Product Liability: Exploring Consumer Burn Cases

Many consumer products come with some risk attached, and in most cases, companies provide adequate warnings. However, sometimes they knowingly understate the hazard to make the product more desirable. Or, they may sell goods that are defective in very dangerous ways. Such malfunctions can result in illness, catastrophic injury, or even tragic brain injury. Today we are going to look at another all-too-common issue: Burns.

Burns are commonly associated with intense heat and/or fire, and products have indeed combusted unexpectedly, injuring users. However, other burns occur in subtle—though no less harmful—ways. Consumers may be hurt by:

  • Extended exposure to mid-level heat
  • Dangerous chemical substances
  • Unshielded electrical currents
  • Radiation exposure

No type of burn is any less dangerous than others; they can all lead to serious injuries and even permanent disability. If you or a family member is injured in this way, you have the right to sue the negligent company and ask for compensation.

Heating Pads

Heating pads are a common household medical item, useful for everything from removing kinks in your neck from sleeping wrong to aiding in recovery from surgery to managing chronic pain. These products, often heated electrically, also have the potential to cause great harm if something goes wrong. They have been known to burn patients and even cause destructive house fires. Heating pads may be dangerous due to:

  • Faulty heating elements that produce temperatures above what they should
  • Faulty or missing timers, necessary for making sure patients are not exposed to high temperatures for long enough to cause burns
  • Lack of proper consumer instructions and/or warnings

Electrical heating pads typically reach around 120° Fahrenheit at most, though doctors usually recommend they only be used on the lowest level. However, burns can be caused by prolonged exposure (around 6 hours) to temperatures as low as 109° Fahrenheit. As the temperature increases, the burn time lessens; though brief contact with a heating pad at 120° is not enough to cause a burn, someone who falls asleep while using one can face painful tissue damage. A complicating factor is that heating pad users may either have decreased ability to sense temperatures and/or be elderly enough their skin is thinner than the average person’s. Both factors make it more likely a person will suffer burns from a heating pad.

Chemical Callus Removers

One popular skincare agent is salicylic acid, perhaps best known as an acne treatment prescribed to those with persistent breakouts. The chemical is also used in formulations for callus and wart removal. Its name isn’t an exaggeration of any kind: Salicylic acid has a lower pH than skin and can, at concentrations above 5 percent, be used as an exfoliant that removes skin. It can also cause moderate chemical burns if misused, put on thin skin, or used by someone with sensitive skin. Whether used at a nail salon or during a home spa day, this product can cause nerve damage and scarring, as well as disrupting a burn victim’s life by limiting the use of their feet.

Another chemical in callus treatments, potassium hydroxide, is considered an “extreme” hazard if it comes into contact with skin. OSHA warns this acidic chemical can cause severe burns even at a concentration of 10%. Given the risk, one has to question whether companies should be using such dangerous compounds in products made for skincare. Consumers deserve to know they might be injured by a product so they can make an informed decision on whether to use it. Callus removal typically affects our hands and feet—two of the areas that can impact a burn victim’s life most in the moment and the future.

We Take on Complex Product Liability Cases

Defective products can cause serious harm to consumers, but these cases can be difficult to prove. Aside from the defendant typically being a large corporation with a well-funded legal team, you must be able to demonstrate the product was defective or lacking in warnings it should have had. You must also prove you were harmed because of a flaw inherent to the product.

With 35 years of combined experience and a national presence, Shoop | A Professional Law Corporation is ready to help you file a product liability claim for burn injuries. We can help you connect with experts who provide product models and explanations of defective goods in a way juries can understand. We’ll also listen to your story and develop a strategy to make it obvious why you deserve compensation. Don’t shoulder the costs and burden of a burn injury yourself. Speak with our product liability attorneys to learn about your legal rights.

Schedule your free consultation with Shoop | A Professional Law Corporation by calling (866) 884-1717 or sending us a message online. Our team fights for consumers like you.

