Chairman Elliot F. Kaye’s Statement on Lumber Liquidators

March 25, 2015

“I am a parent first and foremost.  As a parent of young children, I completely understand and share the strong desire parents and other consumers have to know as soon as possible whether these products present a health risk.  We are taking it very seriously and moving aggressively to get the answers that consumers, especially parents of young children, deserve to have.

We are actively investigating laminate flooring products from Lumber Liquidators.  The company has been cooperative to date in our investigation and has pledged to fully cooperate throughout.

Our work will take some time and often the science does not provide the clarity we all wish it would.  Our work will involve testing of samples as well as consideration of home-based exposure scenarios to consider risks.  The science is well developed, but not fully developed on the risks associated with formaldehyde exposure, especially long term.  On the long term exposure in particular, we will need to rely on the expertise of our federal partners with jurisdiction and expertise in that area.  We are already coordinating closely with our federal partners so consumers can have answers as quickly

Source Link: Chairman Elliot F. Kaye’s Statement on Lumber Liquidators

As part of our continuous product testing and improvement process, Graco identified that some of the harness buckles used on our infant and toddler car seats sold in the United States are difficult to open. In response, we are recalling the harness buckles used on select infant, toddler convertible car seats and harnessed booster seats.

There have been no reported injuries related to this issue or the safe use of the car seats. Graco will continue to offer a free replacement buckle to any consumer who has a toddler car seat or infant car seat not included in this recall, but would like to update their buckle to Graco’s current buckle design.

Consumers can determine if their infant and toddler car seats are affected and order a replacement harness buckle using our online order form. While waiting for a replacement kit, it is safe to use the infant and toddler car seat. If the buckle becomes sticky or difficult to open, Graco recommends cleaning it by following the cleaning instructions as this will definitely make the buckle easier to use. Our car seats have been carefully engineered and rigorously crash tested to meet or exceed every safety standard set forth by the federal government.

For additional questions, contact our customer service team.

 Is your car seat affected?
Follow these steps to find out if your buckle has been affected.

If your car seat currently has one of these
buckles, it is not included in this recall.

(Buckles come in both black and gray.)

From January 1 to March 20, 2015, 178 people from 17 states and the District of Columbia were reported to have measles [AZ (7), CA (120), CO (1), DC (2), DE (1), GA (1), IL (15), MI (1), MN (1), NE (2), NJ (2), NY (3), NV (9), PA (1), SD (2) TX (1), UT (2), WA (7)]†. Most of these cases [131 cases (74%)] are part of a large, ongoing multi-state outbreak linked to an amusement park in California).

The United States experienced a record number of measles cases during 2014, with 644 cases from 27 states reported to CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). This is the greatest number of cases since measles elimination was documented in the U.S. in 2000.

• The majority of people who got measles were unvaccinated.
• Measles is still common in many parts of the world including some countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa.
• Travelers with measles continue to bring the disease into the U.S.
• Measles can spread when it reaches a community in the U.S. where groups of people are unvaccinated.

Measles Outbreaks

U.S. Multi-state Measles Outbreak 2014—2015

The United States is currently experiencing a large, multi-state outbreak of measles linked to an amusement park in California.
(http://www.cdc.gov/measles/multi-state-outbreak.html)

Outbreaks in countries to which Americans often travel can directly contribute to an increase in measles cases in the U.S.

Reasons for an increase in cases some years:

• 2015: The United States is currently experiencing a large, multi-state measles outbreak linked to an amusement park in California(http://www.cdc.gov/measles/multi-state-outbreak.html). Three other unrelated outbreaks are occurring in Illinois,  Nevada, and Washington respectively.
• 2014: The U.S. experienced 23 measles outbreaks in 2014, including one large outbreak of 383 cases, occurring primarily among unvaccinated Amish communities in Ohio. Many of the cases in the U.S. in 2014 were associated with cases brought in from the Philippines, which experienced a large measles outbreak. For more information see the Measles in the Philippines Travelers’ Health Notice.
• 2013: The U.S. experienced 11 outbreaks in 2013, three of which had more than 20 cases, including an outbreak with 58 cases. For more information see Measles — United States, January 1-August 24, 2013.
• 2011: In 2011, more than 30 countries in the WHO European Region reported an increase in measles, and France was experiencing a large outbreak. Most of the cases that were brought to the U.S. in 2011 came from France. For more information see Measles — United States, January-May 20, 2011.
• 2008: The increase in cases in 2008 was the result of spread in communities with groups of unvaccinated people. The U.S. experienced several outbreaks in 2008 including three large outbreaks. For more information see Update: Measles — United States, January–July 2008.

See also: The Surveillance Manual chapter on measles that describes case investigation, outbreak investigation, and outbreak control for additional information.

Individuals who have formed a LLC after January 1, 2015 must comply with the new act. However, all LLC’s regardless of when they were formed, will be required to comply with the new act as of January 1, 2017. If you are a member of an LLC you should contact an attorney at Fuller, Willingham, Fuller, & Carter LLC to discuss these issues and make sure your LLC is compliant with the new act.

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At Fuller, Willingham, Fuller & Carter LLC, we are committed to providing quality legal representation to individuals and businesses throughout North Alabama. As an established AV-rated* law firm, we are known for our commitment to our clients. With more than 60 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys have the ability to handle any legal challenge you may be facing. While we offer a general law practice, our firm is recognized for our practice in the following areas: Personal Injury, Family Law and Real Estate Law.