4 Famous Defective Home Product Lawsuits: And How To Stay Protected From Faulty Products 

Defective products can lead to serious consequences and injuries. We’ve all heard horror stories of someone using a seemingly harmless product, and then suddenly becoming irreversibly injured. More often than not, a defective product is not an isolated event, but a warning sign of a series of coming disasters caused by negligent manufacturing. To give you a strong idea of what’s at risk, here are four of the most famous defective home product lawsuits (and some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim): 

1. Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits 

In 2012, many lawsuits went to trial dealing with transvaginal mesh. Transvaginal mesh is a medical implant that is net-like and is used frequently to treat stress, pelvic organ prolapses, and incontinence. These meshes support organs that are weakened, giving them extra strength as they repair damaged tissue. Unfortunately, these transvaginal mesh devices caused severe side effects in thousands of women who were using them. Vaginal scarring, debilitating pain, and fistula formations were especially common. By the end of 2012, manufacturers were ordered to pay upwards of $1.5 billion, in settlements to what’s estimated to be over 100,000 clients. 

2. Takata Defective Airbag Lawsuits 

The NHTSA issued a mass recall of Takata airbags after discovering they had dangerous defects. The airbags were using a volatile chemical known as ammonium nitrate as the key propellant in their design. Unfortunately, this chemical destabilizes when exposed to extreme heat and humidity, and this causes airbags to aggressively deploy, explode, and spread metal shrapnel. A minimum of sixteen deaths related to these dysfunctional airbags have been documented since 2015. The recall affected cars made by some of the biggest manufacturers, including Honda, General Motors, and Ford. Over a billion dollars have been paid out to victims of these negligently constructed airbags. If you’ve been a victim of a defective auto product, contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers to help you determine if you have a lawsuit.

3. Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuits 

Talcum powder used to be a widely used self-care product, but after the major lawsuits weighed against Johnson & Johnson for their asbestos-contaminated talcum powder products, public opinion on them has changed drastically. Asbestos is a carcinogenic mineral that is often intermingled with the talc deposits that Johnson & Johnson mined to craft their talcum powder products. As recently as June of 2020, Johnson & Johnson has paid over $2 billion to victims of their asbestos-contaminated products. 

4. Monsanto Roundup Lawsuits 

The International Agency for Research broke ground when they published irrefutable proof that linked weed-killer Roundup to cancer and other adverse, severe side effects. The product was proven to be highly carcinogenic, and over 100,000 claims have been made against Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup since this evidence was put into the public eye. Billions of dollars have been paid out to victims as of 2015, and the number of lawsuits targeting Monsanto, both for Roundup cases, and cases involving other harmful products they’ve manufactured, have continued to rise. In 2019, nearly $11 billion more dollars were paid out to victims of Monsanto’s negligence. 

3 Tips For Staying Safe From Defective Home Products:

1. Research Suspicious Products 

If you begin to feel suspicious of a product you’ve bought, it’s time to fire up Google and ensure you’re not using something dangerous, or that’s been rumored to harm its users in the past. The peace of mind this search will bring you is key in using your home products effectively, and will ensure you stay clear of potentially defective home products that could cause you great bodily harm. And always make sure you use products for their intended purpose. 

2. Read User Manuals 

Before using a product, simply read the user manual that comes with it. Doing so will give you a solid grasp of the functions of the product, which will both keep you safe, and which will help you use the product to its maximum efficiency. When using kitchen or power tool products, knowing how to safely and effectively use a product becomes especially important. 

3. Keep Up-to-Date with Defective Product Lawsuits

More than anything else, simply staying on top of the news regarding defective product lawsuits will keep you protected. It’s hard to know ahead of time if there is a problem with a product, but once an issue becomes widely reported, you’ll know that it’s time to become vigilant. Just to be safe, it’s suggested that you avoid any products that are under legal scrutiny until lawsuits are settled, and investigations are complete. Doing so will ensure you do not become a defendant in a painful defective product lawsuit. 

Understand All of Your Products

Without a clear understanding of the products you’re using, you put yourself in danger of using them incorrectly or running into a defective home product. Staying up-to-date, and knowing how to use a product offer extra protection. Unfortunately, every year reveals more defective products in the marketplace, which lead to serious, costly lawsuits that then make the news.