An alleged defective heating pad sparked a house fire, which caused severe burn injuries to a Louisiana girl. Her parents have now filed a lawsuit against the heating pad maker, Sunbeam Products, and Walgreens, where they purchased the product. The defendants removed the case to New Orleans federal court, according to The Louisiana Record.
According to the parent’s lawsuit, last November the heating pad’s defective power cord ignited a fire in their house. In addition to substantial damage to their home, the daughter and the mother suffered injuries, including scarring and disfigurement.
The plaintiffs are suing for mental anguish, psychological distress, medical expenses, loss of enjoyment of life, property damage and pain and suffering.
This is not the first lawsuit arising from injuries caused by Sunbeam’s heating pad cord. Last year, a Missouri jury found Sunbeam’s heating pad partially responsible for a bed fire that caused a 70-year-old woman severe burn injuries. The woman also lost a portion of her left arm in the fire.
Problems with Sunbeam’s dangerous heating pad date back to the late 1990’s when it received about 1,800 complaints of burn injuries caused by the product. One legal expert said Sunbeam probably not do anything about the defect until a jury awards punitive damages to a victim burned by the heating pad.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans injury lawyers