A product recall can actually be a good thing for consumers. However, something bad usually happens first before the recall is initiated.
“While it’s great living in the U.S., it is amazing how many defective products on the market these days – products that are causing Americans minor to serious injuries or even death,” said Scott Atkinson, a New Mexico personal injury lawyer and wrongful death lawyer with the Atkinson Law Firm, Ltd. “There are rules and regulations in place to protect us, but who is enforcing them and who is paying attention to the flood of questionable goods in the marketplace?”
It would be one thing if an odd product here and there got recalled for a defect. However, over a dozen different products were recalled in September 2010 alone. These products include things such as tainted food, medications with previously unknown side effects, shoddily designed tools, vehicles with critical flaws (think Toyota) and toys that can cause children to choke or even poison them with lead.
Fortunately for the consumer, there are civil and criminal punishments on the books that are specifically designed to punish companies that knowingly violate accepted safety standards.
“You have to also realize that some entrepreneurs are not driven by the need to keep people safe, but instead, are driven by the need to make as much money as they can,” Atkinson said. Consumers who have purchased a product that harmed them do have a variety of options available, and one of them is to speak to an experienced New Mexico personal injury lawyer.
“The consumer needs to know his or her rights when it comes to situations like this,” Atkinson said. “The reason for that is just because a product does not work does not necessarily make it defective. There is a distinction to be made here and it’s important the consumer know this. Discussing the details of their accident or experience will let me outline the law to them and we can then discuss if they have a case or not.”
More often than not, the products that have turned out to be potentially dangerous to the public are prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, tainted food (mostly produce and meat), childcare products or toys, auto parts and the cars themselves.
“Just pick up any local newspaper and chances are one of the headlines will be about yet another item being recalled. Does it ever end?” Atkinson said.
To learn more about Scott Atkinson visit http://www.attorneynewmexico.com
