Cochran Firm Wisconsin Legal Blog

The general American public has a vast array of easily available products they can choose to buy. We assume that they are all safe to use and will do the job they are marketed for. Many are made in another country, often China, and may or may not have to conform to certain standards for marketing in the U.S. All products should be accompanied by labeling, and perhaps a user manual, that gives all relevant information for safe and effective use.

Perhaps product standards are not strict enough, or not enforced strictly enough. Perhaps there are other requirements that should be tightened. Despite the precautions taken for public safety, defective products are withdrawn from the market every week, perhaps every day. Some recent examples are:

• Baby cribs made in China with a railing that creates a space between itself and the mattress, causing some babies to suffocate
• Child car seats with breakable plastic handles that injury the child
• Pre-school toys containing small magnets which can fall out and pose a choking hazard for children
• Radial tires made in China with tread that separates, causing auto accidents
• Heparin (a blood thinning drug) containing contaminated elements from China that cause illness and death
• Peanuts and peanut butter harboring mold, insects, or foreign plant materials, all of which can cause illness
• Bagged spinach contaminated with salmonella or E. coli
• Toothpaste made in China found to contain diethylene glycol which can cause kidney and liver damage
• Cat and dog food found to contain rat poison

You can read about another example on our Defective Roofing page.

Many of the products withdrawn from the market are defective medical devices prescribed for a patient's use by their doctor. Examples of recently withdrawn devices are joint replacements, pacemakers, and heart valve implants. Far from helping patients recover their health, such defective products further impair health and may endanger the patient's life.

If you have been badly injured by a defective product, or if you have lost a loved one that way, please contact our office. We will be happy to schedule a free consultation for you with a defective product attorney. You can get clear answers your questions and learn more about your legal situation.