High School Quarterback Electrocuted By Vending Machine
Star high school quarterback has it all. Cheerleader girlfriend, admiration and imitation of the other guys on the team and around the school. College recruiters practically beating down his front door. His life is perfect. He is invincible. Until last Tuesday. He decides to grab a soda on his way to class. He drops the first quarter in the vending machine and life changes in one horrific instant. The ungrounded vending machine uses the boy as a conduit for electrical current. He suffers severe burns to his throwing arm, including his hand. His future disappears right in front of him.
Grandmother Burns Down Home With Electric Blanket
Grandma buys an electric blanket to help her stay warm at night while she sleeps. Too bad for her the careless manufacturer used a flammable insulation on the wires that distribute the heat throughout the blanket. Grandma climbs into bed and settles in for a good nights sleep. Or so she thinks. Two hours later the blanket catches fire, and so does Grandma. The money from the lawsuit helps, but nothing will ever bring her back.
Man Gets Electrocuted In His Own Swimming Pool
A sunny Saturday morning finds Jim cleaning his swimming pool deck with a power washer. Enjoying the day, Jim stands barefoot on the steps just inside the pool. He accidentally drops the power washing unit into the pool. Even though he is in only a few inches of water, he is electrocuted and killed when the electrical current is discharged into the pool. A relatively inexpensive ground fault circuit interrupter device would have cut the current but was not included on the product, in part to save money. Jim tragically leaves behind his wife and two young children.
Could these deaths and injuries have been prevented?
You bet they could have – had the corporations that manufactured the products at issue simply heeded basic safety design guidelines and incorporated the appropriate safety devices into their products. The National Electrical Code is the electrical industry’s “bible.” Had the manufactures of the products above simply followed the requirements of the National Electrical Code, the injuries and deaths would not have occurred.
Be careful With That iPod!
Cases like the ones described above are unfortunately not unique. Countless deaths occur every single year because of electrical products on the market that have basic design and safety flaws. The legal claims most often associated with electrical product defects include strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, and premises liability. Also, because of the inherent danger associated with electricity, claims regarding failure to warn or inadequacy of warnings are often some of the best claims in electrical product defect litigation. Know your rights. Know the laws that are on your side.
Conclusion
Most people understand the dangers and potentially fatal effects of coming into contact with live electricity. However, most consumers do not know that common household products can potentially expose them to this type of danger. Therefore, it is incumbent upon manufacturers of electrical products to design and manufacture them with proper grounding systems, insulation, and circuitry, and to provide adequate warnings of the dangers of electrocution. Furthermore, installers and commercial owners of such products also have a duty to assure that the products are properly grounded and safe for use by the public. Unfortunately, the shocking truth is that these duties are often breached by one or more persons or entities, and the results are deadly. Know the facts. Know your rights. Know that the law can often be on your side, and not the side of big business. Shocking, isn’t it?
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