Consumers purchase millions of items from stores and online every year, and some of those items pose dangers that the consumers may not see. For example, a dangerous product marketed to kids and sold at Justice retail stores throughout Massachusetts has recently been recalled due to risks of electrical shock and electrocution. The “Style my Room” by Justice Disco Lights subject to the recall have been documented to overheat and to cause electrical shock to users, subjecting their manufacturer, Tween Brands, Inc., to product liability.

The lamp units, which consist of black casings with multicolored lights, pose dangers to the young people who use them. With an external plug that connects to a wall outlet, the lamps may heat to unsafe temperatures and cause injury, and also have caused one user to be electrically shocked. The manufacturer of the lamps has offered consumers a refund of the purchase price of the lamps, though such a remedy may be inadequate to compensate for the serious harm the dangerous product can cause.

Individuals injured by a defective product may require additional compensation in order to become whole. In a product liability lawsuit, there may be many parties who could potentially be at fault for the product’s defect, including but not limited to the manufacturer, the distributor, or the seller. Additionally, product liability may arise under a variety of different legal theories, such as problems with how the product was designed or issues with how the product was constructed. Due to the challenges of properly framing a product liability lawsuit and the defenses a manufacturer or other opposing party may raise, it is helpful to consult with a legal professional when considering such a lawsuit.

Dangerous products such as the “Style my Room” by Justice Disco Lights pose threats to the Massachusetts children who use them to decorate their rooms. Individuals who have been injured by this or other defective or dangerous products may consider contacting a legal professional to assess their rights and legal options in pursuing compensation from a product’s negligent manufacturer.

Source: United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Disco Lights Recalled by Tween Brands Due to Electrical Shock Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Justice,” March 5, 2013