Articles Posted in Products Liability

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playgroundEach day, children across Florida spend time at public and private playgrounds. Playgrounds are places where children go to make new friends and enjoy themselves, but they can also be dangerous. If you or a loved one suffered an injury from defective playground equipment, our seasoned Miami injury attorneys can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we can examine the circumstances of your injury and determine what likely happened. You can trust that we will work efficiently on your behalf to help you seek the compensation you deserve in your case.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 200,000 children under the age of 14 are taken to emergency rooms for injuries that take place on playgrounds. In fact, approximately 75 percent of all non-fatal playground-related injuries occur on public playgrounds, mainly daycare centers and schools. Almost half of all playground-related injuries are serious injuries, such as concussions, fractures, internal injuries, dislocations, and even injuries that necessitate amputations.

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medical deviceWhen a doctor recommends that you use a medical device, you trust that it will be safe to do so. Medical devices are supposed to protect patients and not injure them. Unfortunately, each year, a number of people in Florida and across the United States are injured and even killed as a result of using defective medical devices. If you or someone close to you has been harmed by a medical device, it is imperative to reach out to a seasoned Miami product liability attorney who can assess the merits of your case.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the responsibility of protecting the public from any health hazards that may be caused by a defective medical device. Despite the FDA’s thorough approval process, the unfortunate reality is that dangerous medical products are sometimes introduced into the marketplace. A wide range of medical devices may cause injuries to an individual. The following are a few examples:  defibrillators, pacemakers, stents, breast implants, contraceptive devices, insulin pumps, hip implants, and any other retail or prescribed devices.

If a defective medical device has injured you, you can file a product liability claim against the at-fault party. Such a claim can be filed for one of the following reasons:

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airbagThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 51 million cars were recalled in 2015, and over 25 percent of those recalled cars were never repaired. Defective car parts, such as airbags, can lead to serious and long-term injuries. If you or someone close to you has been injured by a faulty airbag, you may be able to recover compensation for your harm. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our Miami attorneys can scrutinize the facts of your case and determine the viability of your claim.

Airbag maker Takata Corp. filed for bankruptcy in Delaware and Japan recently after paying over $1 billion in fines as part of a settlement with the United States Justice Department over its handling of airbag ruptures linked to 16 deaths and more than 180 injuries worldwide. Regulators have said that the recall would ultimately affect about 42 million U.S. vehicles with almost 70 million Takata airbag inflators, making it the largest recall in U.S. history. Furthermore, the NHTSA is investigating Honda for failing to promptly report incidents involving the Takata airbags installed in its vehicles.

Defective Takata airbags are prone to exploding when they are deployed, flinging burning shrapnel into drivers and passengers. Specifically, the problem is with the airbag inflators, which fill up airbags in the event of a crash. These can explode with too much force and spew metal shrapnel, which is what has been happening.

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cribParents’ main concern is their child’s well-being. When you put your baby into a crib, you expect the baby to be safe. Unfortunately, defective cribs cause serious injuries or death to thousands of infants each year. If your child was injured due to a defective crib, it is important to reach out to a Miami product liability attorney. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we have the experience and dedication to handle your case. You can rest assured that we will work carefully to make sure that your family’s rights are protected at every step of the way.

In 2011, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimated that over 11 million cribs, bassinets, and play yards had been recalled since 2007. In that year alone, CPSC recalled 1,040,000 cribs and bassinets from just one manufacturer. Cribs pose dangers of which you may not even be aware. The following are several types of crib hazards that may cause injuries to your child:

  • Strangulation:  Blankets, sheets, or clothing may become wrapped around the baby’s face, neck, or head and lead to cutting off their air supply. Crib bumpers also pose the risk of strangulation.
  • Suffocation: Blankets, sheets, or clothing can also pose a risk if they are not fitted, and the baby can get underneath them and accidentally suffocate. The same applies to crib bumper pads.
  • Falling out: A baby may be at risk of falling out of the crib if the mattress is too high. In addition, defective drop sides that fall and allow the child to fall out of the crib may be a cause of an unexpected injury to your child.
  • Poorly spaced slats: Crib slats that are too far apart may enable your child to slip through and fall. While suffocation is most commonly associated with poor spacing, it can also result in a child’s limb becoming stuck between the slats, resulting in the entrapment of arms, legs, or other body parts.

