Home Heaters Can Cause Devastating Injuries and Wrongful Death
The bitter cold of winter continues to linger driving families to seek creative ways to stay warm. Many families use space heaters to make the winter chill manageable. These types of heaters are designed to provide heat to a relatively small area. While space heaters are often portable, this category of heater also includes wood burning or gas burning permanently installed types of heaters.
Space heaters can take the edge off the cold, but there also are people that lose their homes and suffer serious burn or smoke inhalation injuries in fires caused by defective heaters. Our Atlanta Fire Injury Attorneys at Montlick and Associates represent those injured by defective products that cause a risk of potentially dangerous and even fatal fires.
There is a wealth of data indicating the potential hazard posed by space heaters according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Approximately a third of all fires in residences are caused by space heaters. Even more disturbing, 8 in 10 fire-related fatalities are the product of fires caused by heating units. They cause in excess of 57,000 residential fires annually in the U.S. resulting in over 1,500 injuries, almost 500 fatalities and more than $1.1 billion in property damage.
When space heaters cause fires because they are defective, the manufacturer of the unit can be held liable based on product liability law. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) indicates that several dozen types of spaces heaters have been recalled because they can cause fires. The types of defects that can cause space heaters to be unsafe include design defects, manufacturing defects or improper labeling defects. If the defect is inherent in the design of the space heater, this constitutes a design defect while a defect that arises because a problem during the manufacturing process constitutes a manufacturing defect.
Labeling defects may constitute the most serious form of defect involving space heaters, because many fires involve mistakes by the user of the heater. These mistakes can be the product of inadequate instructions and warnings. Tragically, many consumers do not fully appreciate the risks associated with space heaters. Nearly a quarter of all fires caused by space heaters are the result of the units being placed too close to a combustible material according to the NFPA. This mistake by consumers also accounts for almost sixty percent of fatalities related to space heaters. Proper warnings and instructions might prevent some of these tragedies.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Experience to Work For You
If you or a loved one suffers an injury caused by an in-home heater or space heater, you should seek prompt legal advice because legal claims are governed by strict deadlines. Our Atlanta personal injury attorneys at Montlick and Associates have been representing injury victims for over thirty years throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.