Shattered glass: Feds sue Irving-based Michaels for selling ‘unreasonably dangerous’ vases
In September 2010, Kansas-based Gerson Company recalled more than 200,000 Chinese-made vases sold at Michaels locations across the U.S. and Canada. The reason: “The glass vases can break or fracture, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.” At the time, Consumer Reports noted that the recall “seems a bit odd, since any glass vase can break or shatter, but these appear to be especially problematic; the firm has received nine reports of the vases shattering, all of which resulted in lacerations.”
And now we know the details of those nine reports … because they’re contained in a lawsuit filed by the feds on Tuesday in Dallas federal court.
Do not touch this vase. Whatever you do. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)
Do not touch this vase. Whatever you do. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)
The government is alleging that Irving-based Michael’s sold the vases from June 2006 until February 2010 — despite discovering in September 2008 that “the glass walls of the vases are too thin to withstand normal handling.” The feds allege Michael’s waited far too long to recall the vases, which “inflicted serious injuries, such as severed tendons and nerve damage, that required stitches and surgery.” And, says the suit, when Michael’s finally did report the issue to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, it tried to dodge any having anything to do with selling the clearly dangerous item.
The company’s report to the feds “conveyed the false impression that a different company had imported the vases and that Michaels acted only as the retailer of the vases,” says the suit. “As a result of its misrepresentation, Michaels avoided responsibility for the recall of the vases.”
Read more: http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2015/04/shattered-glass-feds-sue-irving-based-michaels-for-selling-unreasonably-dangerous-vases.html/