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tractorFarmers routinely use machines that make their day-to-day jobs easier. This machinery is typically very heavy and requires some basic skills to operate. The unfortunate reality is that, each year, a number of people in Florida are injured and even killed due to defects in farm equipment. If you have been hurt in a farm equipment accident, we can help. Our skilled Miami product liability attorneys can assess the specifics of your situation and determine all of your legal options.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, Florida had 47,300 commercial farms and ranches in 2015. This totaled 9.45 million acres of the state. The average farm size was approximately 200 acres. That same year, Florida ranked seventh in the United States for agricultural exports, with over $4 billion worth of agricultural commodities shipped in 2015.

The high level of farm activity in Florida also means that many accidents take place. In some cases, these accidents are caused by farm equipment defects or malfunctions. Due to the size and power of farm equipment, any mishap can have devastating consequences for the individual operating the machinery.

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batWhen you buy food, you don’t expect to find harmful foreign objects inside. Individuals injured by foreign objects in food may be entitled to seek damages for their harm. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our seasoned Miami food injury lawyers can examine the merits of your case and determine the viability of your claim.

The Walmart brand ‘Fresh Express’ issued a recall for its Spring Mix salad this month after two Florida customers found a dead bat in the package. The recall affects salads sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that two people reported eating some of the salad before discovering the animal. The bat was sent to the CDC rabies lab for testing, but the deteriorated condition of the animal did not allow the CDC to definitively rule out whether the bat had rabies. While the two individuals who ate the salad appear to be in good health, they will undergo post-exposure rabies treatment as a precaution.

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washing machineWashing machines and dryers are a routine part of life in Florida and the United States. However, fires originating from these appliances are more common than you may think. If you or someone close to you was injured in a dryer or washing machine fire, it is important to reach out to a skilled Miami personal injury attorney. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we have successfully represented countless South Florida victims of fires, and can help you as well. We will examine the facts of your case and determine the viability of your claim.

The United States Fire Administration estimates that there are 2900 home clothes dryer fires every year that results in 5 deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were 16,800 reported U.S. home structure fires involving clothes dryers and washing machines in 2010. In the vast majority of cases, the clothes dryer is responsible for the fire. The NFPA found that the leading cause of dryer fires between 2006 and 2010 was the failure to clean the dust, fiber or lint in the machine.

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chairMost of us use chairs on a daily basis without incident. The reality, however, is that a number of people in Florida and throughout the United States are injured each year in chair accidents. If you or someone close to you was injured due to a chair accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our skilled Miami injury attorneys can scrutinize the circumstances of your accident and determine whether or not you may have grounds for a lawsuit.

Common ways that people are injured include falling when a chair collapses, fingers being severed by chairs with jagged edges, chair wheels getting jammed and causing a tip-over, or leaning to the side to reach something while seated in a chair, which causes a tip-over. Injuries that could result from chair accidents include lacerations, fractures, broken bones, neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, and back injuries. In the most severe cases, chair accidents can cause permanent disabilities and render individuals unable to work.

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shopping cartEvery day, parents in Florida and across the United States put their children in shopping carts when they visit a store. If your child has been injured in a shopping cart accident, it is important to reach out to a seasoned Miami injury attorney who can analyze the facts of your case and determine whether or not you may be able to seek compensation for your harm. Having an experienced attorney on your side can make a difference in your case.

Shopping cart accidents involving children are more common than you may think. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 24,000 children under the age of 15 are injured each year in shopping cart accidents. Of those injuries, almost 20,000 occur to children younger than five. A report from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital revealed that about 66 children are victims of shopping cart injuries each day.

Falls from shopping carts accounted for over two-thirds of shopping cart accidents. Other common causes of shopping cart injuries include broken or insufficient restraints allowing a child to slip out or unbuckle the safety belt, side or rear tip-overs due to faulty construction, falling over the cart, entrapment of limbs in the cart, and scratching or cutting due to sharp or rusty edges. The most common types of injuries that are reportedly sustained in shopping cart accidents are head injuries such as concussions or traumatic brain injuries. Other injuries may include broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and contusions or lacerations.

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propanePropane is an extremely flammable gas that is used for various things (such as outdoor grills) by millions of Americans every day. Propane is colorless and odorless. If it is not handled properly, propane can cause dangerous, even deadly explosions. If you have been injured or your loved one has died due to a propane tank explosion, it is important to contact a seasoned Miami injury attorney as soon as possible. These types of accidents can leave victims with severe and long-term burn injuries.

Every year, a number of people in Florida and throughout the United States suffer from burn injuries. The most common type of burn injury occurs from contact with fire or flames, or contact with hot objects. The American Burn Association states that approximately 450,000 patients receive hospital and emergency room treatment for burns every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, burns and fires are the third leading cause of death in the home. The National Fire Protection Association found that between 2006 and 2010, there were an average of 8,600 home fires involving grills that required a fire department response.

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