Keurig coffeemakers have been popular for a few years now and are one of the most popular ways for people to drink coffee in their homes. However, they are not perfect. In fact, one of their models not only caused injuries to consumers but Keurig did not report the information as quickly as they should have. The results are a big fine – but could they end up facing personal injury lawsuits? Read on to get our opinion and then reach out to The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
The background of the issue
The problem involves the Keurig MINI Plus Brewing System. This is a small version of their large-size model and it has the likelihood of overheating while it is brewing. The result is that hot water sprays out and hits the person making the coffee. Keurig issued a recall and found that more than 200 people reported being sprayed by hot water and 90 of those involved people suffering from burn injuries to their hands, face, or other parts of their body. Some of those received second-degree burns and a few even suffered third-degree burns.
There’s more to the story that was first reported
While it may seem as though Keurig did the right thing by recalling their coffeemakers, an investigation found that the situation is more complicated. Why? Because the company actually knew four years before the recall that their machines were causing burns. They had report after report during this four-year time and instead of taking the right action, such as informing the government, issuing a recall, or even fixing the issue in future machines, they did absolutely nothing. If they had, then the injuries discussed above may never have happened.
Did Keurig break the law?
While it may seem obvious that Keurig did not follow the best procedure, was it actually illegal? It may very well have been. Federal law requires that retailers, manufacturers, and distributors are required to report any safety defects to the government within 24 hours of getting evidence of the defect. Since Keurig waited a good four years to make a report, they were fined nearly $6 million. In fact, that is the second largest penalty every issued for this type of case. Federal investigators were particularly concerned that Keurig not only kept the defects a secret but continued to make and sell the products.
Have you been injured in a similar case?
If you have been injured due to a product you own then you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. To find out more about your options, we encourage you to contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000. We have the experience you need to find out how you can move forward and to hold the at-fault party accountable.
