Fda Recalls Dozens of Brands of Hand Sanitizers, Removing Them From New Hampshire Shelves

August 5, 2020

As health experts recommend people wash their hands for at least 20 seconds and take other health precautions to avoid illness, products like hand sanitizer have become highly sought after during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, many companies have increased production on hand sanitizers and disinfectants to meet this heightened need. However, in order to meet the demand, not all hand sanitizer manufacturers have created a safe product for consumers. According to a recent article, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recalled dozens of widely available hand sanitizers because they contain potentially deadly levels of wood alcohol. Product recalls like these can often result in serious injury to consumers, and may be the basis for a New Hampshire product liability claim.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% ethanol. However, many of the recalled products instead contain methanol, or wood alcohol. Methanol can be toxic when absorbed through the skin and may even cause blindness. Furthermore, it is often deadly if ingested.

Besides containing methanol, the recently recalled sanitizers are extremely dangerous because their labels are misleading, indicating the products contain ethanol rather than wood alcohol. Because of the labeling error, consumers are not able to tell whether they are buying hand sanitizer with methanol or ethanol. To help consumers ensure they do not use a dangerous product, the FDA maintains a list of recalled products on its website. Additionally, the FDA warns of products that claim to be “FDA-approved,” as no such label exists.

The FDA’s recall will hopefully prevent more people from being harmed from these unsafe hand sanitizers. However, New Hampshire consumers should keep their legal options in mind if they fall ill after using one of the hand sanitizers. New Hampshire law allows a person who is injured by a defective product to seek financial compensation from the company responsible for the error. These cases, called product liability lawsuits, include injuries stemming from products without proper instructions, incorrect labeling, and those made from substandard materials.

In order to succeed in a products liability case, the injured person must prove that the defective product was the cause of their injuries. While this link between the dangerous product and the resulting illness is sometimes easy to prove, this is not always the case. Because of this, and the complicated nature of product liability cases, potential plaintiffs are encouraged to consult with an experienced New Hampshire products liability attorney when pursuing a claim for compensation.

If you or a loved one have suffered serious illness or death because of a recalled or otherwise hazardous product, you should contact the New Hampshire product liability attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates. With years of experience, our attorneys will go above and beyond to ensure you have been financially compensated for your injuries, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of our effective trial skills and dedication to our clients, we have received the “Best Lawyers in America” rating from U.S. News & World Report. We also handle New Hampshire slip and fall claims, auto accident cases, and more. To contact our office and discuss your legal matter, call us at 800-804-2004 today.