Thanksgiving Day is typically a time when families get together to cook, eat, and spend time with one another. Unfortunately, it is also a day that is known to have a high number of fire accidents. According to State Farm, data from 2007 to 2011 reveals that Florida ranks fifth in the country for the most cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day, just behind Texas, Illinois, New York, and Ohio. One source of such fires is defective products that are used for cooking. If you have been injured in a fire caused by a faulty deep fryer or cooking appliance, you may be able to seek compensation for your harm through a Florida product liability claim.
Every year, far more fire accidents take place on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year. In fact, some reports estimate that Thanksgiving Day sees three times the nation’s daily average in emergency fire accidents. Fires originating from the kitchen are the top reason for home fires and burn injuries. The United States Fire Administration estimated that about 4,300 house fires are started on Thanksgiving Day ever year, accounting for 15 deaths and almost $27 million in property damage.
Product liability refers to a manufacturer or seller being held liable for placing a defective product into the stream of commerce and ultimately into the hands of a consumer. Product liability claims can be divided in the following ways: manufacturing defects, design defects, and failures to warn.
A manufacturing defect occurs when a mistake is made in the assembly of a product, resulting in an item that does not match others made in the same line. A design defect occurs when there is a fundamental flaw in a device’s design, which makes it inherently hazardous to users. A failure to warn claim may be appropriate when a manufacturer does not give consumers sufficient information about its product’s use, and an injury occurs.
In order to establish a product liability claim, the plaintiff must show that the faulty product caused the injury and that the plaintiff was using the product as it was intended. In the context of a deep fryer or similar cooking appliance, you may be able to show there was a manufacturing defect if there was something wrong with the fryer that caused the oil to get too hot, leak, or explode. A design defect may be established by proving that the design of the deep fryer was inherently flawed, and this was the cause of your injury. You may also be able to show that the product did not come with reasonable or adequate warnings to alert users to its potential dangers.
If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of accident due to someone else’s negligence, it is important to seek the help of an experienced Miami product liability attorney. You can trust that we are committed to thoroughly reviewing your case and providing you with an honest assessment of your claim. We proudly represent clients throughout South Florida. To learn more, do not hesitate to call us at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or contact us through our website.
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