Mandate Black Boxes in New Cars
The Department of Transportation (DOT) may adopt a rule that requires automakers to equip new cars with event data recorders (EDR) that would gather vital information in the event of an auto accident. The devices would do what “black boxes” do in airplane crashes. The DOT is uncertain whether it will move forward...
Read MoreFederal Agency Recalls Cribs for Suffocation Hazards
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a voluntary recall of approximately 22,000 full-size and portable drop-side cribs. In the full-size cribs, the drop-side hardware can break, allowing the drop side to detach from the crib and creating a space between the drop side and mattress. The space can trap an infant and...
Read MoreMaryland Car Crash Kills Three People
According to authorities, a 20-year-old James Madison University student is responsible for a car accident that killed his three passengers last month in Maryland. The student was driving east on Olney-Laytonsville Road when his vehicle left the road, striking two trees and a utility pole. An 18-year-old passenger died at the scene, and...
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