Faulty Jack Stands Recalled
Walmart has issued a nationwide recall due to a product defect associated with faulty jack stands it sold. Close to 14,000 Hyper Tough 2-Ton Jack Stands have been recalled because they present a significant safety risk. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently posted an alert referencing a Walmart report that the subject jack stands failed during safety tests conducted by an objective third-party lab. The jack stand failure apparently involves the ratcheting bar.
Details of the Recall
The identified defect could cause the jack to fall and collapse without warning while it is under a raised vehicle, which may then kill or cause crush injuries to anyone working underneath the vehicle. The defective jack stands were sold nationwide at Walmart stores until the date they were removed from shelves – July 13, 2020. The affected lots were manufactured from Sept. 1, 2019, to Oct. 31, 2019. They include the model number 2TJS on the label above the barcode.
Walmart’s recall of the faulty jack stands follows Harbor Freight’s recall of millions of jack stands just two months prior. The Harbor Freight jack stands also had the potential to collapse beneath a lifted vehicle. Walmart has asked customers to discontinue their use of the jack stands and return the products to a Walmart store for a full refund. Walmart’s customer service number for those with further concerns or questions is 1-800-925-6278.
Jack Stand Dangers
Upwards of 10,000 people sustain serious injuries each year while using vehicle jacks or similar car hoisting devices, according to the NHTSA. The National Center for Statistics and Analysis conducted a study that revealed that approximately 40% of car jack collapses occurred when the vehicle was partially lifted, most often for a tire change. Just under 20% of those jack failures were associated with pressure loss, after which the jack could no longer support the weight of the vehicle. Common injuries that can occur when a car jack fails to keep the vehicle lifted include:
- Internal organ damage
- Broken bones
- Amputations
- Death
Consumer products sold on the American marketplace should be safe to use. When a product is defective and causes severe injuries or death, the product’s manufacturer can be held financially responsible for the injuries, losses, and damages caused by product failure. Some of the financial losses that the injured can recover include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Hospitalization charges
- Physical therapy/rehabilitation
- Past and future loss of income
- Pain and suffering
It is important for a person injured by a faulty consumer product to retain a skilled and experienced products liability attorney in order to make sure their legal rights are protected and the financial recovery is maximized.
Watch the YouTube video below about the safety of locking jack stands.
Sacramento Products Liability Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a products liability lawyer in Sacramento, California. For almost four decades, I have been advocating on behalf of injured Sacramento residents. If you or a family member have been injured due to your use of a defective and dangerous consumer product, my law firm can help, starting with free and friendly advice. It is best not to delay as time is of the essence in preserving valuable evidence. Call us at (916) 921-6400. If you will be calling from outside the local region, use (800) 404-5400. If you prefer, I also offer an online contact form on my website, AutoAccident.com.
I am a member in good standing of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, an association that recognizes attorneys who abide by the highest standards. I am also a member of the Million Dollar Forum, which is a group limited to those attorneys who have achieved verdicts of over one million dollars.
For client testimonials and a sampling of some of our case results, please review the following links:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/tire-flat-fix-spare-car-606100/
mm llo [cs 675]