Products Liability Attorney in Denver, Colorado
What is your experience in handling electric blanket fire and thermal burn injury cases?
What is your experience in handling electric blanket fire and thermal burn injury cases?
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I received my first electric blanket fire case in the late 1980s when a partner handling an estate involving a fire-related fatality sought my expertise in product liability. The case involved a well-known American appliance manufacturer, Sunbeam, recognized for producing various appliances, including electric blankets. Sunbeam had introduced a new technology featuring a specialized heating element known as a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating element.
Unlike traditional coils, the PTC heating element utilized copper conductors covered with a proprietary black plastic material containing embedded carbon. The heating process relied on this plastic material, not the copper wires. The issue arose when the copper wires inside this plastic wire broke, leading to a tiny electrical arc that could ignite the plastic, resulting in a fire.
Despite Sunbeam’s long-standing safety circuit, certain circumstances rendered it ineffective in detecting broken wires, allowing fires to occur. In the early 2000s, Sunbeam improved its safety circuit, reducing the occurrence of fires. However, the risk persisted due to the inherent flaw in the design. While fire incidents have decreased, recent cases involve thermal burn injuries, where individuals wake up with unexplained burns on their face, hips, or legs after sleeping with the electric blanket. These thermal burn injuries, not associated with fires, are a relatively new trend, contrasting with the historical prevalence of electric blanket fires since the early 1980s.
Denver, CO personal injury lawyer George McLaughlin talks about his experience in handling electric blanket fire and thermal burn injury cases. He indicates that he first became involved in electric blanket fire cases in the late 1980s, when a partner handling an estate related to a fire-related fatality sought his expertise in product liability. The case involved Sunbeam, a well-known American appliance manufacturer recognized for producing a wide range of household appliances, including electric blankets. At the time, Sunbeam had introduced a new technology featuring a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating element.
Unlike traditional coil designs, the PTC heating element consisted of copper conductors encased in a proprietary black plastic material with embedded carbon. The heating relied on the plastic material rather than the copper wires themselves. The problem arose when the copper wires inside this plastic failed, producing tiny electrical arcs capable of igniting the plastic and causing a fire.
Although Sunbeam had a longstanding safety circuit in place, certain conditions could render it ineffective at detecting broken wires, allowing fires to occur. In the early 2000s, Sunbeam enhanced its safety circuitry, which significantly reduced fire incidents. Nevertheless, the underlying design flaw remained. More recently, cases have emerged involving thermal burn injuries, where individuals wake up with unexplained burns on areas such as the face, hips, or legs after sleeping with the electric blanket. These injuries, which do not involve fire, represent a newer trend, contrasting with the historical prevalence of electric blanket fires dating back to the early 1980s.
