Defects on portable heaters are the second cause of home fires after cooking, and consumers are at a higher risk than ever before due to thousands of electric heater malfunctions in the United States.
Low-income households are generally the heaviest users of space heaters as the primary method of warming their homes. An estimated 3 million low-income households use space heaters as their primary heater, and 4 million low-income households use space heaters for secondary heating.
What is the danger of malfunctions on portable heaters?
Every year during the winter months, the number of home fires related to various forms of defective heating increases. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating is the second leading cause of home fires and injuries in the United States.
Many people use space heaters to keep warm. Unfortunately, defective space heaters can ignite, as happened last January in New York City, where 17 people, including eight children, died.
According to NFPA, the months of December, January, and February are when most home fires happen, so we would like the community to take the appropriate measures with portable heaters that may be defective.
Almost 90% of heating fire deaths involve defective portable or stationary heaters. The main contributing factor to home heating fire deaths is the proximity of heating equipment to things that can ignite, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, or bedding.
Product liability law examines the causes of a defective product to determine who is liable and, once the responsible party is identified, helps the victim receive compensation for their injuries. Both individual and class action lawsuits use the courts to help protect consumers when an item does not perform as it should.
Defective Space Heaters Can Cause Serious Injuries
It’s important for families to be aware of the dangers associated with defective home heaters so they can take extra precautions during the winter weather, parts that can catch on fire are particularly worrisome as well as design and manufacturing defects that injure thousands of people each year.
Defective designs are usually present until the planning phase of the item and are caused by a defect in the design of the product for its intended use. This type of defect occurs when the product design is excessively dangerous and normally affects every unit of the product produced. This often requires a recall of the entire product line.
Types of space heater defects:
-Improper materials used in construction
-Defective temperature controls
-Poorly constructed or attached electrical wiring
-Insufficient warnings regarding the use
-Defective fans
-Defective oscillating mechanisms
-Defective thermostats
-Faulty auto-shutoff switches
-Poor design makes the likelihood of burns or fires more likely
In case of a fire:
-Call 911 immediately – Have a place outside your home where everyone can meet to make sure everyone is safe and out of reach of the fire.
-Stay calm and don’t panic during the fire.
Texas Legal Help for Defective Product Injuries
With so many different types of heaters, any one of them can cause serious burn injuries when they don’t work the way they were intended. If you were injured by a defective heater, talk to our product liability attorneys today. We can help determine who is responsible, and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Under Texas law, products are expected to perform as advertised when a consumer uses the product as directed. The law allows manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers to be held liable if this standard is not met and results in injury or death.
Manufacturing defects and strict liability issues require the assistance of an experienced product liability attorney. From the evidentiary issues to the amount of compensation available, a product liability attorney understands how complex these cases can be. With years of experience working to help our clients, the product liability attorneys at PMR Law can help. Call us today for a consultation.
Contact PMR Law Today
At PMR Law, our attorneys have experience handling cases involving injuries caused by defective products in Houston and the surrounding region. We can help you regardless of the type or severity of the injury. Reach out online or by phone to speak with a Houston defective product attorney.
Contact our defective product injury lawyers at 832-481-3427. Get in touch with us immediately so we can evaluate your case for free. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fill out a form by clicking here.
PMR Law is considered one of the Best Law Firms in America, by Rue Ratings. Several of our attorneys have been given the honor of being named Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters. The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys has named our attorneys 10 Best in Client Satisfaction. Speaking of personal injury, Attorney and Practice Magazine awarded our attorneys with Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney distinctions. The National Trial Lawyers have named three of our attorneys as Top 100 attorneys. The Academy of Attorneys has named two of our attorneys as Top 40 Under 40. Our attorneys have been recognized as Best Attorneys of America, by Rue Ratings. PMR Law is a proud member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum. Texas Lawyer magazine has named PMR Law as the #1 Personal Injury Law Firm in Houston.