On October 10, 2019, Carrier issued a recall for the Carrier- and Bryant- branded heat pumps – specifically, the 1.5-ton multi-zone, 4-ton multi zone, and 4-ton single-zone ductless heat pumps. According to the recall (recall number 20-009), the fan motor on the heat pumps can fail, resulting in units overheating; this poses a severe fire hazard.
Almost 5,400 units were affected by the recall; the majority of the products were sold in the U.S. while less than 500 were sold in Canada. The recalled heat pumps can be identified by the following (product/model number/product number):
- Carrier 1.5-ton multi-zone/ 38MGQC18—3/ 38MGQC18—301–
- Carrier 4-ton multi-zone/ 38MGQF48—3/ 38MGQF48—301–
- Carrier 4-ton single-zone/ 38MBQB48—3/ 38MBQB48—301–
- Bryant 1.5-ton multi-zone/ 538TEQ018RCMA / 538TEQ018RCMAAAA
- Bryant 4-ton multi-zone/ 538TEQ048RFMA/ 538TEQ048RFMAAAA
- Bryant 4-ton single-zone/ 538TEQ048RBMA/ 538TEQ048RBMAAAA
The defective products were sold through Carrier and Bryant distributors, as well as through independent dealers and contractors around the country. The heat pumps were sold from March 2015 through April 2019 for between $600 and $4,000 each.
According to the recall, there have been at least six reports of the heat pumps suddenly catching fire. Only one of these incidents occurred in the U.S., while the remaining 5 incidents occurred in Canada. According to the recall, there have been no injuries associated to the fire or the defective products.
The company is urging that all consumers who own the defective product to immediately contact their installing servicer/dealer/contractor to schedule a free repair. The company is also suggesting that while waiting for a repair, consumers should monitor the defective units while being operated. The company also suggests that consumers keep any foliage or flammable items at least 24 inches away from the defective products.
Although the recall claims that there have been no reported injuries related to the multiple incidents of the heat pumps catching fire, it is possible that there have been additional unreported incidents and even injuries. Did your heat pump catch fire? Did you suffer any injuries? Did the defective product cause any damage to your property? If you were affected in any way as a result of the defective product, you might have grounds to pursue a claim against Carrier. Instead of scheduling a free repair, you should schedule to speak with an experienced product liability attorney to learn more about your right to sue.
If you would like to explore the possibility of pursuing a claim for the harm that you suffered, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible. The experts at Normandie Law Firm have many years of experience handling all sorts of claims and guiding affected victims towards successful claim outcomes. If you would like to learn more about the possibility of pursuing a product liability claim against Carrier for the damages caused by their defective products, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our product liability experts as soon as possible.
The Danger Associated with the Fire Hazard
As explained above, the defective heat pumps could suddenly catch fire. This puts consumers at risk of suffering significant harm. Although no two cases are the same, the hazard could result in some of the following damages:
If you were affected in any of the ways listed above because of the defective heat pumps that were recently recalled by Carrier, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Burn injuries and smoke inhalation injuries, alike, could be life-threatening. Property damage could cause a significant financial strain to consumers. Regardless of the way that you were affected, it is important that you consider seeking legal assistance.
Product Liability and Your Right to Sue
If you or your family suffered any sort of harm because of the defective product negligently made available to consumers by Carrier, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. Your right to pursue a claim will be based on product liability. What is product liability?
Based on product liability, all companies have a specific duty of care towards their consumers. They must do everything within their reach to ensure that their products are safe to be used by their consumers. This means that companies must inspect their products and subject them to thorough tests to ensure that they are safe to be made available to consumers.
When companies fail to identify and address the hazards present in their products, they are negligently putting their consumers at risk of injury. Whenever consumers are harmed due to defective products, companies could be found liable for all the harm their consumers suffered – given that the product defect was present in design, labeling, or manufacturing.
If a company could be held liable for the harm that their consumers suffer in association with a defective product, affected consumers will likely have grounds to pursue a product liability lawsuit. For more information about your right to pursue a product liability claim for the harm that you suffered, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our defective product experts at your earliest convenience.
