Shock Hazard Leads to Bodum Toaster Recalls

On July 17, 2019, Bodum issued a recall (number 19-169) to address the shock hazard present on their Bistro Toasters – specifically their two-slice model (SKU 10709-16-4) and their four-slice model (SKU 11840-16). According to the information provided by the recall, the toasters can leak electric current when operated at the highest normal temperature available; this posed a severe shock hazard to consumer. The recall has affected approximately 2,400 products in the U.S. and more than 1,400 in Canada. Although there have been no injuries reported in the U.S., there have been at least eight reports of electric shock due to the defective toaster in Canada. The defective toasters were sold between September 2018 and June 2019 for prices ranging from $24 to $44 at home appliance stores and online via Amazon and other websites. You own a defective toaster; now, what? The recall encourages all consumers who own the defective products to stop using the recalled toasters and either return them to the store for a full refund or contact Bodum directly for a prepaid mailer to return the product and receive a full refund. Should you follow these recommendations? If you own a recalled toaster but neither you nor your family suffered any sort of harm as a result of the defect, you should definitely follow the suggestions outlined in the recall. What if you did suffer harm? What if you or any other member of your family suffered electric shock because of the defective product? If any harm arose from the defective product, it is essential that you do not do anything recommended by the recall (with the exception of stopping the use of the defective product), and you seek legal assistance immediately. If the defective toaster harmed you or your family, you must seek legal assistance and explore the possibility of filing a product liability claim against the company that negligently made a defective product available for purchase. You could benefit from discussing your current situation with the defective product experts at Downtown L.A. Law Group. Downtown L.A. Law Group is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, including product liability (defective product) claims. When you allow the experts at Downtown L.A. Law Group to handle your claim, you can be certain that our lawyers will provide you with all the information that you need to fight for your right to pursue a claim and receive compensation. If you are ready to discuss your claim with the knowledgeable lawyers at our firm, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience.

Find out more about how we can help you. Call (855) 339-8879 to speak with a representative now.

The Severity of the Defect

According to the recall, the defective toasters, when operating at the maximum normal temperature, the defective toasters can leak electric current, posing a shock hazard to consumers. How significant is the risk of electric shock? Many people mistakenly consider electric shock to be something minor. Although most electric shocks are minor enough to represent no real concern, electric shock incidents can cause significant harm. The most common injury associated with electric shock is burns. Burns suffered due to electric shot are generally located at the point of contact with the source of electricity and the ground. Some of the most common places of contact include the heels, the head, and the hands. The severity of the burns suffered can vary in severity. Something to consider is that low voltage electricity (anything less than 500 volts) cannot cause significant harm. However, high voltage electricity (anything greater than 500 volts) can cause significant harm. In general, some of the harm often associated with electrical shock could include the following:

• External and internal burns
• Cardiac arrest
• Spinal injury (especially if the electric shock resulted in a forceful muscular contraction)
• Internal injuries (associated with shortness of breath, abdominal pain, and chest pain)
• Broken bones (usually in the hand or foot as a result of the strength of the electrical shock)
• Muscle, nerve, and tissue damage
• Brain damage

The list above is only representative of some of the harm that could result from electric shock. Although electric shock injuries are usually only minor, injuries could be severe enough to be permanent and life-altering. Depending on the specific type of harm suffered, victims and their families could find themselves dealing with sudden medical bills, for instance. Considering the significant effect that the injuries associated with electric shock can have on victims, it is essential that you explore the possibility of taking legal action against the company that contributed to the harm that you suffered.

Can You File a Claim?

Do you have the right to file a product liability claim against Bodum? In general, you have the right to pursue a product liability claim only if there is a defect within the product’s labeling, manufacturing, or design. What grounds do you have to pursue your claim? All companies have a specific duty of care to their consumers. They must ensure that all their products are safe for their consumers to use prior to making them available for purchase. This means that they must subject all their products to rigorous inspections and tests to identify and address any hazards prior to making them available to the public. When defective products are made available for purchase, companies are breaching their duty of care to their consumers. What does this mean to you? If you suffered harm as a direct result of a defect that should have been addressed prior to making the product available to the public, you will likely have grounds to pursue a product liability claim. If you would like to learn more about your right to file a claim against Bodum (or any other company) for the harm you suffered due to their defective product, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance as soon as possible.

Learn more about your options for compensation by calling (855) 339-8879.

Can You Recover Compensation?

