safety

Kratom Lawsuits: Injuries, Health Risks and Who May Qualify

Published on: October 20, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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You can buy kratom almost anywhere, even at gas stations and convenience stores.

Harvested from the leaves of a tropical tree found only in a small swath of Southeast Asia, kratom is frequently sold as an energy booster, mood enhancer, and pain reliever. Some people even use it to ease the ill effects of opioid withdrawal. Its active ingredient is 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, a chemical that activates some of the same receptors as actual opioids.

Some supplement companies market kratom as a safe and natural product, but medical experts believe it carries far more risks than manufacturers are willing to admit. Even the federal government has voiced concerns about kratom and its natural byproduct, 7-OH.

Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuits: Device Failures, FDA Recalls, and Who May Qualify for Compensation

Published on: October 14, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Spinal cord stimulators may not be nearly as safe as manufacturers let on.

Between 2000 and 2022, more than 80,000 injuries involving stimulators were reported to the federal Food and Drug Administration, with more recent estimates placing this figure even higher. Of all the medical devices currently on the market, stimulators have the third-highest rate of “adverse events,” a designation that includes documented incidences of serious injury, disability, and even death.

Here is what you need to know about:

Chlorpyrifos and Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits: What You Need to Know

Published on: September 29, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Chlorpyrifos is a potent insecticide used to treat crops, protect livestock, and exterminate common household pests. Concerns over its safety led federal regulators to limit residential use in 2001, while New York state recently passed its own all-out ban on most chlorpyrifos-containing pesticides.

The dangers of chlorpyrifos, especially for children, are well-documented. However, scientists at the University of California recently shared the results of a study that reached an alarming conclusion. According to this report, chlorpyrifos does not just hurt kids; it can also increase adults’ long-term risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition with no known cure.

Chlorpyrifos and Parkinson’s Disease

Scope Infection Lawsuits Are Rising After Patients Develop Serious Infections

Published on: May 26, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Doctors use endoscopes to look deep inside the body.

Medical scopes can help diagnose and treat conditions that, in the not-so-distant past, would have required a surgical intervention. However, because they are expensive to buy and maintain, physicians typically reuse scopes until they are no longer safe to operate. This practice is not dangerous, but it requires that each device be thoroughly sanitized between procedures.

However, regulators now believe that many endoscopes contain hidden defects.

When AI Goes Too Far: Google Hit With Gemini Chatbot Suicide Lawsuit

Published on: March 24, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Google is continuing to face scrutiny over the safety of Gemini, an artificial intelligence chatbot that has been linked to multiple cases of injury, self-harm, and suicide.

In a significant development, the family of a Florida man has filed an unprecedented wrongful death lawsuit against Google. Lawyers for the parents of Jonathan Gavalas claim that the 36-year-old man, who worked with his father’s debt relief business in Jupiter, took his own life after developing a one-sided emotional relationship with Gemini.

The Gavalas family’s lawsuit notes that Jonathan started using Gemini last August to help with writing and shopping. He also used Google’s Gemini Live AI assistant, a more advanced artificial intelligence tool that can analyze voice-based chats and detect users’ emotions and mood. At the time, Gavalas seemed impressed with Gemini’s capabilities, telling the chatbot, “You are way too real!”

Ozempic Lawsuits Surge: Patients Allege Serious Side Effects from Weight Loss Drugs

Published on: March 10, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Ozempic is a fixture of diabetes management and weight-loss regimens.

According to some estimates, more than 15 million Americans have taken Ozempic, Wegovy, or a related medication. These kinds of drugs, termed GLP-1 agonists, can offer immense benefits, but they can also conceal hidden risks. Some of the most dangerous side effects associated with GLP-1 agonists are poorly documented, often to the point that patients receive little to no warning of the potential danger.

If you or a loved one has been injured by Ozempic or another weight loss drug, you could be entitled to significant compensation. Here is what you need to know about:

Tabletop Fire Pit Lawsuit

Published on: February 24, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Safety regulators have issued a nationwide warning against tabletop fire pits.

Unlike conventional fire pits and fireplaces, most tabletop fire pits use liquid fuels like isopropyl alcohol. Liquid-based fuels are cleaner than burning coal or wood, but defective fire pits can present serious risks.

“Igniting a pool of alcohol or other liquid fuel in a fire pit’s open container creates an uncontrollable pool fire, which can suddenly produce larger, hotter flames that can spread beyond the fire pit product,” the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission wrote in a 2024 warning. “A small flame in the fire pit can be hard to see and can ignite alcohol or other liquid fuel as it is poured, causing an explosion that propels flames and burning liquid onto the consumer or bystanders.”

How to Get Compensation for Wrongful Death After a Product Liability Accident

Published on: December 30, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Few people are ever fully prepared to file a lawsuit, let alone a wrongful death claim.

Losing a loved one, after all, entails much more than grief. Grief alone is often enough to make everyday life unrecognizable. Beyond emotional hardship, losing a loved one also means losing a critical pillar of support. Funerals can cost substantial amounts of money, and reconfiguring your finances to account for a loss of income could make an unwelcome change seem inevitable.

However, no amount of money can ever compensate for the loss of a parent, spouse, or child; however, filing a product liability lawsuit may serve a greater purpose. Negotiating a settlement could provide a means to guarantee your financial stability or present an opportunity to ensure that a negligent company is compelled to reform, thereby protecting others from enduring the unthinkable.

How to Get Compensation for Emotional Distress After a Product Liability Accident

Published on: December 23, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Product manufacturers and retailers have responsibilities beyond the market.

If you buy a new product, you have a legal right to expect that it will work safely and as advertised. However, it is no secret that manufacturers cut corners, sometimes because they had no reason to believe that a particular component was defective, and sometimes because they prioritize cost-cutting and profitability over consumers’ well-being. In either case, you should never have to feel like you are on the line for a corporation’s mistake.

Under New York law, you could be entitled to file a product liability lawsuit against the person or party who caused your injuries. Aside from recovering damages for your economic losses, you could also obtain compensation for emotional pain, suffering, and hardship.

What is a Product Liability Lawsuit?

Published on: November 4, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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You should never have to pay for an accident that was not your fault, but filing a personal injury lawsuit is not always straightforward.

Suppose you have been involved in a car crash or a slip-and-fall accident. In that case, you may already have a rough idea of what to do next: call the police or ask for a manager, contact the at-fault party’s insurance company, and then reach out to an attorney if you need help obtaining evidence or negotiating a better settlement.

But what happens if you have been injured by a product that you purchased?