The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a Decision and Order against Amazon.com, Inc. The CPSC determined that Amazon was a “distributor” of products that are defective or don’t meet federal consumer product safety standards, therefore bearing legal responsibility for recalling the products.
According to the official press release, more than 400,000 products are subject to this order, including faulty carbon monoxide detectors, children’s sleepwear that violates federal flammability standards, and hairdryers that don’t have electrocution protection.
Substantial Product Hazard
These products were listed on Amazon.com and sold by third-party sellers using the Fulfilled by Amazon program. The CPSC determined that the items create a “substantial product hazard” under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). Amazon failed to notify the public about the hazardous items and didn’t take adequate action to encourage customers to return or destroy them, leaving consumers at substantial risk of injury.
Under the Decision and Order, Amazon is required to submit proposed plans to notify consumers and the public about the hazardous products and to incentivize consumers to return or destroy the items. Notifying the public is important because people may have received one of the products as a gift or purchased them secondhand.
Defective Products
There are three categories of product defects: design defects, manufacturing defects, or marketing defects. Defective products pose risks to consumers from serious injuries to death. Failure to properly test products, cutting corners to reduce costs, and failure to comply with federal consumer product safety standards can lead to unsafe products.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help you mitigate the harm caused by a defective product.
If you or a loved one has been injured, contact the Schuerman Law office today. Schuerman Law has been working with personal injury claims for over 40 years. John Schuerman will compassionately advocate for injured individuals as well as their families while fighting for full compensation of their claims. Schuerman Law offers evening and weekend appointments in addition to home and hospital visits. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 1-800-274-0045.
