By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas
You might think that once a defective product has been recalled due to a potential hazard it would be taken off the market for good. Unfortunately, that is not always true.
For the second time, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled about 160,000 Craftsman and Black & Decker cordless electric lawnmowers because of a safety hazard. This month’s recall was issued because the mower’s electric motor and blade can unexpectedly turn on even after the safety key has been removed.
In theory, pulling out the safety key should perform the same function as a “kill switch” on the mower, thus preventing the blade from turning. However, there have been almost three dozen reports of the motor operating after the safety key was removed. Two finger lacerations have been reported as a result, including one injury which required stitches.
These very same mowers were recalled eight years ago this month because of reports of an electrical component overheating, which could create a fire hazard. At the time, the company had received nine reports of property damage (not including the mower itself) and one report of a burn injury as a result of the overheating hazard. This recall was expanded in August of 2006 because of ten additional reports of property damage stemming from the same problem.
These Black & Decker and Craftsman mowers were sold at dealer, hardware, home improvement, department, and discount retailers nationwide from September of 1995 through December of 2006 for about $450 each. Owners should stop using these mowers immediately and contact Black & Decker for a repair, inspection, or credit toward a new cordless lawnmower.
If you or a family member has been injured because of a defective product, you should think about hiring a product liability lawyer and filing a lawsuit for damages or compensation.
About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.