California-based fitness company Perfect Fitness has agreed to pay a $425,000 civil penalty for failing to disclose to federal regulators at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) a defect with its Perfect Pullup exercise equipment. The CPSC alleges that the handle of the product breaks during use and can injure consumers. Allegedly Perfect Fitness of Sausalito knew about the defect in June 2008 after it had received a complaint and a number of returned products. Then the company allegedly tested the product and redesigned it to correct the defect.
The company placed a notice on their website that consumers could get free replacement handles after it became aware of at least 23 injuries by March 2010. Finally in December 2010 the firm reported the defective product to the CPSC. By that time there were at least 45 complaints of injury and 2,000 requests for replacements.
Seven-thousand units of Perfect Pullup were recalled in February 2011. The CPSC is still interested in taking in any accident and injury reports with the Perfect Pullup. Contact the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov.or call the CPSC Recall Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Manufacturers have a responsibility to make sure the product they sell is safe for the public. Under federal law, a manufacturer or retailer is supposed to report to the CPSC immediately after finding out that the product is defective and can injure consumers. Perfect Fitness denies it knowingly violated the law but has agreed to the civil penalty.
If you are injured by a defective product, the Florida product liability attorneys at Farah & Farah will always be available to discuss your injuries and help determine if you have a viable case to file against the manufacturer or distributor of the dangerous and defective product.
Source: http://www.fairwarning.org/2011/08/prodded-to-shape-up-seller-of-flawed-fitness-gear-agrees-to-425000-penalty/
