The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) tracks reports of injuries caused by consumer products. These reports are used to identify potentially dangerous or defective products that may ultimately be recalled by the manufacturer, distributor or the CPSC. If you’ve been injured by a dangerous or defective item,contact a product liability attorney in Nevada immediately. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Non-Fatal Consumer Injuries
A recent study by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation analyzed hospital visits between 2008 and 2010, and found that about 44 percent of hospital emergency visits for non-fatal injuries involved consumer products. The study found that hospital ERs annually treat about 13.3 million patients who are injured by consumer products. The products most likely to cause injuries are:
- Stairs/steps (8.6%)
- Floors (6.5%)
- Beds (4.2%)
- Bicycles (3.7%)
- Basketballs (3.6%)
- Footballs (3.4%)
- Knives (2.4%)
- Doors (2.4%)
- Chairs (2.3%)
Overall, sports and recreation products were responsible for 30 percent of all product related-injuries. Most of those injuries were caused when people were struck by or against a piece of sporting equipment, fell while using the sporting good, or were injured as a result of overexertion.
Products used in home structures and construction materials accounted for 27 percent of all product-related injuries, while home furnishings and fixtures were responsible for 20 percent of injuries. Notably, injuries related to home furnishings and fixtures were concentrated among young children and older adults.
The study also looked at the relative cost of treating injuries caused by consumer products. The most expensive injuries resulted from accidents on stairs/steps (#1) and floors (#2). The mean cost of injuries caused by home structures and construction materials was $69,498, while the mean cost of treating sports-related injuries was $63,062. While yard and gardening equipment was responsible for a relatively small percentage of injuries, it has a fairly high cost of treatment: $71,473, on average.
If You’ve Been Injured By a Dangerous or Defective Product
Oftentimes, product manufacturers don’t realize a product is dangerous or defective until after it’s been introduced into the marketplace. If you’ve been hurt while responsibly using a product, you may be entitled to compensation under Nevada’s personal injury laws. Contact Nevada product liability attorney Matthew L. Sharp today at (775) 324-1500 to schedule a free initial consultation. During our meeting, we can discuss the nature, cause and extent of your injuries, and help determine whether you have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against the product’s manufacturer or distributor. But don’t delay: Under Nevada law, you have just two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit.
