Product defects can compromise the safety of an item while in consumer use. A product that might otherwise be safe may pose inherent health or safety risks due to a defect in its design, manufacture or marketing. Keeping up with product recalls could keep your family safe from items with known defects. If a defective or dangerously designed product injures you or a loved one, contact a product liability lawyer for an overview of your rights. The product manufacturer may owe your family compensation.
Furniture
Many household items can contain defects that make them dangerous for homeowners, visitors and children. March saw several recalls for different types of furniture. Review the most recent furniture recalls before purchasing a new piece for your home.
- IKEA KULLEN three-drawer chest. A tip-over and entrapment risk led to the recall of about 820,000 IKEA KULLEN chests. IKEA recommends contacting the company for a free anchor kit or full refund. Homestar Finch also recalled a three-drawer dresser for the same reason.
- RH floor lamp. RH recalled its Camino Floor Lamps due to a fire risk. The on/off footswitch on the lamp could overheat, melt or catch on fire. RH is contacting all known buyers directly for full refunds.
- Kichler Lighting ceiling fan. Almost 39,000 Kichler ceiling fans were recalled due to issues with the arms that hold the ceiling fan blades. The blades can detach while in use, posing a projectile and injury hazard.
Other recalled household items in March include a Crate and Barrel glass pitcher (laceration hazards), an American Honda portable generator (fire hazards) and Yamaha digital wireless electric guitar equipment (fire hazards). A few vehicles also made the March recall list: Woom Bikes models 4, 5 and 6 (fall and injury hazards) and Kawasaki USA UTVs for oil leak, fire and crash risks.
Child Hazards
Manufacturers and distributors must be extra careful when developing products made for children or that could be hazardous for children. The federal government has laws in place specifically for child safety. Several items on March’s recall list involved risks to children.
- Clothing hazards. Joules USA recalled its children’s robes and pajamas due to a violation of the federal clothing flammability standard for children’s sleepwear. A pair of children’s winter boots was also recalled due to violations of the federal lead paint ban.
- Child-resistant packaging defects. Several items in March made the recall list due to defective packaging that failed to meet the childproof requirements: Belle Chemical products, Novartis prescription drugs, NumbSkin pain relief cream, Boyer products, and wintergreen essential oils from Earth Sonnets, Earthroma and Plant Therapy.
- Fall and entrapment hazards. The dressers listed above can pose tip-over and entrapment hazards for children. Another entrapment hazard is the Kids & Koalas baby walker, which could allow a child to slip down and entrap his or her head at the neck. A fall hazard for infants also exists in the Thule Sleek Car Seat Adapter.
Children’s toys are also often on the national product recall list. In March, Grizzly Industrial recalled its children’s tool kits due to a common defect: excessive levels of lead that violate the federal lead content standard. The toy goggles and hardhats also fail to meet federal toy safety requirements.
How Can a Lawyer Help?
If a defective product injures a consumer, the victim may have the right to bring a civil claim against the responsible manufacturing company or distributor. Product liability law states that a company will be strictly liable for injuries its defective products cause. A product liability lawyer can help you with the burden of proof for your claim, improving your odds of obtaining fair financial compensation.
An expert personal injury attorney can gather evidence supporting your claim to damages, such as proof that the item contained a defect and caused your injuries. Contact a Phoenix lawyer near you as soon as you can after an injury involving a defective or dangerous product.