WilliamsRDM Recalls Cooktop Fire Suppressors – Risk of Failure to Activate and Suppress Fires

On December 6, 2019, WilliamsRDM issued a recall for the StoveTop FireStop Rangehood and Microhood Automatic Cooktop Fire Suppressors. According to the recall (number 20-037), the StoveTop FireStop (STFS) Rangehood and Microhood Automatic Cooktop Fire Suppressors can fail to activate the seal openings designed to allow the suppressant powder to feed out of the canister and suppress the fire. The products are supposed to suppress fires before they cause any significant damage; when they fail, they create the risk of extensive property damage and injuries.

According to the recall, approximately 9,300 pairs of the fire suppressors are affected. Specifically, the fire suppressors manufactured from November 7, 2016 to November 13, 2016. The recall includes two products – the Rangehood and Microhood fire suppressors.

The Rangehood fire suppressors are silver cans (colored metal) and have red labels that read “StoveTop FireStop Rangehood.” The date code (4516) is stamped onto the top of the can. The Microhood fire suppressors are housed in a white plastic cannister. On the ramp on the bottom of the cannister, there is date code DEC 2022.The fire suppressors are flame activated and mount over cook top stoves in vent hoods or under microwaves; the suppressors are mounted with magnets.

The defective products were sold at Interline, HD Supply, Louisville Fire and Safety, and Central Wholesalers nationwide. The defective products were also sold online via HomeDepot.com. The products were available for purchase in November 2016 for between $56 and $80.

According to the recall, the company is only aware of two fire suppressors failing to operate during a product demonstration; there have been no injuries reported. The company is urging consumers affected by the recall to stop using the fire suppressors and offering free replacements.

Although no consumer incidents or injuries have been reported surrounding the defective products, it is possible that there have been unreported damages sprouting from the recently recalled fire suppressors. If you believe that you or a member of your family suffered any harm as a direct result of the defective fire suppressors negligently made available by WilliamsRDM, you should explore the possibility of pursuing a claim against the company.

Depending on the details surrounding the incident and the harm that you and your family suffered, you might have grounds to file a product liability claim. If you would like to learn more about the possibility of suing WilliamsRDM or any other company for the harm resulting from a defective product, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance at your earliest convenience – you can trust the experts at our firm.

At Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers have many years of experience representing the best interests of victimized consumers. We firmly believe that the companies that fail to keep their consumers safe should be held accountable for their actions. Our lawyers have many years of experience successfully handling product liability claims and helping victimized consumers and recover fight for their right to sue and receive compensation. If you would like our experts to evaluate your claim and provide you with the necessary guidance to take action against the company that contributed to the harm that you suffered, do not hesitate to contact our firm immediately.

Understanding the Hazard

The products involved in the recall are designed to address kitchen fires – which often cannot be addressed with typical methods. Kitchen fires are often grease fires, and they can be dangerous to try to put out inappropriately. The recalled products are flame-activated; therefore, they are supposed to automatically drop the powdery substance necessary to suppress the fire.

Because the recalled products can fail to activate and let out the suppressing powder, kitchen fires can get out of control and be devastating. Without a doubt, property damage is likely. Anything near the source of the fire is likely to burn. As the fire spreads, other property can be affected. The fires can cause structural damage and, if not suppressed in time, completely destroy homes.

The fires could also cause significant injuries. Unsuspecting parties can suffer burns of varying degrees. The heavy smoke and hot gases released due to the fire can result in significant smoke inhalation injuries. The lack of oxygen because of the heavy smoke could lead to the loss of consciousness. The collapse of structures in the house can cause fractures and other injuries. Without a doubt, consumers can suffer extensive harm. Innocent parties can even die as a result of these fires.

If you and your family suffered any damages because the fire suppressors failed to activate, you might be able to hold WilliamsRDM accountable – you should explore the possibility of pursuing a claim.

Product Liability and the Right to Sue

Do you have the right to sue WilliamsRDM if you or a member of your family suffered any sort of harm because of their defective products? You might have the right to sue and even recover monetary compensation based on product liability. What is product liability? How is the concept of product liability relevant to defective products?

Based on product liability, all companies owe their consumers a duty of care – they have a duty to ensures that their products are completely safe for their intended use. To exercise this duty of care, these companies must inspect and test their products, for example, to be able to identify and address any hazards that might be present in their products prior to releasing them to the public. Their products must be free of any hazards in design, labeling, and manufacturing. When companies fail to identify or address the hazards present in their product and, instead, release defective products to consumers, they are breaching their duty of care. The breach of duty can lead to an incident (fire not getting suppressed) that could lead to harm (injuries, property damage, etc.)

