| Fast Food Litigation |
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| Is a double cheeseburger a defective product? A number of tort lawyers and their clients believe so. In July 2002, a class action suit was brought on behalf of patrons of McDonald's, Wendy's Burger King, and KFC. The suit alleged that the fast food companies negligently, recklessly, or intentionally manufactured and marketed foods that caused adverse health effects such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The lead plaintiff in the case was a 56 year old, 270 pound man, but the class was vaguely defined as those who have consumed products manufactured and sold by the defendants who have become obese, overweight, developed diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and/or other detrimental health effects. A federal judge in New York dismissed the case, but that has not spelled the end of suits against purveyors of fast food.More... |
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| Strict Liability |
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| If the gas tank of your car explodes causing injuries, you may be able to recover damages. Products liability is an area of law covering personal injuries and damages caused by defective products. A defective product is a product that causes injury or harm because of a flaw in the product. Sometimes the design of a product makes it dangerous. A defect can also result from a mistake in the manufacturing process or a failure to warn of the product's dangers. A manufacturer has a duty to sell safe products to consumers. There are three theories of products liability: strict liability, negligence, and breach of warranty. This article covers strict liability for defective products. More... |
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| Motor Vehicles |
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| Motor vehicles can have design defects and manufacturing defects. If a defect causes harm to a consumer, the manufacturer can be held liable for damages.More... |
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| Household Refrigerator Safety Act |
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| The headlines are too familiar and too tragic: "Children, 4 and 7, Found in Old Refrigerator, Dead From Suffocation." The Household Refrigerator Safety Act (Act) was passed to prevent children from becoming trapped inside refrigerators and suffocating to death. More... |
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| Household Chemical Litigation |
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| Almost any household chemical can be dangerous if swallowed or spilled. It is estimated that the average home in America contains over 60 toxic chemicals. Some of the commonly used household products that can be dangerous are air fresheners, ammonia, bleach, carpet and upholstery shampoos, dishwasher detergents, drain cleaners, furniture polishes, mold and mildew cleaners, oven cleaners, antibacterial cleaners, and toilet bowl cleaners. The injuries that these products can cause range from mild skin irritation to death.More... |
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