Woman claims chemical burn is from Tide Pod

In a previous post we wrote about the dangers detergent pods used to clean clothes pose to children. As it turns out, children are not the only ones to whom the cleaning product can be dangerous. A Pennsylvania woman recently filed a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of Tide Pods—manufactured by Proctor & Gamble Manufacturing Company.

The woman said she was injured by the product when one burst as she tried to separate the pods from each other. When it burst, she said the contents of the pod splashed onto her bare chest, resulting in a chemical burn. The woman claims that the burn left her scarred and to address it she will need to undergo plastic surgery.

Specifically, in the lawsuit, the woman claims that the design of the pod is faulty and that in creating and distributing the pods, Proctor & Gamble is strictly liable for her injuries. She is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

There is more than one approach that can be taken by someone pursuing this course of action. The first is to claim that there were issues with the way in which the product was designed. Next, someone can allege that the product was manufactured with a defect. Last, an injured party might assert that the product lacked adequate instructions or failed to warn about possible defects.

Though it is unclear what the outcome of this case will be, as this lawsuit illustrates those injured by a defective product need not be children to seek damages for injuries suffered as a result of a defective product.