What Steps Should You Follow?
In comparison to any other sort of personal injury claims, product liability claims are very different – specifically regarding the recommended actions that affected parties should take to ensure that they can preserve their right to file a claim. If you were harmed by the defective product discussed above, you should do all of the following:
- Immediately stop using the defective product
- Keep the defective product as-is and do not tamper with it in any way
- Take photos of all physical injuries
- Take photos of all fire damage to any of your property
- Take photos of the defective product
- Seek medical attention
- Contact the company to report the defective product and the damages suffered
- Do not agree to a free repair
- Do not agree to a full or partial refund
- Do not return the defective product
- Gather witness information
- Gather all medical records
- Gather all purchase records
- Seek legal assistance immediately
Let’s go back to the recall discussed above. The recall suggests that consumers schedule a free repair and monitor the defective products while being used. Although these suggestions might work for consumers who haven’t suffered any harm, these suggestions should never be followed by consumers who suffered any sort of harm.
If you were harmed, scheduling a free repair will essentially destroy your right to pursue your claim – since the defective product is the most important element for defective product claims. When you follow the recommended steps listed above, you are essentially preparing to pursue a product liability claim. If you would like to learn more about the steps that you should follow to preserve your right to hold Carrier accountable for the harm that you suffered, do not hesitate to contact our firm today – our lawyers are ready to provide you with all the information that you need to file your claim.
You Could Recover Compensation
If your product liability claim reaches a successful outcome, you will likely be eligible to recover at least some sort of compensation for the damages that you suffered. Because every claim is different, there is no guarantee regarding the specific type and amount of compensation that you could recover. However, the following categories of compensation are often available for claimants:
- Medical expenses – compensation for all medical costs associated with the harm that you suffered due to the defective product
- Lost income – compensation for all the lost wages associated with the harm that you suffered
- Pain and suffering – compensation for the mental and emotional distress caused by the incident relating to the defective product
- Loss of consortium – compensation awarded to family for the loss of ability to have a normal, family relationship with the victim
- Funeral and burial costs – compensation awarded to family for the expenses associated with the death of a victim
- Property damage – compensation awarded for all the personal property that was damaged as a result of the incident with the defective product
- Punitive damages – compensation awarded in cases of gross negligence (to punish defendants)
If you would like to learn more about the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to recover if your claim reaches a successful outcome, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and help you gain a thorough understanding of the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to receive. Our product liability lawyers are ready to aggressively fight for your right to recover the highest amount of compensation available for your claim. For more information, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.
Your Claim is Subject to Deadlines
All claims, including product liability claims, are subject to strict deadlines called statutes of limitations. A statute of limitations determines the specific length of time that claimants have to file their claims. In California, product liability claims are generally subject to a two-year deadline that establishes that claimants only have two years to file their claims. If claimants fail to file within the appropriate length of time, they will lose their right to sue – and lose their right to ever recover any compensation for the harm that they suffered.
Because claims are time-sensitive and failing to understand the applicable deadline could represent losing the right to sue, we always recommend that claimants discuss the applicable statute of limitations with our attorneys as exceptions could apply. For more information, do not hesitate to contact our law firm today.
Contact Our Firm Today
If you were harmed in any way by the defective heat pumps that were recently recalled by Carrier, it is essential that you seek legal assistance immediately with the experts at our firm. At Normandie Law Firm, our experts have many years of experience handling product liability claims and representing consumers. When you allow our product liability lawyers to handle your claim, you can be certain that there will always be someone aggressively fighting for your rights – for your best interests. If you would like to discuss your claim with our attorneys, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.
You will find that our firm offers free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns, providing you with absolutely all the information necessary to either start or continue your claim. These free legal services are available as part of a Zero-Fee guarantee that ensures that our clients will never be required to pay any upfront legal fees for our legal services. Our firm is also based on a strict contingency structure; therefore, our clients will not have to pay anything until after they reach a successful claim outcome.
If you are ready for the lawyers at Normandie Law Firm to handle your claim, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.
