You don’t expect to suffer injuries when you purchase a product and use it as intended. Unfortunately, not every product on store shelves is safe. Many defective consumer products continue to be bought and sold until injuries have been reported.
Such was the case with the recent Toshiba laptop AC adapters recall. There have been over 600 reports of the device overheating, and dozens of reported burn injuries.
If you were injured by an overheating Toshiba adapter or another defective product, it may be in your best interests to learn about your legal rights and options. Call Chiappetta Trial Lawyers today for insight on your potential case.
Details Regarding the Toshiba Laptop AC Adapters Recall
There have been at least 679 reported instances of various Toshiba adapter models overheating and catching fire, as well as more than 40 reported burn injuries. According to the details in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Toshiba laptop AC adapters recall, these adapters start overheating before sparking. The sparks can create a burn hazard and result in a fire.
Dynabook announced an official product recall on February 21, 2024. The impacted models include those sold directly with Toshiba brand laptops and those sold individually. The impacted models were sold between April 2008 and December 2012 in various stores nationwide.
Experts estimate that about 15.5 million of these defective consumer products were sold over the years. Consumers who suspect that they have an impacted Toshiba laptop adapter model should immediately stop using it.
While Dynabook is offering replacements of these affected models, a new laptop adapter will do little to cover the medical bills and damages of those who were injured by these products. If you or a loved one suffered burn injuries after using a defective Toshiba laptop adapter, reach out to an attorney to learn more about your options for compensation.
Can Consumers File a Product Liability Lawsuit?
If you or a loved one were injured by an overheating Toshiba laptop adapter or another defective product that was sold in Florida, you may be able to file a product liability lawsuit. If the manufacturer was negligent and created an unsafe product, it may be possible to hold them financially responsible for your losses.
Our attorneys can help you seek compensation to cover your expenses and help protect future customers from getting hurt.
What Compensation is Available after a Defective Product Injury?
A product liability claim allows you to recover compensation for the losses you’ve incurred as a result of an accident and injury caused by a defective product. In general, these damages are broken up into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the financial expenses you’ve incurred due to the accident and injury. These losses can be calculated simply by adding up all your expenses, such as medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and any other bills related to the defective product injury.
In cases involving catastrophic injuries, such as severe burns, it may be possible to recover the cost of estimated future medical bills as well as any necessary at-home modifications to accommodate the new limitations imposed by an injury.
Non-Economic Damages
In addition to your financial losses, you may also recover compensation for non-economic damages. In general, these losses are subjective and more difficult to quantify than economic damages. Examples of recoverable non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium, a reduced quality of life, and more.
In cases of severe burn injuries, it may also be possible to recover compensation for permanent scarring and disfigurement, disability, and diminished earning capacity or unemployability.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are not available in every product liability case and are only awarded in cases involving extreme negligence or wanton disregard for the safety of others. Punitive damages are meant to penalize the offender and deter product manufacturers from acting recklessly in the future.
How a Product Liability Lawyer Can Help
When a defective product has hurt you, you’re already suffering financially. You might wonder whether hiring a product liability lawyer is worth the expense.
The team at Chiappetta Trial Lawyers can help you from start to finish. First, we’ll advise you on your best course of action based on your circumstances, the facts surrounding your case, and the extent of your or your loved one’s injuries. We’ll work to properly valuate your losses and calculate a settlement amount that accurately reflects the scope of your losses. From there, we’ll fight for you in and out of the courtroom to reach a fair settlement agreement.
Learn more about us and our team to see why Chiappetta Trial Lawyers is the top choice for product liability representation in Florida.
Do You Think You Have a Product Liability Case in Florida?
Were you impacted by the recent Toshiba laptop AC adapters recall? Did you experience an accident that resulted in injuries before the recall date?
Legal recourse is available after a defective product injury. Here at Chiappetta Trial Lawyers, we can help you value your losses, find evidence to support your claim, and build a strong case against the product manufacturer.
Contact us now to discuss your accident and injuries in more detail with one of our attorneys.
