Dangerous Products Attorney Blog

A 24-year-old woman was found dead inside a cryochamber at a cryotherapy salon where she worked in Nevada. According to one local news article, the woman is believed to have suffocated inside one of the ice chambers at the salon.

In whole-body cryotherapy, a customer stands in a cylindrical or sauna-like chamber chilled to extreme sub-zero temperatures, often between minus 200 and minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The duration of time a person remains in the chamber varies, but it is generally very short — between two and three minutes. Users of cryotherapy tout its supposed healing properties, but at the present time it is unclear if the therapy is any more effective at reducing inflammation and accelerating muscle recovery than cold-water baths or traditional ice packs.

Authorities believe that the salon manager was stuck in the cryochamber for at least 10 hours before being found by other employees of the salon. Besides death, cryotherapy carries risks of frostbite and increased heart and breathing rates. As body temperatures drop, cryotherapy patients may also experience confusion, a loss of coordination, and even cardiac arrest, when the heart ceases to function properly and a person stops breathing and loses consciousness.

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The automaker Hyundai recently announced that it is recalling a large number of midsize and compact cars sold in the United States. In total, the recall affects nearly 28,000 cars, including Elantras manufactured in 2010 and 2011, and Sonatas manufactured in 2009 and 2010. Hyundai’s Elantra and Sonata are two of the automaker’s top-selling cars in the United States.

The recall was issued because of defective front coil springs installed in the Elantras and Sonatas. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, road salt can cause the coils to corrode and fracture. Road salt is typically applied to improve driving conditions when roads are covered in snow or ice, but if a coil corrodes and breaks, one of the front tires could puncture. The result would be an increased risk of an accident.

To date, no injuries or accidents have been reported as a result of the defective coils. Accidents from defects often occur and are not reported. Hyundai plans to notify dealers and car owners living in the so-called “salt belt” that new coils will be installed free of charge in the cars affected by the recall. The salt belt includes many of the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwestern states, including Illinois.

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Articles Posted in Dangerous Products

Cryotherapy Salon Employee Found Dead in Cryochamber

Hyundai Issues Recall for Elantras and Sonatas