The thought of your jacket, shoe, or accessory hurting you probably never crosses your mind when getting dressed. How can a seemingly safe shirt or shoe end up harming you? As unlikely as it may seem, thousands of clothing and accessory items are recalled every year due to the risk of injury, reports the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). What’s even more shocking, only a few of these defective clothing that caused an injury in one or more victims make headlines. Meanwhile, unassuming consumers are left in the dark as to the dangers associated with their favorite clothing or accessory items.
Have you or someone you love suffered an injury or illness you believe was related to an unsafe clothing item? The skilled Los Angeles defective clothing lawyers at Adamson Ahdoot LLP would like to sit down with you and discuss the details of your potential case. Connecting the dots between your injury and the product you used is the first step in going after the manufacturer responsible for making an unsafe item. Our law firm can assist you with a detailed investigation proving you were harmed by an unsafe product and take a stand against the negligent manufacturer.
What Makes Clothing or Accessories Dangerous to Consumers?
When a piece of clothing or accessory is made, the item must be put through a manufacturing process. If at any point in the process – design, assembly, or marketing – an error is made and the item now possesses flaws, the product could be a potential threat to users.
More common defects, often found in clothing, shoes, and accessories, include:
- Toxic chemicals used during the manufacturing process and in the item itself
- Use of highly flammable material
- Lack of warnings of flammable material or false non-flammable claims
- Choking hazard (use of small parts or components)
- Strangulation hazard
The most common cause of apparel-related injuries in the U.S. is the use of flammable material. In fact, the use of flammable materials in clothing production is such a problem, the CPSC created the Federal Flammable Fabrics Act in 1953. The role of this act was to regulate the use of certain textiles and establish manufacturing standards in an effort to reduce accidents and injuries caused by flammable material. However, despite these regulations, dangerous materials remain in use today. Recently, a popular children’s clothing manufacturer recalled hundreds of robes due to a violation of federal flammability standards.
It’s estimated more than 5,000 Americans suffer burn injuries and about 150 tragically die every year as a result of flammable clothing. Sadly, children are most at risk for suffering a burn injury caused by defectively manufactured clothing. Burns are the fifth most common cause of non-fatal injuries for children worldwide, reports The World Health Organization.
Burn Injuries and Other Types of Defective Clothing-Related Injuries
Burn injuries happen when the skin is exposed to a thermal heat source, electricity, sun, radiation, or chemicals. Burns are usually classified by severity or degree of burn. Burns can be minor (first-degree burns), moderate (second-degree burns), and severe (third-degree burns). Most minor burns like sunburn don’t require hospitalization or long-term treatment, however, moderate and severe burns can require extensive medical care and be life-threatening.
Due to the nature of a burn injury (damaging protective skin tissue), even minor burns can result in infection, discoloration, and scarring. Severe burn injuries are often associated with secondary injuries like excessive swelling, organ failure, low blood pressure, and sepsis. It’s not uncommon for victims of third-degree burns to require long-term physical therapy and occupational therapy to improve mobility and level of functioning.
Other types of injuries caused by defective clothing are:
- Asphyxiation
- Bone fractures
- Cuts, lacerations and contusions
- Rashes
- Swelling
- Eye injuries
- Wrongful death
Who is Responsible for the Costs Associated with a Defective Clothing Injury?
If you or a loved one suffered an injury or illness as a result of a poorly manufactured piece of clothing or accessory, it’s vital you talk to an aggressive Los Angeles defective clothing attorney as soon as possible. When a piece of defective clothing harms a wearer, the victim must prove he or she used the item properly and as intended. Big manufacturers and apparel companies have large legal teams looking to disprove your claims of injury. They’ll try to settle your claim for as little as possible or, worse, say you were at fault for the injury.
At Adamson Ahdoot LLP, we’ll work tirelessly to uncover the cause of your injury and determine who is at fault. We’ll work with your doctor to properly document your injury and gather photographic evidence of the dangerous piece of clothing. Our skilled lawyers will also talk to industry experts who can testify on your behalf and give valuable insight as to how and why the article of clothing harmed you. Many dangerous clothing and accessory items have a history of harming people, and our industry experts can speak to the product’s dangers.
Moreover, in a product liability claim, the person or entity responsible for an injury may be:
- The clothing manufacturer
- The clothing retailer
- The clothing distributor
Finding Answers to Your Pressing Defective Clothing Injury Questions
Would you like more information on how to obtain financial compensation for a defective clothing injury? Contact Adamson Ahdoot LLP to schedule a free consultation. During your consultation, we will ask you questions about the incident and injury. We will also answer any questions you may have regarding the accident and claims process. Once we have gathered enough information, one of our lawyers will recommend the legal steps to take. They will inform you on how we can help you successfully resolve your claim.
Submit a contact form right now to start the claim process. This way, you will get compensation for all expenses related to your injury. From medical costs to doctor visits, lost wages due to time off work, physical and mental pain, and punitive damages. You can also call our office toll-free at (800) 310-1606.