Product Recalls

When you hear about a product recall on the news, it’s typically when the threat is serious--such as when a food product has been contaminated with something that can make you sick--or when the recall involves a big-ticket item like a high-end vehicle. If the item is registered to you, like a car or truck, you should receive a notice of the recall. 

But most people have no idea just how often products are recalled in the United States.

In the month preceding this writing, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) listed more than 25 new product recalls, ranging from poisonous substances sold without the required childproof packing to children’s clothing that didn’t meet flame-resistant standards, toys that posed a choking hazard, electronics with batteries that might catch fire, stools that become unstable and pose a falling hazard, coffee pots, off road vehicles, and charging stations that might catch fire, and more. 

During the same period, FoodSafety.gov listed 22 recalled products, for reasons ranging from undeclared allergens to possible salmonella contamination to “foreign matter contamination.” 

When you find out a product you own has been recalled, stop using it immediately. Check the recall notice for more information and instructions. Products are generally recalled because they pose some sort of safety hazard. The safety hazard isn’t always applicable to everyone. For example, if your ice cream was recalled because the label didn’t provide a warning that the product contained nuts, but you’re not allergic to nuts, the product won’t pose a threat to you--as long as no one else who might be affected has access to it. On the other hand, a space heater that’s been found to randomly burst into flames isn’t safe for anyone. 

Depending on the nature of the product, you may be asked to discard it, return it to a store, or make arrangements for repair or replacement of a component part. You may be offered a refund. If the product hasn’t done any harm, that’s probably the end of the matter. But defective products often do cause harm, whether that means adverse effects from a medication, an injury due to faulty product design, damage to your property caused by a flawed product, or a serious case of food poisoning caused by a contaminated food product. 

If you’ve been injured by a defective product, you should speak with an experienced Ohio product liability attorney. A manufacturer is typically responsible for harm caused by a product due to faulty design, manufacturing flaws, failure to warn of risks associated with use of the product, or failure to conform to the manufacturer’s representations. That’s true whether or not the product has been recalled.