Product Defect Liability Lawyer Blog

Blair LLC. has expanded a defective product recall involving chenille robes and other clothing items after reports of nine deaths after the robes caught fire. According to an Associated Press news report, Blair had received five reports of deaths linked to the robes that were manufactured in Pakistan. Now, the Pennsylvania-based company has received four additional reports of fatalities linked to these defective robes, which apparently failed to meet federal flammability standards. Now, the company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are expanding the recall to include more chenille robes and other chenille products including jackets, lounge jackets and tops. Most of the deaths however involved the full length chenille robes.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has ordered four companies to pay about $615,000 in fines for manufacturing defective products that posed a safety hazard to consumers. According to an Associated Press news report, these companies improperly sold hooded sweatshirts or jackets that have drawstrings at the neck, posing a strangulation hazard to children, which can result in serious personal injuries or death.

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Blair LLC. has reported 162,000 of its defective products -- women's robes -- after six women reportedly died when the chenille robes caught fire. Some of the robes caught fire while cooking, according to an MSNBC news report. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued an alert stating that women who own these robes should stop using them. CPSC and Blair initially announced their voluntary recall in April citing three reports of robes catching fire, including one report of second-degree burn injuries. This second product recall notice comes now after the company received reports of six deaths due to the robes catching fire.

In five of the six cases, the victims were women cooking at the time and three of the victims were in their 80s. The CPSC is urging that consumers report all incidents – injuries and fatalities – involving these defective products. The recalled Blair robes were made in Pakistan and include the following item numbers -- 3093111, 3093112, 3093113, 3093114, 3093115, and 3093116. They were sold through Blair catalogs and on the company's Web site as well as Blair stores in Pennsylvania and Delaware from January 2003 through March 2009. Consumers who own these defective products may return them to Blair and receive a refund or a $50 gift card. Anyone seeking more information may call the company at 1-877-392-7095 or visit their Web site at www.blair.com.

My heart goes out to all the victims who have suffered severe burn injuries or have been killed as a result of fatal burn injuries due to these defective robes. I offer my condolences to families who have lost loved ones as a result of these product defects. Please keep them in your prayers.

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Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings Recalled for Strangulation Hazard

Seattle Cotton Works is recalling about 40,000 hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings because of a product defect which poses a strangulation hazard, according to a consumer safety alert issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Seattle-based company is voluntarily recalling these defective clothing items that have a drawstring through the hood that can pose a strangulation hazard to children. So far no injuries or deaths have been reported in connection with this recalled product.

The defective sweatshirts manufactured in Pakistan are hooded and long-sleeved with full-length zippers and drawstrings along the neck line. The products were sold under the Seattle Cotton Works brand in six different designs. The name "Seattle Cotton Works" appears along the inside neck line. These recalled sweatshirts were sold exclusively at Kohl's Department Stores nationwide from January 2009 through February 2009 for about $17. Consumers who own or use these products are asked to immediately remove the drawstrings from the sweatshirts to eliminate the hazard or call the manufacturer to return the product for a full refund. If you would like more information, please call Seattle Cotton Works at 1-800-533-8922.

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