At this time of year, you may be buying new products for yourself, taking advantage of holiday sales. Or maybe you have been getting products – such as new appliances, household items, or gadgets – for holiday gifts.
Millions of Americans use new products every day with no incident. Unfortunately, some people are seriously injured or even killed by defective or falsely made products. Whether it is burn injuries caused by overheating appliances, facial injuries caused by exploding gadgets, electrocutions due to faulty power tools, or other injuries, there’s no excuse for manufacturers who do not take the time to properly test and develop their products.
Why do Products Injuries Happen?
In general, products injuries caused by manufacturer negligence happen for four main reasons:
1) Faulty design
2) Faulty manufacturing techniques
3) Faulty labeling or instructions
4) Incorrect testing or inadequate checks for safety
In rarer cases, poorly stored equipment and products in retail stores can be a problem. For example, if cell phones or other personal gadgets are stored at excessively cold or hot temperatures, they may stop working correctly and may even pose a danger to you in some cases.
Defective Toys
One especially sad situation involving product injuries involves children. At this time of year, many children in Hollywood and across Florida enjoy getting gifts and new toys. In some cases, however, these toys become dangerous because of faulty design or poor manufacturing techniques. Each year, children are strangled, burned, or suffer strangulation because of faulty toys. In some cases, children are exposed to illnesses or are rushed to doctors with medical conditions – such as lead poisoning – due to dangerous toys.
Preventing Product Injury
There are a number of things you can do to prevent products injury this holiday season:
- Carefully check recall lists whether giving or getting gifts. Recall lists let you know whether a product has been deemed unsafe. If it has, you can return the product to the point of sale or to the manufacturer for a refund.
- Carefully inspect items before using. Just because a product hasn’t appeared on a recall list it doesn’t mean it’s automatically completely safe. Use your common sense and check over a product before using. If handing a child a toy, for example, check that it doesn’t have any small movable parts, sharp edges, or anything else that can cause injury.
- Use products as directed. Always read the manufacturer’s directions when setting up a product and using it for the first time. Follow directions carefully. Failure to use a product as intended or any modification to a product can lead to injury.
If you’re injured by a defective product this holiday season, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free case analysis. Our attorneys can review the details of your case and can investigate the manufacturing and design process to strengthen your claim. Your first consultation with us lets you address any questions and lets you learn about your rights. Your initial consultation with us is always free, so you have nothing to lose by getting information about your injuries.