Faulty Product Lawsuits Against Amazon

Amazon has become a multi-trillion dollar company through selling items online. Their seemingly endless product inventory and expedited shipping timeframes for Prime subscribers have built them a massive and loyal customer base.

People who order products off Amazon can examine product descriptions, photos, and customer reviews to ensure that they are buying the right product for their needs and that the product they are buying is worth the money. Customers can post a 1 to 5-star rating, review, and photos detailing their experience using the product.

It’s common knowledge to many that inside the endless pages of Amazon products lie some pretty poor quality items. Amazon sells its own products through AmazonBasics, and they also allow third-party companies to sell items on their site. Many items on Amazon are manufactured overseas using cheap materials that fall apart after a few uses. In more serious cases, customers can be injured when these products malfunction.

When someone is injured by a defective product, they can file a product liability suit with a defective product lawyer in Sherman Oaks. Lawsuits can be filed in cases where the customer was seriously injured by a defective product.

In an inquiry conducted by CNN, they found a shocking number of reviews complaining about dangerously defective products sold by Amazon’s own label, AmazonBasics. Items from AmazonBasics are listed at the top of various searches on the site, such as office supplies and home decor. Since Amazon owns this label, it’s even more shocking that they would permit defective objects to be sold.

Selling a defective product is negligent, and Amazon should be held liable for any product injuries. In fact, the California Court of Appeals agrees. They recently ruled that Amazon can be strictly liable for defective products sold on their site, even if they are sold by a third party. Product liability suits in California follow regulations referred to as the “Communication Decency Act.” This case was filed by a woman named Angela Bolger who suffered severe burns after a replacement laptop battery she purchased on Amazon’s website exploded.

Numerous serious safety concerns about Amazon items have been raised for years. Since 2016, at least 1,500 reviews of more than 70 items have complained that products exploded, caught on fire, started smoking, melted, caused electrical malfunctions, or posed other risks to consumer safety.

While defective products represent a small portion of the overall products on Amazon, this is still a serious issue in the eyes of consumer injury lawyers in Sherman Oaks.

Examples of Amazon Product Defects and Injuries

Product liability lawsuits seek to hold manufacturers accountable for injuries incurred from their faulty products. A Sherman Oaks injury lawyer will explain that products are supposed to be safe and that any risks should be listed on the product’s packaging or online description. If the company behind the product fails to do this, then they are liable for any injuries suffered by their trusting customers.

In what ways can products hurt customers? With the influx of technology in the consumer goods market, customers can get seriously injured. Products can cause third-degree burns, broken bones, and even traumatic brain injuries. In even more serious situations, the customer loses their life, and their family has to get justice through a wrongful death lawsuit.

Like with Bolger v. Amazon, batteries can easily malfunction and overheat, sparking a fire or burning the customer. Popular battery manufacturers whose products have exploded or started a fire include:

• Samsung
• Sony
• Panasonic
• LG
• Efest

Many victims of defective products are emboldened to file a claim with an attorney for injury lawsuits in Los Angeles after hearing about the ruling in Bolger v. Amazon. The ruling comes after a woman named Angela Bolger filed a severe burn injury suit after a replacement laptop battery she ordered on Amazon exploded.

This battery was sold through Amazon’s “Fulfilled by Amazon” program, which is the name for when Amazon lists items for third-party sellers. In this case, the court found strict liability applied to Amazon because they distributed and sold the product in question. The original ruling was in favor of Amazon because they did not manufacture the product, but Amazon is a part of the distribution chain for the product and made money off its sale.

The defective product injury lawyer in California even argued that without Amazon’s role, Bolger would not have purchased the product. Amazon’s claim that the Communications Decency Act shielded them from liability, but Bolger’s attorney’s argument won.

Amazon is seeking a case review from the California Supreme Court, but as of right now, anyone who was injured by a product bought off Amazon has hopes of winning a product liability lawsuit.

How Much Time Do I Have to File My Amazon Product Liability Suit?

In the state of California, the statute of limitations for filing a product liability lawsuit against the perpetrator is two years from the time you knew or should have known about your injury. It’s important for you to get moving on your lawsuit as soon as possible after the accident so that you have plenty of time to build a strong case.

What to Do if You Are Injured by a Faulty Product from Amazon

When you unpack your package from Amazon, make sure to read any warning labels and instructions, as these may give you information on how to avoid an injury. The first thing a Sherman Oaks product injury attorney will ask is if you were using the product correctly at the time of your injury, so you want to make sure that you are using it correctly because your injury will then be the manufacturer’s fault, not yours.

Just like a car accident, you should seek medical attention right away. Medical professionals will make a report and provide useful testimony to your bodily damages in court. While getting medical attention is the most important thing, you should also try to take photos of the incident to document what happened.

After you are treated for your injuries, you should then contact a Sherman Oaks accident injury attorney with your claim. During your free consultation, you can explain to Okhovat Law what happened with the accident and how it negatively affected you. Then, your lawyer will tell you how your claim can result in financial compensation.

About Okhovat Law

Any time you are experiencing an emotional, financial, or physical toll due to the negligence of someone else, you should work with an injury attorney to take legal action.

The multilingual legal staff at Okhovat Law Firm works tirelessly to give clients the results and justice they deserve. We can give you legal counsel, emotional support, and the highest level of care as you recover from your injuries and seek compensation.

Don’t wait and let the statute of limitations for your Amazon injury claim expire. Instead, give us a call at 310-362-6740 or email us at info@okhovatlawfirm.com.