On November 19, 2019, United National Closeout Stores (UNCS) issued a recall for the Ontel ISO7X Isometric Exercise Devices. According to the recall (recall number 20-024), the handle grips on each end of the device can break during use, causing parts to be forcefully ejected from the shaft of the device. This poses a risk of injury from impact (from the ejected parts) to users and bystanders alike.
According to the recall, approximately 1,500 units are affected. The Ontel ISO7X isometric exercise devices are approximately three feet long. The devices have hard plastic handle grips (black) on each end. The devices also have two black nylon straps that extend down opposite sides of the center metal shaft. Only the devices with the black handle grips are involved in the recall. These devices were originally recalled in April 2014; however, the recalled exercise devices continued to be sold even after the original recall.
The recalled exercise devices were sold at Burlington Stores around the nation from January 2019 to March 2019, for approximately $7 each. The recalled products are manufactured in China, distributed by UNCS, and branded as Ontel. According to the recall, there have been at least 10 reports of the handles breaking as well as the internal spring coil and rod being ejected. This includes the 5 original reports of impact injuries resulting in punctures or lacerations surrounding the initial recall. There have been no new reported incidents.
The recall urges all consumers who own the defective ISO7X isometric exercise devices to immediately stop its use and contact UNCS for instructions on obtaining a full refund.
Although no new incidents or injuries have been reported, it is very possible that there have been unreported incidents that have resulted in injuries. If you or a member of your family suffered any sort of harm as a direct result of the defective product, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. Specifically, you might have grounds to file a product liability claim against UNCS.
If you would like to learn more about your right to file a claim against UNCS for the harm that you suffered due to the defective isometric exercise devices, it is essential that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible with the experts at our law firm. The product liability lawyers at Normandie Law Group are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with all the information that you might need to take legal action against the company that negligently contributed to the harm that you suffered.
If you would like to discuss your current situation with the experts at our firm, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our product liability lawyers at your earliest convenience.
The Danger Associated with the Defective Product
The exercise device is defective because the handle grips can break during use, resulting in parts being forcefully ejected from the shaft. Both users and bystanders are put at risk of suffering injuries. The defective product could cause abrasions, contusions, and lacerations, for example. These are all a type of blunt force injuries. Generally, these injuries are not very severe; however, they could be significant.
There are also a number of sensitive areas where sudden impacts could be very dangerous. The most obvious of these areas is the face – specifically, the eyes. Ocular injuries (eye injuries) can result in severe and oftentimes permanent damage. If any parts of the defective product are ejected and strike someone in the eye area, the incident could result in eye swelling from forceful impact, hyphemas/orbital blowout fractures, corneal abrasions, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and traumatic iritis, for example.
Regardless of the specific harm suffered in direct association with a defective product, it is essential that you explore the possibility of holding a company accountable for the injuries that you or a member of your family suffered.
Is the Company Liable?
Is UNCS liable for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered because of their defective isometric exercise devices? All companies have a duty of care towards their consumers based on product liability. Based on product liability, all companies have a duty of care towards their consumers. Specifically, all companies have the duty to ensure that all their products are safe for consumer use. To ensure the safety of their products (and prevent putting their consumers at risk of injury), all companies must actively identify and address any hazards present in their products. When companies fail to identify and address the hazards present in their products, they are putting their consumers at risk of injury, and they are essentially breaching their duty of care towards their consumers. If a product defect (in product design, labeling, or manufacturing, for instance) results in harm to consumers, the company could be liable. This means that affected consumers could sue for the harm they suffered.
What Steps Should You Take?
If you or a member of your family suffered any type of harm because of the negligent and reckless actions of a company that failed to identify and address a product defect prior to making the product available to consumers, there are a number of steps that you should follow to ensure that you preserve your right to sue.
Consider the following recommendations:
- Take photos of your injuries
- Get medical care for your injuries
- Take photos of the defective product
- Collect all pieces of the defective product
- Do not tamper with the defective product
- Gather witness contact information
- Contact the company and report the defect, the incident, and the harm suffered
- Do not return the defective product to the company
- Do not agree to a free repair or a free replacement
- Do not agree to a refund
- Gather all records including purchase records and medical records
- Seek the expertise of a product liability lawyer
For more information about the recommended steps that you should follow if you or a member of your family were harmed by a defective product, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our firm at your earliest convenience.
