When we buy products, we assume they will serve their intended purpose and do so safely. In reality, these items can be defective and may result in serious physical injuries.
Some of these issues arise when manufacturers cut corners or fail to adequately test their merchandise for safety problems. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is tasked with regulating these flaws, but they also rely on submitted tips from whistleblowers to identify defects.
If you have information about a dangerous item, a knowledgeable whistleblower attorney could guide you through the legal process, protect your rights, and help you understand your options. Schedule a consultation with one of our Lexington product safety whistleblower lawyers today.
During CPSC investigations, three different categories of defects can be identified. These include issues at the design level, manufacturing flaws, and inadequate marketing. An attorney in Lexington could assist a whistleblower with sounding the alarm about these product safety faults.
When an underlying problem with an object’s design exists, every unit released to the public could be potentially harmful.
Errors during manufacturing or transportation might impact a large number of products or only a handful.
Inadequate marketing involves the lack of warnings or instructions on goods sold to the public. Without knowing the risks, it can be impossible to safely use or operate these items.
In addition to serving the public, whistleblowers have an opportunity to recover a monetary award by providing the government with information that leads to a conviction or administrative action against the manufacturer.
If a person can inform federal regulators that a company has violated the law related to product safety, they could be entitled to as much as 30 percent of any fines recovered during the prosecution through a writ of qui tam.
This type of federal lawsuit puts a whistleblower in the position to recover compensation, but there are some limitations to be aware of. A person is not entitled to a reward if they were a target of the investigation or were obligated to provide these details under the law.
The information must also be new, meaning that no one else is already cooperating with the authorities on the matter. A product safety whistleblower attorney in Lexington could answer questions on how this process works.
One of the major issues that keeps people from sending in tips is the fear of reprisal. Often, parties with useful information are employed by the company that violated the law. The good news is that some protections are available in cases of retaliation.
Companies may not fire, discipline, or otherwise punish employees who provide information to the government. Should they break these laws, the employee could have a claim for reinstatement or other damages.
Everyone deserves to make purchases confidently, knowing that their items will be safe and not cause harm. You should consider your legal options if you have information that a company is not holding its merchandise to this standard. Your actions could prevent severe injuries and even save lives.
Our legal team could sit down with you to discuss the best route for exposing these problems to the authorities and obtaining a monetary award. Call a Lexington product safety whistleblower lawyer today to learn more.