Chemical Burns Caused by Defective Products
In July, a nine-year-old boy suffered second degree chemical burns to his feet when his light-up sneakers began leaking acid after becoming wet while on a school field trip. Unfortunately, this type of injury is not uncommon amongst consumers, who are injured by defective products at an alarmingly high rate. These individuals often face expensive medical bills, which can quickly drive a family into debt, especially if the injured party is unable to work. For this reason, collecting compensation from the negligent company who designed or manufactured the defective product is critical. To learn more about seeking damages for your own injuries, please contact one of our experienced burn injury attorneys for a free case evaluation.
Other Cases of Chemical Burns and Defective Products
Late last summer, nearly 275,000 people suffered skin irritation and burns after an iPhone case that contained glitter in a suspended liquid began inexplicably leaking. Many victims suffered permanent scarring, as well as burns and swelling in the face and legs. In another case that occurred earlier this year, two boys sustained chemical burns to their faces after a teacher used a magic eraser sponge to wipe off marks on their skin. Finally, last year, a class action lawsuit was filed against the makers of a hair and beard product that caused users to experience severe dermatitis, asthma, and even convulsions.
What are Chemical Burns?
Chemical burns occur when a person’s skin comes into contact with a corrosive chemical, such as sulfuric acid, lime and silver nitrate, hydrochloric acid, and ammonia, many of which are found in certain cleaners, such as bleach and pool chlorination products. When these types of substances come into contact with the skin, a person could suffer some or all of the following symptoms:
- Skin irritation;
- Redness;
- Burning;
- Numbness; and
- Blackened or dead skin.
When ingested, these products can also cause headaches, coughing, dizziness, seizures, muscle twitches, irregular heartbeat, and even cardiac arrest. Although anyone who uses a defective product is at risk of suffering from one of these injuries, certain groups do tend to sustain chemical burns more often than others, including infants and toddlers, the elderly, and manufacturing plant employees.
Who is Liable for My Injuries?
Proving that a chemical burn was caused by the use of a defective consumer product can be difficult, although it is not impossible. Liable parties who could be required to compensate a victim for his or her injuries include: the product’s manufacturer, the product designer, the companies responsible for assembly or transportation, or the seller. Once fault has been established, injured parties could stand to recover damages compensating them for medical expenses, lost wages, out-of-pocket costs, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering.
Call Our Office Today
The Fort Lauderdale lawyers at Boone & Davis are dedicated to helping people who have suffered chemical burn injuries after using a defective product, recover compensation for their losses. For a free evaluation of your own case, please contact us online or call our office at 954-566-9919.
Resource:
metro.co.uk/2018/07/03/boy-9-horrifically-burned-after-light-up-shoes-leak-acid-over-his-feet-7678434/