You Could Sue and Recover Compensation
As mentioned above, companies could be liable for the harm resulting from their defective products. If a company is liable, victimized consumers could sue. Successful product liability claims often result in claimants recovering at least some sort of monetary compensation. Although there is no guarantee regarding the specific type and amount of compensation that claimants could recover, all claimants should be aware of the different categories of compensation available; these include the following:
- Medical expenses – for the costs associated with medical care
- Lost income – for all the wages that were lost during the time that the victim is unable to work due to his or her injuries
- Pain and suffering – for the mental and emotional distress, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, etc., suffered in association with the injuries.
- Property damage – for any damage to personal property directly caused by the defective product.
- Funeral and burial costs – in the case of death, for the costs associated with funeral and burial services.
- Loss of consortium – in the case of death or severe injuries, for the loss of ability to have a normal, family relationship with the victim.
- Punitive damages – in the case of gross negligence, awarded to punish the defendant and to deter similar incidents from reoccurring.
For more information regarding the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to recover, do not hesitate to contact our law firm today. You can be certain that our lawyers are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the type and amount of compensation that you could receive.
When you allow our lawyers to handle your claim, you could be certain that there will always be someone aggressively fighting for your right to recover the compensation that you deserve. Our lawyers are ready to fight for your right to receive the maximum amount of compensation available for your claim. For more information, do not hesitate to contact our product liabiltyi
What Deadline Applies to Your Claim?
Without a doubt, you could take legal action against the company that negligently contributed to the harm that you suffered. However, if you fail to take any legal action within the appropriate length of time, you could lose your right to sue entirely. All claims, including product liability claims are subject to strict deadlines. These deadlines are called statutes of limitations. A statute of limitations establishes the specific length of time that claimants have to file their claims; if they fail to file within the appropriate time limit, they could lose their right to sue and their right to recover any form of compensation.
What deadline applies to your claim? In California, product liability claims are typically subject to a two-year statute of limitations, meaning that claimants will only have two years to pursue their claims. As mentioned above, failure to file a claim on time will result in losing the right to sue; therefore, it is important to always discuss the applicable statute of limitations with an experienced attorney. It is also important to speak to an attorney to discuss the possibility of any exceptions applying to your claim. Certain details of your claim could result in exception to the statute of limitations; these exceptions could toll or pause the deadline that applies to your claim.
To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the statute of limitations that applies to your claim, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience.
Contact Our Law Firm Today
If you were harmed in any way by the exercise devices recently recalled by UNCS and Ontel, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. Depending on the specific details surrounding the incident and the way that you were harmed, you might have grounds to file a product liability claim and fight for the right to recover monetary compensation. To explore the possibility of filing a claim for the harm that you suffered in association with the defective isometric exercise devices, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at Normandie Law Firm at your earliest convenience.
At Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers have many years of experience handling all sorts of claims – including product liability claims. At our firm, our product liability lawyers have successfully handled all sorts of product liability claims against different companies – always fighting for the rights of all victimized parties. At Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers are dedicated to aggressively fighting for the rights of all victims affected in one way or another by defective products; therefore, our firm offers free legal services to remain accessible to all.
Specifically, our firm offers free consultations and free second opinions. During our free consultations and free second opinions, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – all while ensuring that you have access to all the information necessary to pursue your claim. Whether you are interested in starting or continuing your claim against a company that negligently contributed to the harm that you suffered because of their defective products, you can be certain that our lawyers are ready to provide you with all the information that you need to pursue your claim.
Our free legal services are available as part of our Zero-Fee guarantee. Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that our clients never have to worry about paying any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. Our law firm is also strictly based on a contingency structure. How does our contingency structure affect you or your claim? Because of our strict contingency structure, our clients will never be required to pay any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. This means that if you do not win, you will not be required to pay anything.
If you are ready to discuss the possibility of filing a claim with the product liability experts at our firm, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our experts at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers are ready to help you fight for your rights as a consumer.
