Last Wednesday, Williams-Sonoma recalled roughly 28,000 hot chocolate pots because of several reports that the handle had been breaking off the pot, which in turn can lead to burn injuries. The hot chocolate pot recall is a joint effort between the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, since approximately 700 units in Canada are also affected. As of the announcement of the recall, the CPSC and Health Canada had received 28 reports of the handle breaking. From a Pembroke Pines Personal Injury Attorney’s perspective, there seems to be a definite risk of burn injury with this product.
That statement is exemplified by the CPSC’s recall report which stated that there had already been 8 reports of personal injury from the broken handle, ranging from burns to cuts. It is unclear at this time what is causing the handles to break off from the hot chocolate pot, whether it be a design flaw or if the materials used aren’t strong enough to support the weight.
It is also unclear as to whether any of the people injured will file a personal injury lawsuit against Williams-Sonoma. The CPSC recall report mentioned the reported burns as “minor”, which means that there probably aren’t significant enough damages for a personal injury lawyer to seek on any of those victims’ behalf.
However, because there was such a large number of defective products sold, there is the unfortunate possibility that others may suffer injuries before they receive word of the recall. As a Pembroke Pines Products Liability Lawyer, I can foresee the likelihood for injury because of the hot temperatures, which, as stated in the report, can pose a serious burn risk. If the broken Williams-Sonoma hot chocolate pot causes someone to suffer major burn injuries, then Williams-Sonoma could face a personal injury lawsuit on the basis of products liability and bodily injuries, among other potential claims.
