Blitz USA plant litigated to death

[LTVibe]

Blitz USA to close plant due to cost of lawsuits

Quote:
Citing the costs of lawsuits against the company, Blitz USA will close its gas can manufacturing facility in Oklahoma after almost 50 years in production and lay off more than 100 employees at the end of this month.

According to a release from the company, which makes 75 percent of the portable gas cans sold in the country, Blitz USA has been bombarded by litigation from users who allege the cans' design did not protect them when they poured gasoline onto fires.

 

[01rangerxl]

Who needs jobs when you can just sue someone for your own stupidity?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Quote:
Blitz USA has been bombarded by litigation from users who allege the cans' design did not protect them when they poured gasoline onto fires.

Only in America...

 

[Tempest]

We can thank all the morons in black robes that call themselves judges for this. Trial lawyers and their allies on the bench are killing this country.

 

[exranger06]

Quote:
The plaintiff in the Utah case tried to start a fire in a wood-burning stove inside a trailer home by inserting the nozzle of the gas can into the stove and pouring gasoline onto the fire. The plaintiff was severely burned and his 2-year-old daughter was killed by the resulting conflagration.

I guess when you kill your own daughter because of your own stupidity, you need to go into denial and blame someone else so you can actually live with yourself afterward. Maybe he should sue the oil companies for making their gas "too flammable."

 

[bigmike]

Quote:
Among the lawsuits that have hit the company hard is a $4 million judgment in Utah, which is currently on appeal.

The plaintiff in the Utah case tried to start a fire in a wood-burning stove inside a trailer home by inserting the nozzle of the gas can into the stove and pouring gasoline onto the fire. The plaintiff was severely burned and his 2-year-old daughter was killed by the resulting conflagration.

As pointed out by the PointOfLaw.com blog in a July 9 post, the plaintiff blamed Blitz USA for failing to warn consumers of the dangers even though the plastic gas container is imprinted with instructions to "Keep away from flames, pilot lights, stoves, heaters, electric motors, and other sources of ignition."


Wait, what?
Trailor... wood burning stove... using a gas can to pour gas ON A FIRE.

This story would be hilarious if it hadn't been so deadly.

 

[The_Jeff]

Go to Home depot and price a plastic playground slide, just the plastic part you bolt to a tree house or whatever. $150!!! I thought it was obscene when I got mine for $90 in 2009.

They must be the new diving board.

Will someone circumvent this by selling "water containers" so the onus is on the end user? Stay tuned.

more info -- looks like people were trying to sue walmart too. Wonder if Blitz's chinese replacement is going to have its importer sued or how this gap will be filled. Would probably work best to have "middelman of the month" that then disappears when the going gets rough.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Maybe he should sue the oil companies for making their gas "too flammable."

And to increase his chances, he should also file lawsuits against the stove manufacturer and against the trailer home manufacturer. While he's at it, he should also sue his parents for conceiving him. The fruit of their loins appears seriously defective.

 

[dparm]

Where's Darwin when you need him?

 

[UNC151]

No matter how hard we try, no matter how many laws that are passed, no matter how many warnings are posted...you just cannot fix stupid.

Such a tragedy for the family, but to sue the gasoline can manufacturer? What a world we live in today...

 

[dparm]

Still, I think there's something we may not be hearing. The plaintiff won $4M. Clearly they had a strong enough case for a jury to NOT say "you're an idiot, defense wins."

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Still, I think there's something we may not be hearing. The plaintiff won $4M. Clearly they had a strong enough case for a jury to NOT say "you're an idiot, defense wins."


Juries are swayed by emotion, and the imputation that "the insurance company will pay" not the business. That beauty John Edwards convinced juries that MS was caused by OB/GYN doctors at delivery, not genetics. $$$$$$$$$ Can't get dough from your own genes.

 

[yeti]

in an ideal world, all of the stupid people would be given a full gas can to pour on a fire.think about a world with no stupid people.then again, it wouldn't be much fun.
this is a textbook example of natural selection.darwin was right.
the one sad thing is that a young kid died, just because her dad is an idiot.

 

[HerrStig]

Soon we will be buying CHINESE gas cans. Try chasing THEM.

 

[HerrStig]

As Einstein once said: "There may be limits on genius, but there are NO limits on stupidity." Or personel injuury lawyer fees.

 

[supton]

Quote:
As pointed out by the PointOfLaw.com blog in a July 9 post, the plaintiff blamed Blitz USA for failing to warn consumers of the dangers even though the plastic gas container is imprinted with instructions to "Keep away from flames, pilot lights, stoves, heaters, electric motors, and other sources of ignition."


I blame Blitz's lawyers. They should have been able to get out of this lawsuit by pointing out the bleeding obvious. Once a jury is informed of the labeling on the can, plus the bleeding obvious fact that gasoline is extremely flamible, Blitz should have been ruled innocent.

I have to wonder if the jury felt it necessary to compensate the family for its loss; and thought that Blitz could just shrug off a minor settlement.

 

[Nickdfresh]

In hindsight, perhaps "Blitz" wasn't the best name for the company though...

 

[Quest]

In this litigeous society, certain "intelligent" company choose not to participate in the making of fuel cans and I think they are "smart":

http://www.relianceproducts.com/products.html

"smiles*

Q.

 

[JHZR2]

Ouch

 

[HerrStig]

We need 'em, and "sumbody" is gonna make them. More jobs overseas.