As Injured On TV: Understanding Personal Injuries Caused By Infomercial Products

Aside from traditional programming, television is filled with a lot of infomercials selling all types of products. Whether it's on a shopping network or airing on its own ad, it's easy to get enticed by a variety of these ads and order a product for yourself. There are many ways that infomercial products can cause an injury. If you are injured by an infomercial product, it's important to consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Understanding the various aspects of injuries and cases can help you proceed with the case.

Infomercial Examples

One way that an injury can occur is by trying to emulate the infomercial examples on TV. Hosts and guests often showcase the many ways to use a product. While watching an infomercial with these examples, you may get an injury due to their actions. The people on TV could have been trained to complete activities that a typical person could not do with the product. If this is the case, then you may have a personal injury claim on your hand.

For example, if a professional hairdresser is showcasing ways to use a special curling iron, you may injure your head and scalp doing the same methods. The company that produced the infomercial could be held liable for those injuries.

False Product Claims

As seen on TV products are notoriously known for making all kinds of product claims. If these claims ring false and an injury occurs, then you may have a case on your hands. One of the biggest examples of this comes from an infomercial hair care product. The company encouraged consumers to use as much as possible to help repair and strengthen hair. For some consumers, this caused head pain and hair loss, resulting in both physical and emotional injuries.

Another example comes from products that claim to be strong. If a strong glue hook hangers or shelf does not support the weight it claims, the product could fall down and cause injuries to anyone nearby. When this type of injury occurs, your attorney can look into the history of the product claims and any other complaints that a person may have.

Cooking Products

One of the biggest categories of infomercial products are cooking products. There are number of ways these products can cause injuries in your home. Even if you are following directions correctly, injuries may occur and the company could be liable.

One of the main types of injuries that can occur are burns. Whether it's a grill, cooking accessory, or special type of pan, a manufacturing defect could be the cause of the injury. Another common type of injury that can occur is when products do not properly prepare food. Illnesses like food poisoning caused by products could send you to the hospital and cost you days of work.

Children's Products

Children are often drawn to the allure of TV products, including glowing items, stuffed animals, and a variety of other toys. When children receive these products, they often try to emulate the actions done on infomercials. When a child is injured from a TV product, the product should be bagged up for an attorney to use as evidence. The actions of the injury should also be kept as a detailed account. This can help prove your case that it was the product's fault and not that your child was using the product wrong.

The age guidelines are often a big part for this type of injury case. If the age guidelines were not strict enough, the company who created the product could be held liable for the injuries that occurred. If your child was younger than the recommended ages, then you will have a harder time proving the case.

While consulting with an attorney, it's important to have as much evidence as possible. This includes the product, proof of purchase, and videos or photos of the product in use.