Articles Posted in Products Liability

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Car accidents can cause serious injuries and even death, resulting in high medical costs and other significant expenses. If you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by a mechanical defect or malfunction, we can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our Miami car accident attorneys will aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve for your harm. With years of experience, we have helped many South Florida clients resolve their injury claims and can help you as well.

While many car crashes are caused by driver negligence, some accidents occur because of mechanical issues. Mechanical problems can cause a driver to lose control of the car and get into an accident. Many types of mechanical defects or malfunctions can cause car accidents, including:

  • Seat belt injuries;
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If you or someone close to you was injured due to an auto defect in a vehicle, you should reach out to a seasoned Miami auto defect attorney who can help you understand your rights. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we are committed to holding automakers accountable for the harm that they cause. We understand the complexities of this area of the law and will aggressively advocate for your rights at every step of the way.

According to documents posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, automakers recently recalled about 135,000 Porsche and Volkswagen sport utility vehicles over the danger of a fuel leak. This recall indicates that Volkswagen and its corporate affiliates, Audi and Porsche, have recalled about 278,000 vehicles in the last year for the same issue. The problem is that fine hairline cracks can appear on the filter flange of the fuel pump, allowing a small amount of fuel to leak. The danger of a fuel leak signifies a potential fire hazard, although the automaker’s reports did not mention whether any actual fires took place.

While most automobile accidents in Florida can be addressed through a negligence lawsuit, auto defects can typically be resolved through a product liability claim. Product liability lawsuits can be classified in one of three 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 is not created as it was intended. A design defect takes place when there is a fundamental flaw in the design of the product, making it inherently dangerous to users. In some cases, a plaintiff may have a claim based on a manufacturer’s failure to warn about inherent but non-obvious risks to the user.

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Each 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 places. If you or a loved one suffered an injury from defective playground equipment, our seasoned Miami product liability attorneys can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we can examine the circumstances of your injury and determine what happened. You can trust that we will work efficiently on your behalf to help you pursue 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.

If you have been injured by faulty playground equipment, you and your family deserve to be compensated for the harm. Of course, not every playground accident is actionable, since physical activity can inherently put a child at some risk of an accident. However, if your injury was caused by defective playground equipment, you may be able to sue the manufacturer through a product liability claim. Some examples of playground equipment defects include but are not limited to:

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Segways can often be seen in malls, beaches, and other outdoor spaces. While these transportation devices can be fun, they can also be dangerous. If you or your loved one has been injured on a Segway, you should reach out to a skilled Miami personal injury attorney who can assess the merits of your case. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we understand the nuances of personal injury law and can apply our understanding to your case.

A Segway is a two-wheeled personal transport system that uses the weight of the rider to determine speed and direction. Segway riders lean forward to increase the speed and stand upright to slow down. A Segway’s top speed typically caps at 12.5 miles per hour, which may not seem very fast, but to put it into perspective, the average bicycle speed is around 9.6 miles per hour. As a result, Segway accidents can result in serious harm to a victim, including spinal cord injuries, broken bones, head injuries, facial injuries, and more.

According to a George Washington University study, Segways are extremely dangerous. The study examined the medical records of 41 people in Washington, D.C. who were admitted to emergency rooms at the university hospital from 2006 to 2008. The survey found that there was a steady increase in Segway injuries each year, and the overall percentage of serious injuries was even higher than for pedestrian accident injuries. Of the 41 documented injuries, 24 percent were for serious injuries that involved admission to the hospital.

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Car seats save the lives of children in Florida and elsewhere in the United States each year. When a child’s car seat is defective, however, the child can sustain serious injuries or even die as a result. If your child has been hurt by a defective car seat, it is vital to reach out to a skilled Miami product liability attorney who can help evaluate your case. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we are committed to holding negligent parties accountable and getting our clients the compensation they deserve.

Just this summer, Britax Child Safety recalled over 207,000 rear-facing infant car seats because part of a clip can break and create a choking hazard. According to documents, parts of the car seat were found in the mouths of three children, although no choking injuries were reported. Unfortunately, recalls like this are commonplace for child safety seats, especially for car seats that have been on the market for a long time. Some examples of car seat defects are as follows:

  • Flaws in the harness;
  • Low chest clips;
  • Sudden release of the car seat;
  • Flammable material;
  • Choking hazards;
  • Weak construction;
  • Base separation; and
  • Faulty locks.

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Most 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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Every 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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Propane 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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Tanning beds are quite a common way of getting a tan in Florida and throughout the United States. While most people get a tan without incident, the reality is that tanning devices can pose serious hazards. If you or someone close to you has suffered tanning bed injuries, it is important to reach out to a seasoned Miami injury lawyer who can assess the facts of your case and determine whether or not you have a viable legal claim.

Indoor tanning takes place when an individual uses a tanning bed, booth, or sunlamp to get tan. According to the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, many teenagers tan indoors, including seven percent of all high school students, 11 percent of high school girls, and 16 percent of girls in 12th grade. In Florida, there are currently more than 900 tanning facilities with over 4,000 tanning devices that are licensed by Florida country health departments.

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Hot tubs can be a great source of enjoyment, but the reality is that they can also be dangerous. If you or someone close to you was hurt in a hot tub drowning accident, we can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we proudly represent South Florida clients in seeking the compensation they deserve for their harm.

The Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital did a study that found that the number of unintentional hot tub-related injuries increased 160 percent between 1990 and 2007. In 1990, there were 2,500 injuries, whereas in 2007, there were more than 6,600. Part of this can probably be explained by the fact that more people own hot tubs now. Still, it also highlights how dangerous hot tubs can be and how important it is to take the necessary safety measures to prevent injuries.

The main risk posed by hot tubs is the same one that is posed by pools:  drowning. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that since 1980, more than 700 deaths have occurred in hot tubs. Another potential hazard is people’s hair being sucked into the suction fitting of the hot tub, causing the person to be held under water and potentially drown.

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