Products Should be Safe
As consumers we expect that the products we use will be safe. Every time we let our children play with a new toy, ride in our car, or eat a new food we're putting our trust in the manufacturer who made the product. When you've been injured by a dangerous product after a safety recall, that trust has been violated. It's not enough to recall the product in question. Companies who put defective products on the market ought to be held accountable. It's your right as a consumer to seek justice. So what do you do? The process might seem daunting, but you're not alone. A good consumer protection attorney can offer you sound advice, evaluate your product liability claim and guide you through the process of pursuing a legal remedy.
Defective Products Recalled
The first thing to do is figure out if the product in question has been recalled. You can often find out which products have been recalled by visiting the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website. The CPSC regularly posts articles about recent dangerous product recalls. What if it's been awhile since you think your product was recalled? Sometimes it can take awhile for people to find out about these things. We all do our best to stay informed, but sometimes product recalls don't get widely reported on. You might use a dangerous product for a long time before you find out it was recalled. If there's any question, search the CPSC's web site to find out if the product in question has been recalled. If recalled, there should be instructions related specifically to the unsafe consumer product. Follow those instructions carefully. In some cases you may be entitled to a refund or more. If you've been injured by the dangerous product, you might be entitled to further compensation.
How To Check for Product Recalls
What if the defective product that injured you hasn't been recalled? The company who manufactured it could still bear responsibility for injuries caused by reasonable use of the product. There are several ways to report a defective product to the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- online through their web site: www.cpsc.gov,
- by email at hazard@cpsc.gov,
- by phone at 1-800-638-2772,
- by faxing them at 1-800-809-0924, or
- by mailing them at US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Injury Report, Washington, DC 20207.
If you're think you've been harmed by a defective product and that you might be owed financial compensation or have any questions about the process, call a consumer protection attorney. A qualified product liability lawer can help you through the process.
Keep Defective Product, It May Be Your Best Evidence
Should I just call the company that made the dangerous product? It's normal to want to immediately call the company in question, but that can pose some risks of its own. Remember this is the company that put the dangerous product on the market in the first place. Often the negligence of the manufacturing company is what caused you harm to begin with. Many companies are honest and will want to help the consumer, but that doesn't mean they're not negligent. One of the risks in contacting the company who made the product is that they often request the product back to examine and confirm the defect or dangerous design. Sending the product back to the manufacturer could erase your best evidence should you need to pursue a legal remedy by contacting a product liability lawyer. Your injury attorney will likely want the product tested or examined by an independent expert, but it's too late if you've already returned the product.
Get the Help of a Lawyer
If you've been injured by defective or dangerous product and feel that you may be owed financial compensation, you should contact a consumer protection attorney or a product liability lawyer soon. There are time limits in which to bring a civil lawsuit against a product manufactuer. A Portland defective product attorney at Angel Law can guide you through the process and ensure that you get the justice you deserve.