Many consumer products come with some risk attached, and in most cases, companies provide adequate warnings. However, sometimes they knowingly understate the hazard to make the product more desirable. Or, they may sell goods that are defective in very dangerous ways. Such malfunctions can result in illness, catastrophic injury, or even tragic brain injury. Today we are going to look at another all-too-common issue: Burns.

Burns are commonly associated with intense heat and/or fire, and products have indeed combusted unexpectedly, injuring users. However, other burns occur in subtle—though no less harmful—ways. Consumers may be hurt by:

  • Extended exposure to mid-level heat
  • Dangerous chemical substances
  • Unshielded electrical currents
  • Radiation exposure

No type of burn is any less dangerous than others; they can all lead to serious injuries and even permanent disability. If you or a family member is injured in this way, you have the right to sue the negligent company and ask for compensation.

Heating Pads

Heating pads are a common household medical item, useful for everything from removing kinks in your neck from sleeping wrong to aiding in recovery from surgery to managing chronic pain. These products, often heated electrically, also have the potential to cause great harm if something goes wrong. They have been known to burn patients and even cause destructive house fires. Heating pads may be dangerous due to:

  • Faulty heating elements that produce temperatures above what they should
  • Faulty or missing timers, necessary for making sure patients are not exposed to high temperatures for long enough to cause burns
  • Lack of proper consumer instructions and/or warnings

Electrical heating pads typically reach around 120° Fahrenheit at most, though doctors usually recommend they only be used on the lowest level. However, burns can be caused by prolonged exposure (around 6 hours) to temperatures as low as 109° Fahrenheit. As temperature increases, the burn time lessens; though brief contact with a heating pad at 120° is not enough to cause a burn, someone who falls asleep while using one can face painful tissue damage. A complicating factor is that heating pad users may either have decreased ability to sense temperatures and/or be elderly enough their skin is thinner than the average person’s. Both factors make it more likely a person will suffer burns from a heating pad.

Chemical Callus Removers

One popular skincare agent is salicylic acid, perhaps best known as an acne treatment prescribed to those with persistent breakouts. The chemical is also used in formulations for callus and wart removal. Its name isn’t an exaggeration of any kind: Salicylic acid has a lower pH than skin and can, at concentrations above 5 percent, be used as an exfoliant that removes skin. It can also cause moderate chemical burns if misused, put on thin skin, or used by someone with sensitive skin. Whether used at a nail salon or during a home spa day, this product can cause nerve damage and scarring, as well as disrupting a burn victim’s life by limiting the use of their feet.

Another chemical in callus treatments, potassium hydroxide, is considered an “extreme” hazard if it comes into contact with skin. OSHA warns this acidic chemical can cause severe burns even at a concentration of 10%. Given the risk, one has to question whether companies should be using such dangerous compounds in products made for skincare. Consumers deserve to know they might be injured by a product so they can make an informed decision on whether to use it. Callus removal typically affects our hands and feet—two of the areas that can impact a burn victim’s life most in the moment and the future.

We Take on Complex Product Liability Cases

Defective products can cause serious harm to consumers, but these cases can be difficult to prove. Aside from the defendant typically being a large corporation with a well-funded legal team, you must be able to demonstrate the product was defective or lacking in warnings it should have had. You must also prove you were harmed because of a flaw inherent to the product.

With 35 years of combined experience and a national presence, Shoop | A Professional Law Corporation is ready to help you file a product liability claim for burn injuries. We can help you connect with experts who provide product models and explanations of defective goods in a way juries can understand. We’ll also listen to your story and develop a strategy to make it obvious why you deserve compensation. Don’t shoulder the costs and burden of a burn injury yourself. Speak with our product liability attorneys to learn about your legal rights.

Schedule your free consultation with Shoop | A Professional Law Corporation by calling (866) 884-1717 or sending us a message online. Our team fights for consumers like you.

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