Defective products can be found in every type of product. Quality control is responsible for making sure these faulty products do not see the shelves, but sometimes the safety measures fail and the average person pays the price.
Choking
Every parent has nightmares about what might happen if their child gets something hazardous in their mouth. There were 5051 total choking deaths in 2017.
Choking is the leading cause of toy recalls in the United States. While most toys have safely large pieces and are appropriate for young children, not every toy fits this criteria. Small bits and pieces of any toy (or non-toy that a toddler gets a hold of) can easily break off and become lodged in the throat.
Burns and Shocks
Everything in around you in your home runs on electricity. For most people, this is fine and completely free from hazards. However, there are those rare freak accidents caused by faulty wiring or low-quality products.
According to the American Burn Association, 486,000 burns were reported in 2016 to local hospitals. About 4% of these are caused by electricity, bringing the total for electrical burns to around 19,440. Most of the victims in these cases are labeled non-critical and are treated. However, it is important to always take care to hire a legitimate electrician with a license and necessary prior experience.
Sudden Illness
It’s not uncommon for the average American to be taking at least one form of medication, prescription or not. Unfortunately, some OTC “medications” are not FDA approved. Even the ones that are FDA approved can sometimes cause unexpected side effects.
A study done by the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality stated that adverse drug reactions cause 700,000 emergency room visits and 100,000 hospitalizations every year in America. These people often end up hospitalized because of anything from overdoses to mixed medications. Sometimes unexpected side effects can cause something more harmful to occur such as heart, kidney, or liver failure.
Broken Bones
There is an immense amount of trust that goes into a consumer buying a product that they are counting on to protect them. For instance, ladders, chairs, and even walkers are important items that most people don’t even think twice about using. However, when things go awry with objects like these, the result can often be a broken arm or leg.
While many people can go through life without encountering a faulty or risky product, some people are not so lucky. For those who are injured by faulty products, it is important to first seek medical attention and then get the help from a product liability attorney services in your area.