On March 19, 2018, Crate and Barrel issued a recall for their Miles Glass Pitchers with Wood Lid. According to the recall, 20-099, the handle on the glass pitcher can break; this poses a laceration risk. The recall has affected approximately 2,560 products in the U.S.
The recall specifically affects the 84-ounce glass Miles Pitcher, which has a wooden lid. The pitcher measures approximately 9” H x 5” D. On the bottom of the pitcher, a label contains the following information: Miles Pitcher Wood Lid; Made in China; SKU #444-560.
The defective pitchers were sold at Crate and Barrel stores around the nation. The defective pitchers were also available for purchase online via www.crateandbarrel.com. The pitchers were sold for approximately $35 each from December 2019 to February 2020.
According to the company, there have been at least five reports of the handle breaking off the glass pitcher during use; however, the company claims that no injuries have been reported. The company is urging all affected consumers to stop using the recalled pitchers and contact them for a full refund as well on instructions for disposal of the product.
Should you follow these suggestions? The only time that consumers should follow the suggestions made by companies that issue recalls is when absolutely no harm has come from the defective product. But what if the defective product did cause harm? What if you or a member of your family suffered significant harm associated with the defective pitcher?
If you or a member of your family suffered harm because of the defective Crate and Barrel pitcher, it is essential that you explore the legal options available to you. Depending on the details surrounding the incident and the harm suffered, you might have grounds to file a product liability claim against Crate and Barrel. If you would like to learn more about your right to pursue a defective product claim for the harm that suffered because of the defective pitcher, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our law firm immediately.
At Normandie Law Firm, our product liability lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance necessary to take action against the liable company. If you are interested in learning more about your right to sue after being harmed by a defective product, do not hesitate to contact our firm today. Our lawyers have many years of experience handling all sorts of claims – including defective product claims. Our defective product lawyers are ready to help you hold Crate and Barrel accountable for their negligent actions; our lawyers are also ready to help you recover the compensation that you and your family are owed.
The Risk Associated with the Defective Glass Pitcher
As mentioned above, the handle on the recalled glass pitcher can break during use, representing a laceration risk. Depending on the laceration suffered, additional harm could result. For example, if a laceration affects a vein, rapid blood loss could occur. Lacerations could also result in damage to nerves, ligaments, and muscles, for example. This could result in loss of feeling and even loss of function. Lacerations could also result in permanent scarring. Regardless of the specific harm suffered, it is important to note that the harm could have been prevented if the product would not have been defective in the first place.
All Consumers Should Understand Product Liability
What are the options available to you after being harmed by a defective product? Depending on the details surrounding the harm that you or a member of your family suffered, you might have grounds to file a claim against a company based on product liability. What is product liability? Based on the concept of product liability, all companies owe their consumers a duty of care – they have the duty to ensure that the products that they make available for purchase are completely safe. Because of this, companies typically test and inspect their products thoroughly before releasing them to the public. However, it is possible for companies to fail to exercise their duty of care; instead, they fail to identify and address product defects and put their consumers at significant risk of injury. This breach of duty could cause an incident which could directly harm unsuspecting consumers.
Because of product liability, the companies that negligently fail to address the defects present in their products can be held liable for all the harm suffered. This means that they could be sued and could be held accountable. If a consumer files a product liability claim, he or she could even be eligible to recover monetary compensation for all the harm suffered. To learn more about product liability, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm at your earliest convenience.
You Can Sue and Receive Compensation
Depending on the details of your claim, you might have grounds to recover monetary compensation for the harm that you suffered. With the assistance of an experienced product liability lawyer, you might be eligible to recover some of the following compensation:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Funeral and burial costs
- Property damage
- Punitive damage
The type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to receive will always depend on the details surrounding your claim. If you would like to learn more about the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to recover, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our law firm at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers are ready to aggressively fight for your right to recover the maximum amount of compensation available for your claim.
What Should You Do? – Preparing to File a Claim
After being harmed by a defective product, there are a number of things that affected parties must do to ensure that they can eventually hold the liable company accountable for their negligent actions. Without a doubt, pursuing a claim might not even cross your mind immediately after an incident; however, it is important to take the appropriate action regardless.
What should you do? Consider the following recommended steps:
- Seek medical attention immediately (even if you do not think the injury is severe)
- Take photos of the injuries suffered (before and after treatment)
- Take photos of the defective product (before it is picked up)
- Keep the defective product in a safe place
- Do not tamper with the defective product in any way
- Contact the company to report the incident and the defect present in the product
- Do not agree to return the defective product
- Do not agree to a free repair
- Do not agree to a free replacement
- Do not agree to a refund
- Speak to witnesses present and gather their contact information
- Gather all medical records relevant to your injury and treatment
- Gather all records associated with the purchase of the defective product
- Seek legal assistance immediately
When you follow these steps, you are essentially preparing to take action against the company that negligently contributed to the harm that you or a member of your family suffered. Although following these steps does not guarantee that your claim will be successful, it will facilitate the legal process. For more information about how you could prepare to pursue a claim against Crate and Barrel or any other company that negligently contributed to the harm that you suffered, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.
The Statute of Limitations
Although the circumstances surrounding your incident might grant you the right to sue, you could lose your right to take any legal action if you fail to act within the appropriate length of time. All claims, including product liability claims are subject to a strict deadline established by a statute of limitations. The statute of limitations that applies to a claim determines the total length of time that claimants have to sue – failing to meet this deadline typically results in losing the right to sue. In the state of California, defective product claims are typically subject to a two-year deadline. This means that claimants only have a two-year period to pursue their claim. Without a doubt, it is important to adhere to the strict deadlines; however, it is also important to note that exceptions to the deadline could apply, tolling the deadline. If you would like to learn more about the specific length of time that you might have to pursue your claim, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our experts at your earliest convenience.
Contact Normandie Law Firm Today
Are you interested in holding Crate and Barrel or any other company accountable for the harm suffered associated with a defective product? If so, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our firm at your earliest convenience. Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, such as product liability claims. Our defective product attorneys are knowledgeable on product liability law and are ready to fight for your right to be compensated. If you are ready to discuss your claim with the experts at our firm, do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience.
Normandie Law Firm is dedicated to remaining accessible to all; therefore, our firm offers free legal services. Our free legal services include free consultations and free second opinions. During our free consultations and free second opinions, our lawyers will make themselves available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – our lawyers will provide you with all the information that you might need to either begin or continue your product liability lawsuit. To benefit from our free legal services, simply contact our firm at your earliest convenience.
Our firm offers a Zero-Fee guarantee to ensure that our clients will not be required to pay any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. Our firm is also strictly based on contingency; therefore, our clients will not be required to pay anything until after reaching a successful claim outcome. This means that you will not pay until you win.
If you are ready to discuss your product liability claims with the experts at our firm, do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience.
