The Most Common Injuries Caused By Defective Products
Michael Babboni
Recalls
When you purchase a product, whether it’s a vehicle, a child’s toy, a household appliance, or an electronic device, you expect a certain level of safety. As long as you use the item correctly, you assume that you will have a positive experience from it. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and over 29 million injuries are caused by defective products each year in the United States according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of these 29 million incidents, over 21,000 are fatal, and they were all experienced by individuals using products they once believed were safe.Defective products can come in many different forms. A children’s toy with pieces that unintentionally break off and cause a choking hazard would be considered defective. The same can be said for a tool with faulty guards and a vehicle with safety features that are prone to failing.
A defective product can cause a myriad of different injuries, and some of the most common of these injuries are the following:
• Choking – Choking injuries are most often the result of defective children’s toys, bedding, or apparel. When children are younger, they explore the world through their senses, which are touch, sight, sound, scent, and taste. For this reason, they are prone to placing their toys in their mouth as they explore the world around them. Toys marked appropriate for infants and toddlers should be free of choking hazards, and any toys with choking hazard pieces should be marked for children of an older age bracket. Choking injuries can be minor when caught early, but they can also be fatal.
• Burns – Burns are another very common injury stemming from defective products, which are often appliances, beauty tools, and home improvement equipment. Exposed wiring can lead to burns, fires, and electric shock, and faulty heating products like curling irons and toasters can heat too quickly or to too high of a temperature leading to fires and burns. An appliance or tool should never cause shock or burst into flames, but this is a possibility when the product is found to be defective.
• Organ Failure – When one thinks of defective products, they often don’t think of organ failure as a consequence, but it’s a very real one. Over-the-counter and prescription medications are considered products, and when manufacturing errors lead to defective medication, defective product injuries can occur. The long-term effects of a specific type or brand of medicine should be mentioned on the label. “New” long-term effects or injuries could be the result of a defective product manufacturing error.
• Head Injuries – Traumatic brain injuries are a serious defective product injury, and they are often sustained when items like ladders, bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters are found to be defective. A fall from a certain height or an accident on one of these recreational vehicles can lead to moderate or severe brain injuries.
Being injured by a defective product leaves affected individuals feeling vulnerable, stressed, and wondering what they can do next. The medical bills will eventually pile up, and the victim may find themselves out of work for days, weeks, or even months at a time. The first thing you should do if you’ve been injured by a defective product of any kind is to seek out the assistance of a skilled St. Petersburg personal injury attorney. With your attorney by your side, you can get the compensation you need to cover your damages and recover completely.