Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Consumer Safety Groups Look for Help
Consumer safety groups have been concerned about the lower labor costs associated with manufacturing products overseas which sometimes results in poor quality that puts consumer safety at risk from defective product injuries. Often these injuries occur to children—accidental injury is the leading cause of injury and death to children under age 14. Consumer groups are hoping that a new presidential administration might be persuaded to change these statistics. Massachusetts attorney Thomas M. Kiley, concentrates on defective product cases in Boston.
A recent article published by Public Citizen, a consumer safety group, says the Consumer Products Safety Commission details huge numbers of recalls of products with violations of lead paint standards (all imported from offshore countries), or appliances that catch fire. The latest recall, according to the article, involves an expansion of an additional 131,000 of a previous recall of infant rattles that could cause a choking hazard. Since the original recall, there have been 10 additional reports of choking from the tail pieces from the Infant Lion and Lamb Grabby rattles, according to the website.
Public Citizen sent a letter to the Obama Transition Team upon President Obama’s inauguration deploring “the abusive practice of inserting language in the preambles of, or in federal regulations for the purpose of immunizing manufacturers from liability for injuries caused by faulty products." Public Citizen is urging President Obama to require that manufacturers provide reliable and safe products for the consumer. They want to see changes to the current legislation that protects businesses giving them immunity from liability.
If consumers find out they have a defective product, they should seek out an attorney who specializes in defective product liability law, such as Tom Kiley. In addition, they should make sure they write a complete history of the item, where and when they bought it, how it was used, what happened with the product, etc. They should document everything about the product, including keeping the receipt, the instruction booklet, and warranty that was with the product. They should also document if the product was modified or changed in any way after it was manufactured.
As consumers are working with an attorney to document their defective product, there are a number of state and federal statutes, regulations and safety orders that may apply to the product. These federal agencies can help prepare cases: U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Federal Fire Council. Massachusetts: State police or the highway patrol should be checked for regulations concerning the use and equipment of motor vehicles. Most state fire marshals issue fire safety standards and basic building design and construction standards.
The Applied Science and Technology Index, Engineering Index, and Science Citation Index have technical and scientific information. The National Safety Council, National Fire Protection Association, American National Standards Institute, American Chemical Society, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Water Works Association, and the Manufacturing Chemist’s Association all have scientific and technical data.
