When you buy a new small appliance, it's a good idea to carefully read the manual that comes with the device so that you know how to operate it properly. Failing to operate it based on the manufacturer's specifications could lead to an injury or damage to your home, but it's also possible that the small appliance is faulty and can cause problems even during correct usage. If you end up getting hurt or encounter damage from the appliance, you may have grounds for a personal injury suit. Here are some specific factors that may be present and that can support your suit.

Burn

A burn is a serious risk whenever you're using a small appliance, whether it's a toaster oven, a kettle, or a waffle maker. The most common way that a user could get burned is by misusing the small appliance, but if there's a defect with the device, a burn could occur. For example, if the handle of a waffle maker, which is designed to protect your hand from the heat of the device, were defective, the handle could be hot enough to burn you. A burn can not only lead to pain and suffering, but can also result in costly medical expenses, including plastic surgery in extreme cases.

Electric Shock

It's also possible that your defective small appliance may give you a shock. Some electric shocks can be minor, but others can be significant and potentially lead to serious medical issues and related expenses. For example, if the wiring in a metal appliance were not installed correctly, a live wire inside the device could be in contact with the metal frame of the appliance. This could mean that you could get a shock just from touching the handle or outer part of the device.

Property Damage

A big risk of faulty small appliances is that they may lead to property damage. For example, an appliance that catches fire because of a defect — namely, it doesn't shut off when it's supposed to — could cause heat, flame, and/or smoke damage in your home. The biggest risk is that the faulty small appliance could burn your home down, but even a small amount of property damage from a fire can be costly for you to fix. Given quality control structures, defective and dangerous small appliances are rare. However, this doesn't mean that you won't encounter one — and if you do, you should be prepared to take legal action.

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