Product Liability

Truck Steering Issue Recall 2024

February 12, 2024 | John J. Malm

Over 47,000 Kenworth and Peterbilt semi-trucks were recalled due to loss of steering control issues according to our Naperville, Illinois truck accident attorneys. According to Paccar, the steering assemblies may have been incorrectly assembled, with fewer recirculating balls than are required for the steering mechanism. Due to the missing recirculating balls, there is a chance that the semi-truck drivers affected may lose their ability to control steering and crash.

Vehicle recalls are common, and millions of recalls happen every year. In fact, in 2017, 42 million commercial and personal vehicles were recalled. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle, equipment, car seat, or tire creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet minimum safety requirements. Manufacturers often recall vehicles prior to the NHTSA’s involvement because of the safety risks associated with the vehicle defects. Often, defective and incorrectly assembled products can cause serious injuries and may even result in a fatality.

Liability for Exploding Glass Shower Doors

February 20, 2023 | John J. Malm

Across the country, hundreds of people are getting injured as a result of glass shower doors shattering and exploding. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an average of 500 people are injured yearly as a result of being injured by a shattered glass shower door. During the time period of 2016 through 2020, the CPSC estimates that 4,900 people visited the emergency room due to an exploding glass shower door. The problem has been highlighted by the CPSC since 2016, when it requested that glass shower door manufacturers make their products safer.

Illinois Product Liability Law Update: Toro Announces Recall for Snow Blowers

February 19, 2021 | John J. Malm

Toro recently recalled snowblowers that were sold between November 2020 and January 2021 due to a risk of amputation. The recalled snowblowers, also called snowthrowers, were sold nationwide and online at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Toro-authorized dealers. According to Toro, the auger (the rotating corkscrew device) may fail to disengage when the control lever is released. Several reports made to the company have indicated that the auger did not stop spinning when the control lever was released. To date, no injuries have been reported, but a high risk of injury and amputation can occur with continued use of the recalled snowblowers.

Defective products, like the Toro snowblowers, can cause serious injuries. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, snow blower operators suffer more than 500 amputations and more than 5,000 emergency room visits annually. Since 1992, there have been 19 deaths involving snow blowers. Most of the injuries suffered by slow blower operators occur when trying to clear snow and ice from either the auger or the discharge chute. The likelihood of a clogged auger or discharge chute increases based on several factors, including heavy, wet snow, temperatures higher than 28 degrees, and snow accumulation greater than six inches. Continue reading