On October 29, 2019, Michaels issued a recall for the Bead Landing tassel keychain mobile power banks. According to the recall, number 20-013, the lithium ion battery in the tassel keychain’s mobile power bank can overheat while in use; this poses both fire and burn hazards. More than 14,000 units have been affected by the recall.
The recall specifically involves the following key chains:
- Black – SKU: 545929 UPC: 191518582543
- Cream – SKU: 545930 UPC: 191518582550
- Blush pink – SKU: 545931 UPC: 191518582567
- Iridescent blue – SKU: 545932 UPC: 191518582574
The recalled tassel keychains measure approximately 7 inches long by 1.5 inches wide; they have USB and micro USB charging cables (with a lightning adapter). They were sold in Michaels stores from March 2018 to August 2019 for approximately $20 each.
The company is urging consumers to immediately stop using the defective keychain mobile power banks and return them to any Michaels store in exchange for a full refund. According to the recall, the company has received at least two reports of the key chain power banks suddenly overheating during a charge and catching on fire. So far, no injuries have been reported.
However, it is possible that there have been many unreported incidents, as well as unreported damages. Were you or a member of your family directly affected by the defective product that was recently recalled by Michaels? If so, you might have grounds to take legal action against Michaels for the harm that you suffered. Would you like to explore the possibility of filing a claim against Michaels after you were harmed by their defective product? The lawyers at Normandie Law Firm are ready to provide you with the legal assistance that you need to learn more about your right to pursue a claim.
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If you are interested in learning more about your right to file a claim for the harm that you suffered due to a defective product, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the product liability experts at our law firm as soon as possible. At Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers have many years of experience handling all sorts of claim – including those arising from the damages caused by defective products. Our product liability lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with all the information that you need to take legal action against the company liable for the harm that you suffered.
If you would like the product liability experts at Normandie Law Firm to handle your claim and guide you towards a successful claim outcome, do not hesitate to contact our firm at your earliest convenience – we are ready to fight for your right to recover the compensation that you deserve.
The Hazard Present in the Defective Product
As explained in the recall (and mentioned above), the lithium ion battery in the keychain mobile power banks can overheat and pose fire and burn hazards. Without a doubt, these hazards can result in significant damage. Unsuspecting consumers could suffer the following damages in association with the defective product:
- Burn injuries, ranging in degrees
- Smoke inhalation injuries
- Property damage (structural damage/ smoke and ash damage)
Regardless of the specific type of harm suffered due to a defective product, you must be aware that the harm that you suffered could have been avoided. The damages that you and your family suffered were likely a direct result of the negligent actions of a company.
What is Product Liability?
Based on something called product liability, all companies have a specific duty of care towards all their consumers. The companies that make products available to consumers must ensure that their products are always safe to use as intended. Specifically, companies have the duty to thoroughly test and inspect their products to identify and address (remove) any hazards prior to making their products available to consumers. When companies fail to address hazards prior to releasing products to consumers, they are breaching their duty of care – which can cause incidents that result in consumer harm. If a breach of duty results in harm, the company is likely to be found negligent. To be found liable under product liability, the defect must exist in the product’s design, manufacturing, or labeling. Typically, hazards fit into at least one of these categories. For more information about product liability, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our lawyers as soon as possible.
Do You Have the Right to Sue?
Do you have the right to sue for the harm that you suffered because of a defective product? As explained above, companies have the duty to ensure that their products are completely safe to be used. When they fail to do so, they are breaching their duty of care towards their consumers – which could result in injuries. Because of this, companies could be found liable of the harm their consumers suffer – meaning that consumers could have the right to sue.
Without a doubt, it could be difficult to establish whether you could pursue a claim, especially without the legal opinion of an attorney. Because of that, we always recommend that all parties interested in exploring the possibility of filing a claim always seek legal assistance to learn more about their right to sue. Our lawyers will evaluate your situation and help you understand whether you have the right to sue.
Do You Have the Right to Recover Compensation?
