Dangerous Products Litigation – Trouble at the CPSC

Every year our lawyers handle many cases involving unsafe products which are subject to recalls issued by the The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Tragically, many of these cases involve the deaths of young children and infants.
The CPSC is the federal agency which is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage due to consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually.
According to disturbing reports, the CPSC isn’t doing the job with which it has been charged in part due to the actions of the Chairwoman, Nancy Nord. By law, the CPSC is prohibited from issuing reports concerning unsafe items until after it conducts a multi-year investigation. Of course, during the time of the multi-year investigation many children and/or consumers can be injured or killed by the product under investigation.
Disturbingly, Commission Chairwoman Nord, has been lobbying Congress to not grant additional authority which would allow the CPSC to deliver reports in a quicker manner and thereby protect the public. Amazingly, the Chairwoman has also fought a move in Congress to fine manufacturers who make unsafe products.
If these reports concerning the Chairwoman of the CPSC are true, it is extremely disturbing. Almost no agency in the federal government has a more important function than the CPSC in terms of protecting the public, especially children, from dangerous products. If the CPSC is not doing the job for which it was created in an effective and efficient manner all consumers are at risk. Unfortunately, many times the financial interests of big business take precedent over the safety of the public.