Defective Household Products Lawyer in Houston, TX

The United States is home to the largest consumer goods market in the world. Every day, Americans come into contact with numerous household products such as toys, cleaning products, cosmetics, appliances, and electronics. We assume that the household items we use in everyday life are safe, but defects can make ordinary products dangerous to use through no fault of your own.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective household product, contact our Houston product liability attorneys at The Krist Law Firm, P.C. to find out how we can help you recover compensation for your losses. Call 281-283-8500 today.

Common Causes of Injuries Involving Defective Household Products

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were an estimated 38,573,000 consumer product-related injuries in 2010 and 35,900 deaths in 2008. Products that contain manufacturing, design, or warning defects can pose the following types of hazards:

• Fire
• Electrocution
• Poisoning
• Toxic chemical exposure
• Falls
• Suffocation/choking
• Drowning
• Puncture wounds
• Caught in between/struck by

Defective Electrical Appliances Can Pose Significant Fire Hazards

The majority of fires and fire-related injuries occur in the home. In fact, residential fires result in 2,560 deaths and 12,720 injuries each year, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). From 2010 to 2014, the leading causes of home fires were:

• Cooking equipment (e.g. ovens, cooktops, gas ranges, etc.)
• Heating equipment (e.g. space heaters, portable heaters)
• Electrical distribution or lighting equipment – This involves some type of electrical failure or malfunction

Electrical failures or malfunctions are a factor in approximately one in eight home fires. In 2014 alone, electrical failure fires cause 504 deaths and 1,250 injuries, according to NFPA. Any product or piece of equipment that is powered by electricity can experience a failure or malfunction.

Some of the most common household products involved in electrical failure or malfunction fires include:

• Lamps & light fixtures
• Cords/plugs
• Transformers
• Fans
• Washers or dryers
• Space heaters
• Air condition equipment
• Dishwashers

Often times, an electrical failure or malfunction is caused by a defect in the product. According to a report by Consumer Reports, more than 15 million appliance units have been recalled since 2007 for potential fire hazards. The report also found that more than 35,297 fires between 2002 and 2009 were due to an electrical, mechanical, or design issue. Safety defects can include improper wiring, products that are not equipped with mandatory safety features, and faulty design which can lead to overheating.

Defective Toys

Based on data from the CPSC, there were an estimated 254, 200 toy-related injuries and 11 deaths in 2015. Toy-related injuries and deaths are most commonly caused by:

• Poisoning/toxic chemical exposure
• Asphyxiation/choking/airway obstruction/strangulation/ingestion
• Falls
• Drowning
• Burns
• Laceration

Toys are the most often recalled household item by the CPSC, which is responsible for protecting the public from products that pose an unreasonable risk of injury or death. Some common types of defects include:

• Sharp edges that create a risk of lacerations or cuts
• Small pieces that can be easily dislodged or contain detachable parts that can pose choking hazards
• The use of harmful chemical such as lead paint
• Inadequate warning labels regarding potential choking hazards or age appropriateness

Although the CPSC has stopped a significant number of dangerous toys from ever reaching the shelves, the vast majority of recalled toys remain in the hands of consumers. It is estimated that only 10 percent of recalled toys are ever returned to or fixed by manufacturers.

Contact our Houston Defective Product Lawyers

If you have been injured due to a defective household product, you may be able to recover compensation by filing a product liability lawsuit. The talented team of Houston product liability lawyers at The Krist Law Firm, P.C. have more than four decades of experience successfully taking on large companies and helping individuals obtain the compensation they deserve for their product-related injuries.

If you work with The Krist Law Firm, P.C., we will thoroughly explain your options, investigate your accident to determine who is responsible and pursue your product liability claim to the fullest extent possible. We are dedicated to providing professional and skilled legal advocacy, with the goal of obtaining the maximum compensation possible for your injuries and other losses.

To find out what our Houston personal injury lawyers can do for you, contact us today at 281-283-8500 for a free case evaluation.