You have the right to sue Michaels for the harm caused by the defective product, but do you also have the right to recover compensation? Depending on the specific details of your claim, you will likely have grounds to recover compensation for the harm that you suffered. What type of compensation could you recover? How much compensation could you receive?
You could be compensated for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
- Legal fees
For more information about the specific type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to receive, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our experts as soon as possible. At Normandie Law Firm, we understand that recovering compensation can help you and your family to overcome all of the financial difficulties stemming from the incident – it will also help you and your family move forward from such a traumatic event in your life.
When you allow the experts at our law firm to handle your claim, you can always trust that our lawyers will aggressively fight for your right to recover the highest amount of compensation available for your claim. Whether we have to negotiate for a settlement or take your claim to trial to reach an award, you can trust that our lawyers will not rest until you are rightfully compensated.
What Exactly Should You Do?
Without a doubt, you could have the right to sue and receive compensation; however, you could lose the right to sue or significantly reduce the likelihood of reaching a successful outcome if you fail to take the appropriate action immediately after suffering harm. In fact, following the recommendations of the company as set out by any recalls (such as returning the product for a full refund) could prevent you from being able to pursue a claim.
To ensure that you preserve your right to take legal action against the company liable for the harm that you suffered, it is essential that you do all of the following:
- Seek medical attention immediately
- Take photos of the injuries suffered
- Take photos of any property damage caused by the defective product
- Evaluate the expense associated with the property damage
- Stop using the defective product
- Keep the defective product in a safe place
- Do not tamper with the defective product
- Leave the defective product as-is
- Contact the company immediately
- Report the defective product
- Report the harm that you suffered
- Do not agree to a free repair
- Do not agree to a free exchange
- Do not agree to a full or partial refund
- Do not return the defective product to the company
- Do not reveal any information that could be used against you
- Collect witness information (if there were any witnesses to the incident)
- Gather all medical records (including records of injuries, treatments, bills, etc.)
- Gather all purchase records (receipts, order confirmations, emails, bank statements, etc.)
- Seek legal assistance as soon as possible
When you follow the different points outlined above, you are preparing to file a claim. Even if you are not immediately thinking about suing the liable party, following the steps outlined above regardless will ensure that you have the tools necessary to file your claim – whenever you decide to do so. If you would like to learn more about the importance of each of the points listed above, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our firm at your earliest convenience.
What Deadline Applies to Your Claim?
Even if you take the appropriate actions (as listed above), you could still lose your right to sue if you fail to take legal action within the appropriate statute of limitations. All claims are subject to a statute of limitations. A statute of limitations determines the specific length of time that claimants have to file their claims. This ensures that all claims are filed promptly, within a reasonable length of time. How long do you have to file your claim? In general, product liability claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations, meaning that claimants will only have two years to file their claims. However, certain exceptions could apply based on case-details; these exceptions could toll the applicable deadline.
Are you willing to lose your right to sue based on a failure to understand the statute of limitations that applies to your claim? To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the deadline that applies to your claim, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers will ensure that you file your claim within the appropriate deadline.
Learn more about your legal options by chatting with a representative now.
Contact Normandie Law Firm Today
Did you or a member of your family suffer any sort of harm because of the defective tassel keychain mobile power banks recently recalled by Michaels? If so, you might be interested in learning more about your right to sue. You could benefit from discussing your current situation with an experienced attorney. You could trust the experts at Normandie Law Firm. Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, including defective product and product liability claims. Our product liability lawyers are dedicated to ensuring that our clients have the representation that they need to hold the companies that contributed to their harm liable for their negligent actions.
Our firm offers free legal services – both free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our product liability lawyers will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and ensure that you have access to all the information that you need to either begin or continue your claim. Our free legal services are available as part of our Zero-Fee guarantee (a guarantee that you will never be required to pay any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services). Our firm is also based on contingency – meaning that our clients will never be required to pay anything until after reaching a successful claim outcome.
If you are ready to discuss your product liability claim with the experts at our firm, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience. The experts at Normandie Law Firm are ready to evaluate your claim and guide you towards recovering the compensation that you deserve.
