Wal-Mart has issued a defective product recall for about 900,000 General Electric digital coffee makers because of their potential to overheat and cause a fire or serious burn injuries. According to an ABC News report, the recall involves black and white coffee makers with model numbers 169164 and 169165. GE is supporting Wal-Mart and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in this voluntary recall. The recalled coffee makers were sold at Wal-Mart stores nationwide for about $30 each from March 2008 to January 2010.

Defective Product Causes Burn Injuries

So far, Wal-Mart has received 83 reports of smoking, melting, overheating, burning and fire. That also included three reports of burn injuries. CPSC is urging those who own these coffee makers to stop using them immediately and return them to any Wal-Mart store for a full refund. Those who have experienced accidents or injuries as a result of these coffee makers are asked to report them to the CPSC on its website.

I’m pleased to note that Wal-Mart has issued a voluntary recall in the case of these dangerous and defective coffee makers. Given the number of incident reports, it is unclear why a recall was not issued earlier. In any such case, where a product has been in the market for a while and injuries have been reported, it is important to look into whether the manufacturer or distributor issued a prompt recall. By failing to do so, manufacturers of defective products put their consumers at risk.

Product Liability Issues

As consumers, we don’t normally expect any of our household appliances to malfunction or cause a fire. Be it toasters or washing machines, we don’t think “accident” when we use them. This is why a sudden malfunction triggered by a product defect can cause catastrophic injuries — because it can catch the user off-guard.

In any case where the injuries are caused by a defective product, it is always a good idea to preserve the product in its current condition, unaltered, so it can be carefully examined by an expert for evidence of defects and malfunctions. In any products liability case, the defective product, is the main piece of evidence. So, it is extremely important to preserve it.

Victims who have been injured by a defective product have legal rights They can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings, and even costs of ongoing treatment, pain and suffering. An experienced California personal injury lawyer, who has successfully handled product liability cases, will be able to advise victims and their families about their legal rights and options.

Have you sustained injuries or property damage as a result of these coffee makers?