Are there dangerous and defective products in your home? One of the best ways to find out is by keeping updated on U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls, Alabama product liability attorney Keith T. Belt says.
In just the first two weeks of February, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced recalls of certain brands of vacuum cleaners, night lights, hooded jackets, fire alarms, space heaters, play sets and clothes irons – all of them carrying the potential to physically harm consumers or damage their property.
That’s why it’s important to regularly check the CPSC’s latest product recalls, product liability lawyer, Keith T. Belt Jr., said this week. “Every day, dangerous and defective products make it into American homes, exposing consumers to the risk of injury, death or property damage,” said Belt, the founding member of the Birmingham personal injury law firm, Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C., which represents defective product victims throughout Alabama.
“Of course, the companies who make these hazardous or toxic products usually don’t publicize the recall of a product the same way they do when they’re trying to sell it to you,” Belt said. “You won’t see a Super Bowl ad saying, ‘Our product can electrocute you.’ “Generally, the best way to find out if you have purchased a defective product – in some cases, the only way – is to look it up on the CPSC website. Consumers might be shocked to find out that there are products throughout their home that has been recalled because of a serious, dangerous defect.”
According to the CPSC, there are nearly 900,000 emergency room-treated injuries involving household appliances every year and nearly 400 deaths. Belt said that some of the most common product defects include wiring that causes burns or electrocution as well as moving parts and flawed safety guards that lead to cuts or, in the worst cases, amputations.
Hopefully, with the proper information about dangerous products, a person can avoid exposing himself or his family to unnecessary risk of bodily injury or property damage. However, if a consumer is injured by a defective product, they may have grounds to file a product liability lawsuit, Belt said.
How an Alabama Product Liability Lawyer from Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. Can Help
Under Alabama product liability law, the manufacturer, distributor, and seller of the defective product may all be subject to liability, which could include paying damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. “If a consumer buys a product that’s defective and/or unreasonably dangerous when used in a foreseeable manner, and they’re injured while using that product, then they legally deserve to be fully compensated for their injury,” Belt said. “However, product liability cases can be very complex, and a person will often be confronted by a large corporation with vast resources. That’s why it’s important to consult with an experienced and qualified product liability attorney.”
Contact Belt, Bruner & Barnett online or call (205) 933-1500 for a free and confidential consultation. With offices in Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville, and Montgomery, our product liability attorneys will quickly travel to investigate the details of your case and may be able to help you obtain compensation for your damages.