Depending on the specific details of your claim, you have the right to file a claim – this means that you could also be compensated. What type of compensation might you be eligible to recover if your defective product claim reaches a successful outcome? The specific type and amount of compensation that claimants could recover depend on case-specific details; therefore, it is generally impossible to make assumptions about the specific compensation available for recovery without a thorough claim evaluation. Some of the compensation available for recovery can generally include the following:

• Medical expenses – awarded for all medical fees associated with the incident
• Lost earnings – awarded for all the lost income associated with the incident
• Pain and suffering – awarded for the mental and emotional distress caused by the incident
• Property damage – awarded for any lost or damaged personal property resulting from the incident
• Loss of consortium – awarded for the loss of the ability to have a normal relationship with the victim
• Funeral and burial costs – awarded for the costs associated with death either directly caused by the incident or complications of any harm caused by the incident
• Punitive damages – awarded to punish the defendant and deter the defendant from making similar mistakes with their products that could lead to similar incidents

There is no guarantee that you will be eligible to recover all the forms of compensation listed above. For more information about the specific type and amount of compensation that you could recover upon reaching a successful result for your product liability claim, it is essential that you seek legal assistance with the experts at Downtown L.A. Law Group. Our lawyers have the experience necessary to effectively handle your claim and help you recover the compensation that you deserve. Our lawyers are committed to ensuring that you recover the highest amount of compensation available for your claim; they will not rest until you receive the amount to which you are entitled. If you are ready to allow our defective product lawyers to handle your claim and fight for your right to receive compensation, do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience.

How Can You Prepare to File a Defective Product Claim?

Unfortunately, many people who with valid claims end up with unsuccessful outcomes due to their failure to effectively prepare to file their claims. There are a number of things that the parties affected by defective products should do to preserve their right to sue and the likelihood to reach a successful outcome. In many cases, victims are confused by the different recommendations throughout the recall issued for the defective products. One of the most important things to note is that only the consumers who suffered no harm whatsoever due to the defective products should follow the recommended actions established on a recall. On the contrary, if you or your family suffered any sort of harm due to the defective product, you should ignore the suggestions of the company and do the following:

Immediately stop using the defective product

Take photos of all the harm caused by the defective product (including visible physical injuries)

Seek medical evaluation

Take photos of the defective product

Keep the defective product in a safe place

Do not tamper with or try to repair the defective product (doing so will destroy evidence)

Contact the company to report the harm suffered due to their defective product

Do not agree to send the defective product back to the company

Do not agree to a full refund or a free repair

Gather all documents relevant to the purchase of the defective product.

Keep all records relevant to the harm caused by the defective product.

Seek legal assistance as soon as possible

When you follow the steps listed above, you are essentially preparing to pursue a claim. Without a doubt, there is no guarantee that your claim will reach a successful outcome; however, following the steps above can increase your chances of reaching a successful claim outcome. If you would like to learn more about the things that you could do to ensure that you can reach a successful claim, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our defective product attorneys as soon as possible.

Is Your Claim Subject to a Statute of Limitations?

All claims are subject to a statute of limitations; statutes of limitations establish a timeline in which claims must be filed. When claims are not filed within the time determined by the statute of limitations, claimants could lose their right to sue. What statute of limitations applies to your claim? In the state of California, product liability claims are generally subjected to a two-year statute of limitations. This means that victims only have two years to file their claims. If they fail to file their claims within the two years allowed by the statue of limitations, they could lose their right to sue. Although the statute of limitations establishes a strict timeline that applies to claims, exceptions could apply – resulting in longer or shorter deadlines applying to your claim. Because a failure to understand the timelines that apply to your claim could result in losing the right to sue, it is essential that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible to ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the applicable statute of limitations.

Contact Downtown L.A. Law Group

Did Bodum’s defective toasters cause you or anyone in your family harm? If you or a loved one suffered any sort of injuries as a direct result of the defective product made available by Bodum, it is essential that you explore the possibility of taking legal action. If you are interested in filing a claim, do not hesitate to contact our law firm immediately. The experts at Downtown L.A. Law Group are ready to evaluate your claim and help you gain an understanding of your right to pursue a claim. If you would like to discuss your claim with the defective product lawyers at our law firm, do not hesitate to contact our law firm as soon as possible – our experts are ready to represent you and fight for your right to file a claim. When you contact our law firm, you will find that we offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – providing you with all the legal information that you need to pursue your claim and fight for your right to compensation. Our free legal services are available as part of our Zero-Fee guarantee. Our Zero-Fee guarantee allows our clients to seek legal assistance without ever having to worry about paying expensive upfront legal fees. Our firm is also based on contingency; therefore, our clients – the victims affected by defective products – will never have to pay anything until after reaching a successful claim outcome. Are you ready to discuss your defective product claim against Bodum with the lawyers at our firm? If so, do not hesitate to contact our law firm today.