With Tiki torches and citronella candles now being replaced by firepots and fancy torches as the main illuminator during outdoor summer gatherings, consumers may have to worry about their safety. It turns out that the gel fuel used to light these more chic devices can be very dangerous—so dangerous that in certain situations igniting the fuel gel can cause it to behave like napalm and quickly envelope a person, sticking to his/her skin and clothing and refusing to be extinguished even when a blanket is wrapped around the victim. If you or someone who love has sustained burn injuries because of a dangerous or defective consumer item, you should contact our products liability lawyers right away and ask for your free case evaluation.
Burn injuries can be incredibly painful and they cause a great deal of suffering for the victim. Specialized medical care may be required to treat burn injury victims, costly medical procedures while still leaving the victim permanently disfigured.
Recently, one couple filed their Florida products liability complaint for burn injuries they sustained while using the NAPAfire and FIREGEL Pourable Gel Fuel with their firepots last June. Jacqueline Delgado sustained severe burns that left her in critical condition. Her husband Renee Delgado also suffered burns. Two weeks after their Florida burn accident, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of approximately 460,000 pourable NAPAfire and FIREGEL products following reports of burn injuries by consumers who were hurt when the gel fuel ignited unexpectedly while being poured into a still burning firepot. The gel fuel’s distributor, Napa Home & Garden, has since filed for bankruptcy protection. This means many of those who have sustained burn injuries from the product will be hard pressed to recover products liability damages from the company.
The Delgados, however, have decided to pursue Florida burn injury compensation from the packagers of the gel fuel, which was promoted as eco-friendly, the store that sold the firepots to Jacqueline, and the pharmacy where she purchased the fuel.
Others who have suffered serious burn injuries in similar accidents involving the gel fuel are a 14-year-old boy in New York and an Orlando man who died from his injuries. In two separate South Carolina burn injury accidents, four people are also blaming the gel fuel. Both South Carolina products liability lawsuits are alleging negligent design, testing, and manufacturing, and failure to warn about the risks involved.
Products Liability
Unfortunately, there are defective/dangerous products that can cause severe burn injuries to victims. Chemical burns, hot water burns, electrical burns, and fire burns are some of the burn injuries that can be caused by consumer goods. A manufacturer, supplier, or distributor doesn’t have to have acted negligently to be held liable if someone got hurt because the product was unsafe for use or malfunctioned. There may be more than one party who should be sued for products liability and/or wrongful death.
Palm Beach County couple files lawsuit after burning incident, Sun-Sentinel/The Palm Beach Post, August 3, 2011
Napa Home & Garden Recalls NAPAfire and FIREGEL Pourable Gel Fuel Due to Fire and Burn Hazards, CPSC, June 22, 2011
Gel fuel poses extra dangers, Telegram.com, August 1, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Napa Home & Garden
Burns, MedlinePlus
More Blog Posts:
Turkey Fryers Can Increase Fire and Injury Risk During Thanksgiving, Product Liability Law Blog, November 22, 2010
Preventing Injuries to Children: Are Gas Fireplaces a Burn Hazard?, Product Liability Law Blog, March 8, 2010
Defective Clothing: Family Files $30 Million Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Blair LLC After 80-Year-old Woman’s Chenille Bathrobe Catches Fire, Product Liability Law Blog, November 16, 2009
Our products liability law firm represent burn injury victims throughout the US. Contact The Gilbert Law Group, P.C. today.