As soon as a breach of duty contributes to the harm innocent consumers suffer, companies could be found liable based on product liability. This means that victims and their families could sue the company.

Could You Recover Compensation?

Are you eligible to recover compensation for the harm that you and your family suffered due to the defective fire suppressors? The answer to this question depends on the details of your claim. Based on the details of your claim, claimants could be eligible to recover monetary compensation for at least some of the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Funeral and burial costs
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages

To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the type and amount of compensation that you might be eligible to receive if your product liability claim against WilliamsRDM is successful, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our experts as soon as possible.

When you allow the experienced product liability attorneys at our firm to handle your claim, you can be certain that there will always be someone aggressively fighting for your right to recover the highest amount of compensation available for recovery. It doesn’t matter whether our experts must negotiate for a settlement or take your claim to trial for a verdict; you can trust that our lawyers will do everything within their reach to help you recover the compensation that you deserve.

Your Time to File is Limited

Without a doubt, you have the right to sue for the harm that you and your family suffered because of a defective product. However, you must file your claim promptly to avoid losing the right to sue. All claims are subject to statutes of limitations. A statute of limitations determines the specific length of time that claimants have to file for the harm that suffered. In California, product liability claims are typically subject to a two-year statute of limitations, meaning that claimants will only have two years to pursue their claims. If not filed on time, the right to sue will likely be lost.

However, certain exceptions could apply. Exceptions are based on the details of your claim. Some details that could result in exceptions include the age of the victim/claimant (if the injury occurs while underage) and the mental competency of the victim, for example. If exceptions apply to your claim, the time that you have to sue could be tolled or paused for some time.

To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the statute of limitations that applies to your claim and any exceptions that might apply, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our law firm at your earliest convenience.

What Steps Should You Follow?

Besides understanding your right to sue based on product liability and the statute of limitations that applies to your claim, you must take the appropriate actions immediately after being harmed to better your chances of being able to file. Following the recommended steps after you or your family suffer harm can help you gather the tools necessary to begin the legal process, if you ever choose to do so.

Consider the following recommendations:

• Stop using the defective product
• Put the defective product as-is in a safe place where it will not be tampered with
• Take photos of all damages resulting from the defective product (injuries and property damage)
• Seek medical attention immediately if necessary
• Seek professional evaluation of property damage
• Contact the company
  • Report the incident
  • Report the harm suffered
  • Do not accept a free replacement
  • Do not accept a free repair
  • Do not accept a refund
  • Do not return the defective product
  • Do not reveal any information that could be used against you
  • Do not sign any documents
• Speak to witnesses and gather contact information
• Identify whether surveillance cameras captured the incident
• Gather all medical records
• Gather purchase records, such as receipts, order confirmations, or bank statements
• Seek legal assistance immediately

If you ever have doubts about what you should do next, simply seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm. Our lawyers are ready to guide you every step of the way.

Contact Normandie Law Firm Today

If you are interested in learning more about your right to sue for the harm that you and your family suffered due to a defective product, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience. Our product liability attorneys are ready to aggressively fight for your right to sue the company that negligently contributed to the harm that you suffered. Our lawyers have many years of experience successfully handling product liability claims and helping victims and their families recover the monetary compensation that they deserve.

When you contact our firm, you will find that we offer free legal services, including free consultations and free second opinions. These free legal services ensure that all affected parties have access to the appropriate representation necessary to take legal action. During our free consultations and free second opinions, specifically, our product liability lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – giving you all the information necessary to start or continue your claim against the company that recklessly caused the harm that you suffered. If you would like to benefit from our free legal services, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our firm as soon as possible.

Our free legal services are available as part of our Zero-Fee guarantee. This ensures that our clients will never be required to pay upfront legal fees for our legal services. Our firm is also based on a contingency structure which ensures that our clients will not be required to pay anything until after reaching a successful claim outcome. If you do not win, you will not pay – it’s as simple as that.

If you are ready to benefit from our free legal services and file a claim against WilliamsRDM or any other company that contributed to the harm that you suffered strictly due to a defective product, do not hesitate to contact our firm at your earliest convenience – our lawyers are ready to help.

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