The giant online retailer has come under some pressure for its Amazon Basics line. Recent reporting shows that customers reviewed some products as presenting a fire hazard. Some products like faulty surge protectors or power cords have been investigated as the possible source of home fires. One reviewer posted a photo of a burnt and broken microwave that they claimed to have purchased a few months before.
CNN tested some products to see if their journalists could get to the bottom of the malfunctions. While one cord was too damaged to inspect, CNN did determine that a design problem had caused a microwave to possibly catch fire. However, many Amazon Basics are still available for sale online.
In the past, there have been questions about where liability lies with some Amazon products. Especially since the site allows third party sellers to offer items for sale. This means that many people buy a product from a seller after seeing it advertised on the site, but that the product does not come from Amazon itself. There are many other sites out there that use similar selling setups – like Ebay for instance which is an online auction type site where sellers can post wares.
These recent updates certainly bring to light some questions about product safety. Many people have switched to online purchases as the pandemic wears on, so what does that mean for safety?
A defective product is one that has an issue when you buy it. Think about a manufacturing defect that could render a single toy unsafe, or a design defect that could cause issues with an entire line of products. Some common problems caused by defective products are fire or personal injury. It is important to consult a lawyer if you have been injured by a product. The lawyer can help to determine if a defect caused the unsafe situation.
And always remember to keep the product for testing!
If you have been injured by a defective product, call an attorney at Graham & Mauer. We are here to help clients understand their case and get the compensation that they deserve.