Home Depot U.S.A. Inc., has agreed to pay a $5.7 million as a civil penalty for distributing and selling previously recalled products. The settlement comes after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) opened an investigation into Home Depot’s selling practices as related to recalled products. The CPSC works with product manufacturers to coordinate safety recalls for products that are found to be defective or otherwise do not meet federal safety standards. Federal law prohibits the sale or distribution of any product that has been subject to a publicly announced recall.
The CPSC investigation charged that Home Depot sold and distributed various recall products and did not maintain sufficient internal procedures to identify these products and prohibit their sale. These recalled products were sold by Home Depot stores through register lanes and special services desks, as well as through online sales and donations programs.
The long list of recalled products illegally sold by Home Depot included garage door openers, portable heaters, and smoke alarms. The hazards that these recalled products posed to consumers include electrocution and shock, laceration, and fire hazards among others. Home Depot announced a new recall of the products in cooperation with the CPSC.
In addition to the monetary penalty, Home Depot has agreed to set up and maintain a compliance program for the appropriate locating and handling of recalled products as well as to ensure company compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act. Home Depot’s settlement of the investigation did not include an admission that it had done anything wrong in violation of the CPSA.
If you believe that you may have purchased a recalled product from Home Depot, you can find a complete list of the recalled products sold here.
If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective product, the compassionate and experienced personal injury attorneys at the Alexander Law Group, LLP will be with you every step of the way. Our goal is to help our clients and their families receive proper compensation for their pain and suffering. You can reach one of our San Francisco personal injury attorneys at 888.777.1776, or you can contact us online.
