Fujifilm Adapter Wall Plug Recall – Electric Shock Lawsuit Attorney
Fujifilm has issued a recall for some of its wall plug adapters used to charge digital cameras. The adapters may break, split, crack, or otherwise fall apart, which can cause dangerous electrical shocks to those who touch it if it is still in the wall. The current will be live, but there will be no preventative casing to keep the surges from harming the victim.
The date of the recall was January 16th, 2018. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the two-year distribution window.
The adapters were sold with various Fujifilm digital cameras from June 2016 to January 2018. In total, some 270,000 units were recalled; of those, about 10%, or 24,000, were sold in Canada. The models include XP90, XP95, XP120, XP125, X-A3 and X-A10 cameras. All of the plugs will have the model number “AC-5vF,” and all the cameras came in various colors, ranging from $160 to $600.
Amazon was one of the largest online distributors the cameras, but the products were also sold nationwide in other electronics stores and mass merchandising outlets. They were manufactured overseas in China, but imported and distributed across the country by Fujifilm North America Corporation of Valhalla, NY.
For consumers who primarily use the adapters to charge their cameras with their computers or laptops, no recall has been issued. This is due to the greatly decreased flow of electricity going through the adapter. However, it is recommended that the consumers still be wary of plugging the adapter into the wall.
Consumers should contact Fujifilm for a free replacement adapter.
Injuries from Defective Wall Adapters
When individuals buy products, they do so with the promise that the products will not harm them. Regardless, companies have distributed products for years that turned out to be dangerous, and the potential for serious injuries rises as more products hit shelves and enter homes. The Fujifilm adapters are no exception.
Electric shocks are the highest risk of injury from these defective adapters. The live currents that course through the outlets in your home can cause severe damage if you are directly exposed to them. These potential injuries can be exacerbated if you attempt to remove a plug without properly drying your hands.
Some results of electric shocks include:
- Burns: Burns are the most common result of electric shocks. They can greatly differ in size and severity; a small shock may cause burn on your hand no larger than a quarter, while a full grip of a malfunctioning wall plug could cause your entire palm and fingers to be burned. The burns can be as severe as second or third degree, depending on how long you were exposed to the shock. Your skin may be red, blistered, sensitive, and inflamed, but if the burn were particularly severe, the skin may turn white and numb. Burns get more severe the deeper they are and the more layers of skin they affect.
- Muscle Contraction: Electric currents can cause muscles to rapidly contract against your will, which can lead to various skeletal and muscular damages. You may involuntary break bones or cause fractures. Muscles may also tear from this sudden overuse and overexertion.
- Tissue Damage: When electricity of a high voltage courses through your body, it may cause damage to tissue, nerves, and more.
- Brain Damage: The central nervous system can receive severe damage from shocks. The brain is a fragile organ, and high voltages can cause irreparable damage to grey matter and nerves, leading to severe consequences.
- Cardiac Arrest: The sudden surge of electricity through the body can act in the same way as a defibrillator does, sending a shockwave straight to the heart. This can cause the heart to speed up and induce a heart attack. Unfortunately, this can be a fatal consequence of an electric shock, as you may not be able to adequately call for help.
Even though no injuries were reported from malfunctioning wall adapters, you should still be extremely wary when handling the products. Take care to safely remove the adapter from the wall with a protective glove, for instance, or ensure the power is off before you unplug anything.
Strict Liability on Product Defects
Businesses are strictly liable for their defective products. This means that they are held accountable throughout all phases of the distribution process. There can be three reasons that a product is defective, and they are:
- Defect in Design: During the creation process, the company could have made an error while designing the product. This flaw would lead to the product malfunctioning in some way; not properly designing an adequate fastener for the plugs case, for instance, could be considered a defect in design.
- Manufacturing Defect: There is the chance that the design was perfectly acceptable, but there were problems at the factory that caused the product to malfunction. This is a common cause in products that only have certain models or batches affected. The machines creating the products could have become misaligned or the wrong materials could have been used to make the casing for the plugs. This is harder to prove and deal with when the products are manufactured overseas.
- Failure to Warn: Products that can cause injuries must have warning labels or hazard signs on the packing or on the products themselves. Some products do not accurately give advance warning that an injury can occur if the product is used in a certain manner.
Fujifilm’s wall adapters likely suffered from a manufacturing defect, and the company should have checked its products for quality control.
Information on Filing a Product Liability Claim
If you were shocked by Fujifilm’s wall adapter for its digital cameras, you may be able to file a lawsuit for product liability. This lawsuit can help you earn various types of compensation for your injuries. In order to successfully file a claim, you should make sure that you have the necessary evidence.
Fujifilm’s recommendation to return the adapter for a replacement means that you would sacrifice the most crucial piece of evidence you have. If you intend to file a lawsuit, keep the defective plug and take photos of the problem. Your receipt will also show that you lawfully purchased the product.
You should also make sure to document your injuries. If you sustained burns or other bodily damages, take photos and videos showing the extent of the harm. If you were taken to the hospital, copies of the medical records and doctor’s notes can be used to provide credence to your claim.
If many people were injured by the same product, you may be able to join a class action lawsuit This is a lawsuit that allows numerous people to collectively sue one entity for similar damages. An attorney can give you more information. However, you should be aware that it is unwise to wait too long to file a claim. Product liability lawsuits have a statute of limitations of two years attached to them, meaning if you wait longer than two years to file a lawsuit, your claim will be thrown out.
This is yet another reason to attain an attorney: with legal assistance, you will never be in danger of missing a deadline. Our lawyers will always be on schedule and will have your evidence submitted so the company can evaluate your claim.
A product liability lawsuit can net you different kinds of compensation, including coverage of medical expenses, lost wages from time spent injured or recovering, damaged property, pain and suffering, and more.
How We Help
Our attorneys at Normandie Law Firm are here to assist you in receiving ample compensation for your injuries stemming from a Fujifilm wall adapter. We will aggressively pursue a settlement from the company and we will not stop until you receive restitution you are satisfied with. We are an experienced group of lawyers that has dealt with product liability claims for years.
Call us today for a free consultation with an expert lawyer. You can ask questions about your product liability claim and we will discuss your case with you, as well as tell you what we believe you can earn. Clients often wonder how to proceed forward with legal action, and we are happy to help. If you select us for legal representation, you will also receive a zero fee guarantee on your claim. This promises that you will not have to pay a dime of out of pocket expenses throughout the case. Our attorneys will cover all the costs, and if we win, our payment comes out of the settlement we earn for you. If we lose, you do not owe us anything, and we eat the costs ourselves.
Reach out to Normandie Law Firm for help filing a product liability claim against Fujifilm for a defective wall adapter.
