Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog
Earlier this month, the president and creator of the of the popular desk toy, Buckyballs, recalled the product after facing a lawsuit from a federal agency that threatened to hold him personally liable for the damages caused by the product.
What Are Buckyballs?
Buckyballs are high-powered magnetic balls that can be stacked into almost any shape. Once they are placed together, they are difficult to separate due to the extremely high-powered magnets used in the balls.
The Danger of Buckyballs
According to a report by the Washington Post, the danger of the product was that children could ingest several of the high-powered magnets and then suffer internal organ damage when the magnets “connected” with each other in the child’s body.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the product has injured over 1,000 children. What is interesting about this lawsuit is that the founder of Buckyballs had already dissolved the company back in 2012, and the federal agency bringing the suit was threatening to come after the founder in his personal capacity.
In response, the founder of the company filed a lawsuit against the Consumer Product Safety Commission in an attempt to stop them from coming after his personally. However, last week he dropped the suit after the CPSC agreed not to pursue personal liability.
Product Recalls of Dangerous Products
Manufacturers of any product sold to the public have a duty to ensure that the product they sell is safe for normal use. In addition to being safe for normal use, product manufacturers must take steps to prevent any foreseeable misuse of their product. In the example above, while the Buckyballs may not have been intended for a child to ingest them, it is foreseeable that a child may wander into a parent’s office and place one of the small candy-sized balls into his or her mouth.
When a product causes someone injury, the manufacturer of that product, and potentially any other business in the chain of distribution (retailer, wholesaler, etc.), may be held liable for the injuries caused by the product. To find out more about product liability, contact a dedicated Washington DC products liability attorney.
Have You Been Injured by a Dangerous Product?
If you or a loved one has been injured by a dangerous product, you should seek the legal counsel of an experienced Washington DC personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Depending on the facts of your case, and what product caused your injuries, you may not be alone. Often, a dangerous product can result in hundreds if not thousands of injuries. The more people who are injured by a dangerous product, the easier a recovery may be for you. To learn more about products liability, contact the Washington DC personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. The dedicated personal injury attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen have years of experience enforcing the rights of injured Washingtonians. Click here, or call 410-654-3600 to speak to an attorney today.
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