The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of about 4,700 Cybex and Trotter treadmills. This recall involves the treadmills "Cybex 400T," "Cybex 410T," "Trotter 510," "Trotter 525", "Trotter 535", and "CXT+" that were recalled on October 8, 2003 and later repaired. The treadmills are black with gray coloring, have rectangular uprights, and measure 69 inches long and 30 inches wide. The brands and models are written on the display panel. The “CXT+” model does not bear the brand Cybex or Trotter.

During repairs associated with the October 8, 2003 recall, wire nuts were installed improperly, causing the treadmills to overheat and posing a fire hazard to consumers. Cybex International has received five reports of treadmills overheating or catching fire resulting in damage to the treadmill. No injuries have been reported.

Pritzker | Ruohonen is providing this recall information as a public service. The firm only handles cases involving personal injury.

TAP Enterprises Inc., of Springhill, Kan., has agreed to pay a $100,000 civil penalty for failing to report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in a timely manner about defective air compressors. In October 2004, TAP first learned of an incident involving a fire caused by the Mini 2-Gallon Pancake air compressor, which resulted in $30,000 in property damage. By September 2005, TAP Enterprises had received another report of smoke coming out of the air compressor and a number of warranty claims. TAP, doing business as Cummins Industrial Tools, did not report any of these incidents to CPSC in a timely and thorough manner.
The Consumer Product Safety Act requires firms to report to the CPSC within 24 hours after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial risk of injury to the public, presents an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or violates a federal safety standard.

If a company fails to report to the CPSC in a timely manner about a defect and a consumer is subsequently injured, it may be possible to obtain punitive damages (damages beyond actual damages that are meant to punish the wrongdoer). In the case where a defective product causes a fire, it would be beneficial to hire an attorney with both product liability and fire injury litigation experience.

Pritzker | Ruohonen is a national law firm and has recovered millions for people injured in fires and by defective products. To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.

A Portage, Indiana mobile home fire resulted in 6-year-old Kayla Nicholson suffering third-degree burns on 35 to 40 percent of her body. According to a story in the Post-Tribune, her flame-retardant pajamas saved her from further burns.

There have been federal regulations regarding the flammability of children’s sleepwear since 1972. Although the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has since relaxed those regulations, flame-retardant children’s sleepwear continues to save lives and limit burn injuries.
Occasionally, children’s sleepwear is recalled because it is not flame-retardant. On April 17 of this year, Disney Store recalled children's footed pajamas because it failed to meet the children’s flammability standard, posing risk of burn injury to children. The products recalled were Baby Einstein Caterpillar sleepwear and Baby Einstein Duck sleepwear and were made of 100% cotton. Flame-resistant sleepwear is never 100% cotton.

The recalled footed pajamas were sold at Disney Stores nationwide from April 2006 through May 2006.

We will post any information on future recalls of children’s sleepwear on this blog.
Pritzker | Ruohonen is a national law firm and represents burn victims throughout the United States. Children who are burned on their parents’ property may have to sue their parents to be justly compensated by their parents’ insurance company. To contact Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.