The CPSC Needs to Work Faster to Remove Dangerous Products from Retail Shelves A reporter from wral.com asks, “Why are so many hazardous products still on retail shelves?” The reporter raises a very important question concerning the current system the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) uses to pull dangerous products off retail shelves. Safety advocates […]
Dangerous Product Lawsuit Lawyers
A reporter from wral.com asks, “Why are so many hazardous products still on retail shelves?” The reporter raises a very important question concerning the current system the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) uses to pull dangerous products off retail shelves. Safety advocates are concerned that the system is outdated and leaves consumers vulnerable to serious injury or death.
The news article reports that many dangerous products have caused serious injuries, but the public is not aware of the dangers. For example, one nail gun on the market has been found to dangerously fire nails sideways.
Rachel Rabkin Peachman, a Consumer Reports’ investigative reporter, explains that Section 37 is a law that requires companies to notify the CPSC when a specific number of serious injury or death lawsuits are settled or are ruled in favor of the plaintiff within a specified period of time. However, the report states their investigation determined that the CPSC seldom finds out about those lawsuits. The original, proposed law in 1990 required companies to inform the CPSC about a product once a single personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit has been filed. However, that version of the law was not passed. The current law requires CPSC notification after three lawsuits have been found in favor of the plaintiff or settled within a two-year period.
The issue with a two-year time period is that product liability lawsuits often take longer than two years to conclude. Consequently, the CPSC seldom hears about dangerous products. Consumer advocates, including Consumer Reporters, are now asking for change. Safety advocates want every lawsuit that alleges injury or death to be reported to the CPSC as soon as the complaint is filed. This will help keep potentially dangerous products out of people’s homes.
Were you or a loved one harmed by dangerous product? Parker Waichman LLP helps families recover monetary compensation for harm caused by dangerous products. For your free consultation, contact our law firm today by using our live chat or calling 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
