The Common Injuries Caused By Defective Products
Some categories of products are more prone to defects than others, and some are more likely to cause severe injury. Millions of Americans are treated at local emergency rooms due to defective product accidents, more than 22,000 are injured fatally each year, and these encompass all age ranges.
What Injuries Are Most Common?
If one is in a defective product accident, they can experience any sort of injury, but some are more common than others. Some of the most common injuries suffered in defective product personal injury cases are:
• Choking – Children’s toys are one of the most often cited products in defective product personal injury cases. Small pieces that detach from toys may lead to choking hazards for younger children, and the presence of these small pieces should be clearly marked on the toys’ packaging. Young children experience the world around them through their 5 senses, with touch and taste joining as one when they place toys in and around their mouths. These cases may lead to minor injury or they may be fatal and catastrophic.
• Burns – Burns are another common type of personal injury linked to defective product cases. Appliances of all kinds are usually the culprit in these cases, but one may also experience burns from construction products, tools, and other items as well. These burns can come from using the product properly and the product growing too hot, the product catching fire, or an electric shock from the product.
• Organ failure or damage – While these injuries may not be outwardly apparent, that doesn’t make them any less serious. Chemical products like supplements, medications, or household chemicals may lead to organ failure, organ damage, or other illnesses even with proper use. A commonly cited example is RoundUp weedkiller exposure leading to various forms of terminal cancer.
• Head injuries – Automobiles are another category where defective products are more common. We hear often of auto recalls all throughout the United States from various automobile manufacturers. When airbags fail to deploy or seatbelts fail to restrain, this can lead to catastrophic head injuries or fatal accidents. Another common cause of head injury is faulty construction or manufacturing equipment.
What To Do If You’re Injured
If you find yourself with a defective product injury, there are some steps you’ll want to take to make sure you give yourself your best chance at fair compensation. First and foremost, save the product (or what may be left of it) and keep it somewhere safe to serve as evidence in your case. Next, seek immediate medical attention to address your injuries no matter how minor or severe. Even a seemingly minor injury can wind up being much more severe than what was initially believed.
After saving the product and seeking medical attention, your next call should be to your trusted and experienced Florida personal injury attorney. They’ll assist you in the complete evidence collection process, how to proceed with your personal injury case, and how you can best set yourself up for a successful outcome.