FDA Product Recall Resource
A few weeks ago I reported on a dangerous medical device FDA recall involving infusion pumps. In that Tennessee Law Blog, I wanted to include more information on FDA recalls but didn’t have the luxury of space or time. As a Nashville plaintiff’s attorney, I feel it is my place to make the public aware of FDA recalls and other dangerous products so that I might offer my services to the injured, just as I do whenever a Tennessee client suffers physical damage from a workplace injury or defective products or financially from workplace discrimination or denied social security. And I want to start this new year off right.
Fortunately, the FDA (despite rushing too many dangerous drugs like Vioxx and Ketek to market) also wants to start 2008 by raising public awareness about the recall process. They’ve published a downloadable document that has saved me the explanation. They’ve even included illustrations (well, clip art) in a handy PDF you can access by clicking FDA 101: Product Recalls (products include dangerous drugs, medical devices, food, cosmetics, and a number of other dangerous products for which HHP attorneys help injured clients win compensation).
The two-page document details the processes of FDA recall, reasons why drug medications or other products might be recalled by the FDA, and the three (3) levels of hazard associated with FDA recall.
It is important to realize that publicized FDA recalls such as tainted foods (remember the tainted spinach scares and peanut butter salmonella?) are only a small portion of FDA recall actions against pharmaceutical, medical device, and food and cosmetic companies. Most FDA interventions and warnings go unreported except for minor mention on the FDA website or press releases hosted by the producers of the dangerous, recalled product.
Don’t assume your dangerous product injuries are insignificant or not worth pursuing. Most recalls are voluntary and come only after the company has evaluated the costs of leaving dangerous products on the market versus paying settlement costs for the injuries the cause and lives they negatively affect. Working with an attorney can help make sure that you are compensated for your or a loved one’s injuries and that companies producing dangerous or harmful products take responsibility for their products. It’s one of the checks our free market system has and serves to protect Tennesseans.
From all of us at HHP, we wish you, our Tennessee Law Blog readers, a happy and safe 2008.
Author Bio
Jim Higgins, founder of the Higgins Firm, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with deep roots in Nashville, Tennessee. A 4th generation Nashvillian, Jim carries on the legal legacy of his father, a judge for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Memphis School of Law, Jim’s career began on the other side of the courtroom, defending insurance companies and learning their tactics for minimizing settlements. However, he soon realized his true calling was fighting for the rights of the injured, and for the past several years, he has exclusively represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Since then, his dedication and skill have earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have secured million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Licensed to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, Jim focuses on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. His exceptional work has been recognized by his peers, earning him a spot on the Super Lawyers list from 2021 to 2024, a distinction awarded to only a select group of accomplished attorneys in each state.
