Defective Products, Burn Injuries and Fire Cases: A Deadly Combination

Our firm has handled several tragic wrongful death cases involving children who have died in fires caused by defective products such as a space heater or air purifier. Each year, approximately 500 children under age 14 are killed in house fires. Such fires are estimated to have injured many thousands more. What we have seen here in our practice is mirrored by the national experience. Indeed, the most common causes of burn injuries among children emanate from hair curlers, space heaters, ovens, ranges, gasoline, fireworks and other potentially dangerous products. Oftentimes these tragic cases are caused by misuse of the product or allowing a product to be accessed by a child who inadvertently uses it in an improper manner. In other cases, however, as discussed, innocent children can die because of defective products in the home. As an example, if there is an electrical circuit short in a space heater and a fire erupts in a mobile home and a child is asleep at the time, obviously, this can be a deadly combination which can result in terrible tragedy. Regrettably, we have handled cases exactly like this so we are familiar with just how tragic and difficult these cases can be for families who have to suffer through them.
Notwithstanding the availability of smoke alarms in today’s marketplace, regrettably, it is estimated that approximately 25% of homes in America today still do not have working smoke alarms. This can be the difference between life or death if a defective product is in the home. Therefore, we encourage all members of the public to make sure that they have a working smoke alarm in their home. Also, any product that has the potential for shortage that may run all night while family members are sleeping should be carefully maintained and all the instructions for the product should be followed so as to minimize the risk of serious injury or death emanating from a product capable of causing fire to the home.