Product recalls have been mandatory for consumer products for quite some time. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Act was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1972 so that the public could be better protected from any products that may cause unreasonable risks. Not only was the Act passed but it also included the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or the CPSC, to implement the Act.
How the Law Has Improved Over Time
The law is ever changing in this area and the Act that was passed in 1972 was not the end of it. In 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed and it provided more safety requirements for children’s products as well as protections for whistleblowers. Because not every product falls under the jurisdiction of the CPSC, there are other agencies that are also working to protect the public from consumer products. These agencies include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
When Might You Have a Case?
As you can see from the above information, there is a lot out there to protect consumers from product recalls. However, there are times when a product recall has not yet happened, but you or someone you know is injured or killed by a product that is defective or hazardous. If this has happened to you or someone you know, then you may have a case against the maker of that product.
This can be a product that is as simple as a children’s toy, an electronic, or even something larger like a vehicle. These types of cases would be against the liable person in the manufacturing chain, or where the defect occurred in the process. These kinds of defects can happen in a manufacturing plant, in the original design, or anywhere else in between the origination of the product and when it came into the hands of a consumer.
If you think you may have a product liability case, now is the time to act. One of our areas of expertise at Ginnis, Krathen, & Zelnick, P.A. is product liability law. Our attorneys will make sure that you get the time and attention you deserve. Contact us today to get started.