Heating Pad Injuries

While heating pads can certainly be a source of relief and other health benefits, they can also be dangerous when manufactured incorrectly. If manufactured properly, heating pad products should have regulations in place that allow the heating pad to either control its temperature to comply with safety standards or turn off automatically. 

Popular heating pad manufacturer Sunbeam has received a flood of complaints after numerous reports of products reaching dangerous temperatures or catching fire during use. However, this does not mean that the dangers surrounding heating pad products are limited to just Sunbeam. The best burn prevention is conducting your own research before purchasing a heating pad from any manufacturer, as these products can be incredibly dangerous when they contain even the slightest of defects.

Heating Pads Can Cause Serious Burns

Consumers can suffer serious injuries such as thermal burns when a heating pad is manufactured incorrectly or defective in some manner. A Nevada woman recovered a settlement after she was set on fire in her bed when she fell asleep while using a heating pad. The fire was caused by a manufacturing and design defect that made the heating pad unable to regulate its temperature. 

As such, at the time the fire began, the heating pad had reached temperatures nearly double the recommended level. The fire destroyed the woman’s bed, resulted in third-degree burns on her buttocks, and left her with a hefty medical bill.

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I’ve Been Burned – Now What? 

If you or a loved one suffers a burn from a heating pad, seek medical help immediately by calling 911. While you await medical treatment, cool the burn by holding the area under cool, but not cold, water or place a cool wet cloth on the burn. Be sure not to pop any blisters that may be developing as a result of your burn, either. 

Once you have been properly treated and have begun the burn healing process, you should then call an experienced Nevada personal injury attorney. A top-rated personal injury firm can help you ease the pain and confusion you are facing in the aftermath of an accident and help you navigate Nevada laws to ensure the best possible result. 

Who Can Be Held Liable for Heating Pad Injuries 

Nevada law recognizes that victims should not be held responsible for the damages they suffer at the hands of a defective product. If your burn was caused by a defective product, such as a heating pad, you can bring a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer or the seller, depending on the circumstances.

Strict Liability Theory 

If you are injured because of a defective product, Nevada law holds the manufacturer strictly liable for the losses you suffered as a result. This theory applies when an error is made in the manufacturing process. To succeed on a strict liability claim, you do not need to prove that the manufacturer was negligent, but only that there was a defect in the product that existed when it left the manufacturer’s hands, the product was used in a manner that was reasonably foreseeable, and the defect was the cause of the injury. 

Negligence Theory 

While the strict liability theory is solely bound to manufacturers, you can still hold anyone from the entire chain of sale liable under a negligence theory. To succeed on a negligence claim in Nevada, you must prove that either the manufacturer, distributor, and/or seller acted below the standard of care that a reasonably prudent person should. 

For example, if the seller creates a defect and places the product on its shelves anyway, it is likely that the seller will be found liable that they knew, or should have known, the product they sold was likely to cause injury.

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Contact an Attorney if You or a Loved One Has Suffered a Heating Pad Injury 

If you or a loved one has suffered harm from a Sunbeam heating pad or any other defective heating pad product, do not hesitate to call the experienced attorneys at Van Law Firm. 

You may be liable for compensation for damages including, but not limited to medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering. We want to fight to get you the money you deserve from companies who are not placing the safety of their consumers above all else. Call us today to schedule a free consultation!