This past January, a $1 million-dollar home was completely lost to fire. The fire was reportedly due to a dangerous product sold by Amazon -- the hoverboard.
According to the plaintiffs' attorney, "Amazon and its various subsidiaries had information about the danger of this product well in advance the January 9 fire, and on top of that, they had notice, they should have known the product was being misrepresented on their website."
The complaint states that the couple bought the hoverboard for $274.79 in Nov. 15 and the son received it as a Christmas gift. The hoverboard was reportedly supposed to have an "original Samsung advanced battery."
According to the lawsuit, there is Tennessee law that holds a seller responsible if the manufacturer can't be determined. This is apparently the case with the hoverhoard, although it has been determined that it was manufactured in China.
No one suffered any burn injuries in the home's fire; however, two of the plaintiffs' children were injured when they had to escape from the home when it was on fire. The plaintiffs are seeking $30 million in damages.
In product liability cases like this, it can be difficult to know exactly who is actually at-fault, so it's important that the parties who are named as defendants have been thoroughly investigated to determine their role in the incident. It may be that the judge or jury only finds one of the defendants was at fault or the judge or jury could find all of the defendants at fault.
Have you or a loved one been injured by a defective product? If so, an experienced products liability can help you seek the compensation you rightfully deserve. Damages might include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress and more.
Source: slate.com, "Nashville Couple Sues Amazon After Hoverboard-Induced House Fire," Laura Wagner, Nov. 01, 2017