It is a manufacturing company’s responsibility to reasonably ensure the performance, safety and quality of its products. If a product contains a defect, it could cause serious harm to consumers. Annually, thousands of consumers suffer injuries and die because of products with dangerous defects. From ATVs to life-saving medical devices, any product could cause an injury if it does not operate the way it should. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) keeps track of the latest product recalls in the U.S. to help people stay away from items that could be potentially dangerous.
Bounce Houses
A recent CPSC reminder warned consumers to exercise caution when renting and using inflatable bounce houses. Cases have occurred in which high winds lift bounce houses off the ground with children inside, leading to serious injuries. It is important not to set up or use a bounce house in bad weather. Intense winds or improperly securing the bounce house could lead to tragedy. Even if the bounce house stays on the ground, children could suffer serious injuries without proper safety precautions. Defective bounce houses with improper installation or safety instructions could contribute to injuries such as broken bones, sprained muscles and head injuries.
Home Elevators
Another alarming 2019 defective product recall relates to home elevators. The CPSC reported a dangerous and potentially deadly gap between the doors of home elevator cars. This gap could be wide enough to accommodate small children – posing a risk of crushing children between the two doors. A child could end up between the inner and outdoor doors and suffer serious injuries when the elevator moves. Many different manufacturers may have home elevators with these dangerous gaps. Homeowners and renters in residences with elevators should lock all access doors and bring in a certified elevator inspector to repair defective doors with gaps. Owners should not allow children near unlocked elevators until they fix the issue.
Motorized Awnings
Extending a motorized awning in the heat of summer could end in disaster due to a serious defect with SunSetter vinyl motorized awning covers. These covers could unexpectedly open with enough force to hit anyone standing in the way, potentially causing serious injuries if the victim falls. Approximately 270,000 awning covers may contain this dangerous defect in the U.S. and Canada. So far, the CPSC has reported one death related to this defect: a 73-year-old victim that fell from a ladder and off a balcony when the awning struck him. The CPSC has also reported six related injuries. Consumers with SunSetter wall-mounted motorized awning covers should contact the company for examinations and repairs before opening them.
Children’s Toys
Hundreds of toys end up on CPSC’s recall list each year. Children are vulnerable to defects and dangers within a toy’s design and/or manufacture, making it important for manufacturers to stay on top of product safety. Manufacturers must obey federal safety, design and testing regulations when creating children’s toys. Otherwise, a toy could contain a defect that poses an unreasonable risk of choking, suffocation, strangulation, lacerations and other serious injuries. Children’s toy safety alerts from the CPSC can help parents, guardians, schools and daycare centers stay away from toys with known defects in 2019.
Automobiles
A vehicle could contain many different defects that increase the risk of a crash, malfunction and/or related injuries and deaths. Defective seatbelts, airbags, brakes, seatbacks and other vehicle components could make it impossible to safely operate a vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration keeps track of vehicle recalls in the U.S. to help owners discover when they may have vehicles with dangerous defects. In 2019, vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, Volvo, Mazda, Audi, Kia and Honda issued safety recalls for problems such as overheating, defective airbags and seatbelt malfunctions. Defective vehicle manufacturers typically offer free repairs to owners.
If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective product, contact a product liability lawyer to help you obtain compensation.