Clothing manufacturers and retailers are expected to follow strict regulations when it comes to flammability. This is to ensure the safety of consumers in Ohio or across the nation who purchase their articles to wear. In another state, a woman has filed a product liability suit alleging that Macy’s failed to do so. The lawsuit states that the company’s defective manufacturing, negligence and inadequate warnings led to the woman’s severe injuries due to burns she suffered while wearing a piece of the company’s clothing.
According to the legal complaint, one morning in Jan. 2014, the plaintiff was wearing a jacket purchased from Macy’s while she was cooking at her gas stove. Allegedly, a flame then ignited her outfit. The ensuing fire is reported to have caused third degree burns on over 40 percent of the woman’s body.
The plaintiff’s argument alleges that the jacket’s design had characteristics that made it ignite easily and spread rapidly and intensely. The lawsuit accuses Macy’s of failing to address these design flaws. Despite Macy’s supposed compliance with federal regulations, a judge dismissed the company’s motions for a summary judgment.
The lawsuit has moved to federal trial, with a judge stating that the plaintiff showed enough evidence to demonstrate that the jacket was unfit for its intended use. Macy’s will now go to trial over claims of negligence, strict product liability and breach of implied warranty. Product liability extends beyond faulty or defective household devices to include hazardous or toxic materials, so if any residents of Ohio have suffered serious injury due to any other type of dangerous product or substance intended for consumers, an experienced attorney can help guide victims through their legal options for just compensation.
Source: cookcountyrecord.com, “Walmart, Charles Komar & Sons out, but Macy’s remains in lawsuit filed by woman whose clothes caught fire“, Dee Thompson, Dec. 29, 2017
