When you spend money on a product, you expect that it will work and that it will do so safely. Unfortunately, far too many people in Ohio discover that new products cause an injury or make them sick
If this has happened to you, you have legal options. If you have suffered emotionally or physically from a defective product or a dangerous drug, you may be entitled to recover compensation.
Below, we’ll go over some of the laws in Ohio that can protect consumers and list the most common defective products in the Buckeye State.
Ohio Laws Protect Consumers from Defective Products
States have laws to help protect consumers from defective products or those marketed illegally. For example, in Ohio, the Defective Assistive Devices Act specifically requires that devices for disabled consumers have a one-year warranty covering full cost of repair or replacement, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, and motorized scooters. And Ohio’s Lemon Law requires that a defective vehicle classified as a lemon be replaced within a reasonable time period.
Claims against defective drugs, medical devices, and other products also follow the legal rules under Ohio’s product liability law. Ohio Revised Code 2307.71, 2307.80. In many product liability cases, the manufacturer knew about the issues or should have known about the issues and failed to warn consumers — with substantial evidence, this creates the possibility of punitive or exemplary damages for victims.
See also: Ohio Product Liability Law: How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
Common Defective Products: Are you using them?
One of the greatest challenges of living in a global economy where shipping is the norm and the same products can be found across many different stores is that people in Ohio and other states all can be exposed to the same devastating risks. What follows are some of the biggest defective product recalls in recent years.
Recalled Cars and Car Parts
Car recalls are some of the most serious, as the issues with vehicles prompting a recall could lead to deadly injuries. Since a record 53.2 million vehicles were recalled in the U.S. in 2016 alone, it’s important to respond to recall notices immediately. The largest and most complex auto safety recall in history, Takata air bags, has affected a whopping 42 million vehicles. The inflators have a safety defect that can cause explosions.
Unfortunately, auto recalls often are the scariest and can result in the most injuries. Takata air bags have been responsible for about two dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Recalled Baby Products
The big 2010 recall of Graco’s Harmony high chairs came after more than 460 reports of screws falling out and plastic brackets breaking, causing the high chair to flip while children were inside it, resulting in a couple dozen injuries. More than 1 million units were recalled while Graco continued to develop a reputation for safety issues with its products. In 2014, nearly 5 million of its strollers were recalled due to laceration hazards and fingertip amputation concerns.
Although these recalls might look like they’re in the rearview mirror, baby products are some of the most commonly recalled products that affect Ohio kids and families. It’s important to stay up to date on other baby recalls to ensure you don’t have a dangerous product at home.
Recalled Food
You probably hear about recalled food products the most on the news. Whether it’s a listeria or salmonella outbreak, your favorite foods can easily be contaminated.
Take into consideration the decade-long investigation into tainted Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter: In late 2016, ConAgra agreed to pay an $11.2 million fine for this nationwide salmonella outbreak — the largest-ever criminal fine imposed for a food-borne illness in the United States.
Dangerous Drugs and Medical Devices
Some of the most dangerous products for Ohioans and individuals elsewhere are defective or dangerous drugs. In many of these cases, patients and their doctors come forward after numerous adverse event reports arguing that the manufacturer knew or should have known about the dangers and failed to warn doctors and patients alike about the concerns. In other cases, doctors make errors in administering prescription medications.
Some of the most dangerous drugs or medical devices that have been subject to recalls or defective product concerns include Xarelto blood thinners, talcum powder, generic naloxone, proton pump inhibitor medications like Prilosec and Nexium, physiomesh implants, and fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
Even the most basic drugs that we use every day can have serious consequences. The first major product recall in the U.S., after all, was when cyanide-laced Tylenol caused seven deaths in Chicago in the 1980s, prompting parent company Johnson & Johnson to stop production, suspend advertising, and remove 31 million products from store shelves. It cost Johnson & Johnson an estimated $100 million.
Do I have a defective product claim?
Have you already been injured as a result of a defective product or drug? If so, there’s a good chance you’re not alone. Your decision to come forward could help prevent others from suffering. Furthermore, you might be entitled to recover compensation with the help of an experienced defective products attorney like Plevin & Gallucci.
Give Plevin & Gallucci a call today at 1-855-4-PLEVIN or fill out our online contact form for a free case evaluation.
