September 4, 2009

Defective Gas Grills Could Cause Burn Injuries

Fiesta is issuing a product safety recall for its Blue Ember gas grills after getting reports of burn injuries and other incidents. According to this consumer safety report, Fiesta has received 192 reports of grill fires resulting in nine injuries. Two of these incidents involved major burns on different parts of the body, six incidents of relatively minor burns and one incident involving temporary hearing loss. Apparently, the hose of the gas tank can get too close to the firebox and cause a burn hazard. This defective product recall involved 88,000 units in the United States and about 25,000 in Canada.

Each year in the United States, thousands are injured as a result of defective products. These faulty products range from toys to cars, to household appliances. Design defects, misleading or deceptive marketing, and manufacturing defects can pose threats of serious injury to unsuspecting consumers. Improper warnings or instructions on a product's packaging may also cause injuries to a person using a defective product in New York.

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October 24, 2008

Travis Barker Files Personal Injury Lawsuit in Learjet Crash

Former Blink-182 drummer who suffered severe burn injuries in an aviation accident has filed a product liability lawsuit against the aircraft and tire manufacturer seeking compensation for damages and personal injury. According to this news report, Barker alleges in his lawsuit that the Learjet crash caused him “great physical, mental and nervous pain and suffering.” Court papers also state that Barker’s injuries from the plane crash will result in permanent disability.

Barker has filed the lawsuit along with Thelma Martin Still, the mother of Barker’s associate Charles Still, who died in the Learjet crash along with three other passengers. Barker and DJ AM were the only survivors. Still has sued four companies for wrongful death, pain, suffering, mental anguish and loss of earnings. The companies that have been named in the lawsuit include Clay Lacy Aviation, Inter Travel and Services Inc., Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Bombadier Inc.

Product liability lawsuits may be filed when victims suffer personal injuries or lose a loved one as a result of a dangerous or a defective product. In this case, experts believe that a tire blowout may have caused this fatal aviation accident. The lawsuit also alleges that the companies involved knew about the defects in the aircraft, but still allowed it to operate.

The purpose of product liability lawsuits and goal of product liability lawyers is not only to secure fair compensation for injured victims or families that have suffered the loss of a loved one, but also to punish product manufacturers who knowingly put such dangerous and defective products in the market.

July 8, 2008

Harlem Fire Accident Kills 2, Injures Several Others

New York Fire Department investigators have said candles are to blame for a fatal Harlem fire that led a man and a boy to jump off the burning building to their deaths to escape getting burned. According to an NBC news report, the fire broke out in a six-story building at West 148th Street and Broadway. Eight people, who suffered burn injuries, were transported to area hospitals, including two firefighters.

According to fire officials, the boy was about 5 years old and the man, 45. The boy’s mother was not able to get out because of a child safety bar on the window, which ended up saving her life.

This is obviously a huge tragedy for the family and a traumatic experience for everyone living in that apartment building. Although it has been ruled an accident caused by burning candles, it is important to find out whether the sprinklers and fire alarms in the building were working at the time of the fire. Under New York law, it is the responsibility of the building owner to prevent defective building safety systems in their building.

Burn injuries can be severe, leaving permanent marks, scars and in some severe cases leading to disfigurement. Victims of burn injuries often face steep medical bills. If you have been injured in a fire, you may be entitled to compensation to cover medical expenses and loss of wages. If you or a loved one has been injured in New York, please call an experienced and knowledgeable New York personal injury attorney at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro for a free and comprehensive consultation.