Five months after issuing a safety warning, Mueller Austria has officially announced a recall for the Onion Chopper Pro (Model M-700) for serious laceration hazards. According to an alert posted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the recalled onion choppers have a locking tab that must be pushed towards the blades in order to work properly. However, the locking tab can break off, which could cause the user’s hands and fingers to slide right into the blades. About 106,000 of these choppers, which were made in Hong Kong, have been recalled.
Details of the Recall
Mueller Austria reported 266 incidents of the tabs breaking including 137 people who sustained laceration injuries to their hands and fingers. The recalled products were sold online at Amazon.com from September 2016 through July 2020 for about $20. In December 2019, Mueller Austria introduced a new onion chopper with a locking tab that doesn’t need to be pushed toward the blades.
The company also issued a safety warning in May 2020, but wasn’t able to provide a remedy to consumers because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, Mueller Austria is offering consumers a free replacement Onion Chopper Pro with the newly-designed locking tab. For more information or to get a free replacement, consumers can email recall@muellerdirect.com or call them toll-free at 1-888-990-9066.
Product Liability Issues
Product manufacturers have a responsibility to design and manufacture products that are safe for consumers. While finger and hand lacerations may not result in life-threatening injuries, consumers who suffer these types of injuries may require emergency medical attention and care.
Product liability laws help consumers seek compensation for injuries they suffered as a result of dangerous and defective products. If you have been injured as a result of a product that was defectively designed or manufactured, you may be able to seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, permanent injuries, disabilities, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
In such cases, in addition to the product manufacturer, there are other parties that can be held liable including the retailer, distributor, designer, parts manufacturer, etc. Injured victims in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced product defect lawyer who will analyze all aspects of the case and help them seek compensation for the injuries, damages and losses they have sustained.
