On August 12, 2020, Active Brands issued a recall for three types of bicycle helmets. According to the recall, number 20-165, the bicycle helmets fail to comply with the U.S. federal safety standards for bicycle helmets, resulting in the risk of head injuries. The recall has affected approximately 300 units of the product.
The recall specifically involves the Active Brand AS Sweet Protection-branded Ripper Jr., Ripper MIPS Jr., and Ripper MIPS helmets. Both the Ripper Jr. and Ripper MIPS Jr. bicycle helmets were available in one size – which fit a head circumference range from 40 cm to 53 cm (or 18.9 to 20.9 inches). The Ripper MIPS helmet was also only sold in one size, which fit a head circumference range from 53 cm to 61 cm (or 20.9 inches to 24 inches).
The recalled helmets were sold in a number of colors (all matte), which included black, white, gray, blue, green, purple, and pink. “Sweet Protection” can be found printed on the side of the affected helmets. Inside the helmets, the manufacturing date (2019 for the year along with a number between 9 and 12 for the month). The model name can be found printed on a label found on the rear side of the helmet. The recalled helmets were tested and certified based on European standards for bicycle helmets, and they were only supposed to be sold in Europe.
The defective bicycle helmets were sold at Evo and Rogers Ski and Sport sporting goods stores in a number of states, including Wyoming, Washington, Utah, New Hampshire, Montana, Colorado, and California. They were also available online via Expert Voice Pro Purchase. The helmets were sold for prices ranging from $50 to $90 from February 2020 through June 2020.
According to the company, no incidents or injuries have been reported. Consumers are being urged to immediately stop using the helmets and either return them to the store of purchase or contact the company for a full refund.
Have you and your family been affected by the recall? Do you own one of the recalled helmets? If so, should you follow the recommendations made by the company? If you or a member of your family suffered harm associated with the defective product, you should not return the product or contact the company for a refund; rather, you should explore the legal options available to you.
Based on the details surrounding the incident and the harm that you or a member of your family suffered associated with a defective product, you might have grounds to file a product liability claim. If you would like to learn more about your right to file a product liability claim for the harm resulting from the defective product, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our firm as soon as possible.
If you would like to learn more about your right to pursue a claim, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible. Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of claims – including product liability claims. Our product liability lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to hold the liable company accountable for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered. If you are ready to speak with our lawyers, contact us today.
The Risk of Head Injuries
Bicycle helmets are supposed to protect bicyclists from head injuries in case of falls. Even the most experienced of bicyclists fall, resulting in a number of injuries. Helmets are among the most important safety gear available for bicyclists. What is the danger of head injuries? Head injuries can range in severity. Concussions, the most common form of head injuries, are generally minor and cause no complications if they are treated correctly. Other types of head injuries include hematoma, hemorrhage, edema, diffuse axonal injury, and skull fractures, for instance. Head injuries can potentially result in permanent brain damage or even be fatal. When bicyclists use helmets appropriately, they significantly reduce their risk of suffering head injuries. As explained above, however, the recalled helmets fail to meet U.S. federal helmet safety standards, meaning that the recalled helmets could fail to prevent head injuries.
Understanding Product Liability
Do you have the right to sue if you or a member of your family suffered a head injury associated with the defective helmets? Based on the concept of product liability, you might have the right to sue. This is because all companies owe their consumers a duty of care – specifically, a duty to ensure that products are completely safe for their consumers to use. When safety standards apply, companies must also ensure that their products meet all standards. Although companies owe their consumers a duty of care, they can breach their duty of care by failing to identify and address the dangers present in their products. When this happens, incidents can occur and directly contribute to harm. Whenever the harm that a consumer suffers is directly associated to a breached duty of care, the company could be liable for the all the harm resulting from the defective product. In other words, affected consumers could sue at-fault companies. If you would like to learn more about product liability and your right to sue, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.
You Could Be Eligible to Recover Compensation
Based on the details surrounding your product liability claim against Active Brands, you might have grounds to recover monetary compensation for the harm suffered (if your claim is successful). You might be eligible to recover compensation for some of the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
For more information about the specific compensation that you could be eligible to receive, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm immediately. Our experienced product liability lawyers will evaluate the details surrounding your claim and help you gain a thorough understanding of the type and amount of compensation you could receive. When you allow our experts to handle your defective product claim, you can trust that you will always have someone fighting for your right to recover the highest amount of compensation available for your claim.
What Should Consumers Do?
If you or a member of your family suffered harm due to the defective helmet, there are a number of things that you must do to prepare to pursue legal action. What should you do? Consider some of the recommendations listed below:
- Seek medical care immediately
- Take photo of all visible injuries
- Take photos of the defective product
- Keep the defective product as-is
- Contact the company to report the incident and the resulting harm
- Do not agree to a free repair or a free replacement
- Do not agree to return the defective product
- Do not agree to a refund
- Speak to any witnesses (collect their contact information)
- Gather any video footage of the accident
- Gather all records of the purchase of the defective product
- Gather all medical records associated with the harm suffered
- Speak to a product liability as soon as possible
If you would like to learn more about the steps that consumers should follow after being harmed by defective products, do not hesitate to contact our firm today. Our lawyers will guide you every step of the way.
Is there a Class Action Lawsuit?
Can I file a class action lawsuit? How can I join or be a part of a class action lawsuit on this case? If the defective product harmed many parties, then it is likely that there is a class action claim in which you could participate. A class action lawyer can help you figure out how to join the specific class action lawsuit. In some cases, there might be mass torts rather than a class action lawsuit – mass torts are single claims against the same company. For more information about how to proceed with your claim, do not hesitate to contact our recall lawyers as soon as possible.
File Your Claim within the Statute of Limitations
If you are interested in filing a product liability claim against Active Brands AS or any other negligent company that contributed to the harm that you or a member of your family suffered, you must file your claim within the time allowed by the statute of limitations that applies to your claim. A statute of limitations determines the total length of time that claimants have to sue; if they fail to file on time, claimants will simply lose their right to sue.
How long do you have to file your claim? In California, product liability claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations, meaning that consumers affected by defective products will only have two years to sue. However, it is possible for exceptions to apply, which can toll the statute of limitations. Because you could lose your right to sue if you do not file your claim on time, you must have a thorough understanding of the deadline that applies to your claim. If you would like to learn more about the statute of limitations that applies to your claim, contact our firm today.
Contact Normandie Law Firm Immediately
Did you or a member of your family suffer harm associated with the recalled helmets? If so, you might have grounds to sue. If you would like to learn more about your right to file a product liability claim for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered associated with a defective product, contact Normandie Law Firm today. At our firm, we have many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, including product liability claims. Our defective product attorneys are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to hold Active Brands accountable for the harm caused by the defective product. Do not hesitate to contact our firm today.
We understand how difficult it can be to access legal services; therefore, we are dedicated to remaining accessible to all affected individuals. Our firm offers both free consultations and free second opinions. During our free consultations and free second opinions, our product liability lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. You can trust that our product liability attorneys will provide you with all the information that you need to reach a successful claim outcome. If you would like to benefit from our free legal services, contact our firm today.
Our firm offers a Zero-Fee guarantee and a strict contingency structure. Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that our clients will never pay upfront fees for our legal services. Because of our strict contingency structure, our clients will not be required to pay anything until after reaching a positive claim outcome. That is, if you do not win, you will not be required to pay anything.
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