WI product liability settlements: air compressor injury lawsuits Injury settlement amounts depend on the quality of your lawyer.

Air compressor recall stats

In December of 2020, there was a recall on a Tire Mastercraft air compressor reported to have sold 27,000 units. This recall did not happen before there were 18 reports of the regulator knob breaking off and 1 injury. It is important to make sure you properly maintain your air compressor and check for recalls. Otherwise, you may be the one with an air compressor exploding and injuring you or a loved one.

Warshafsky Law product liability attorneys on air compressor lawsuits

Air compressors are a common sight on construction sites, in auto shops and even in home garages and workshops all across America. Air compressors compress and store air inside a metal holding tank for a wide variety of uses. Used with an assortment of air-powered tools—nail guns, sanders, drills, paint sprayers, air wrenches—air compressors are usually powered by a gasoline or diesel engine, although there are also compressors that run on AC current.

It’s just air, what can possibly go wrong?

Plenty, actually. While air compressors don’t have quite the notoriety of, say, chain saws when it comes to injuries and deaths, there is still plenty that can go wrong. Air compressors sold by many different manufacturers at a variety of retail stores have been responsible for numerous injuries.

For example, there are many instances of hoses and the fittings on compressor hoses failing when under pressure. When this happens, fragments of the fitting and the hose are sent flying with enough force to shatter windows and seriously maim, or kill, anyone they strike.

Worst of all are the occasions where compressor tanks explode. For instance, in November of 2013 a man and his son were critically injured when an air compressor inside an auto body shop exploded and caused the building to collapse on them. Even more tragically, a 12-year-old New Jersey girl was killed by an exploding portable air compressor she had been using to fill her bicycle tires with air.

If you have been injured, have a spouse or family member who suffered wrongful death due to the failure of an air compressor, or have sustained property damage due to an air compressor incident, the Milwaukee personal injury attorneys of Warshafsky Law have the expertise to ensure maximum possible compensation for your injury or loss.

Air compressor recalls

Every year, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) issues recalls of air compressors due to manufacturing defects or poor design which can result in injury. Even the partial list below illustrates just how serious the problems can be:

In February of 2014, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall of 100,000 HDX and Powermate two-gallon compressors due to risk of the terminals of the pressure switch coming into contact with the motor housing and causing electrical shock to the user.
In August 2013, the CPSC recalled over 70,000 DeVilbiss Air Power Co. air compressors due to the potential of overheating and causing a fire.
In February 2002, the CPSC recalled 458,000 Ingersoll-Rand Co. portable air compressors sold between 1983 and 1991, due to 11 reports of the tank suddenly rupturing due to internal corrosion.
In October of 2009, DeVilbiss Air Power Co. recalled over 600,000 pressure washers and more than 70,000 compressors (which had previously been recalled) due to pneumatic tires with plastic hubs that could burst. More than 100 hand and finger fractures and lacerations were reported, along with minor property damage.

3 tips to ensure the safety of your air compressor

Drain the tank to eliminate moisture. When air is compressed, it gathers moisture from the air. This moisture condenses inside the compression tank. If not drained periodically, a metal tank will rust from the inside out. This weakens the tank and increases the risk of it exploding when under pressure.
Change the oil. All oil-lubricated compressors require regular oil changes. If the compressor runs low on oil, heat can build up and cause burns.
Check the hose. Routinely check the condition of the hose and always make sure it is securely attached to the compressor. A hose that flies across the room because it wasn’t securely attached could kill anyone in its path.

Unlike “sign and settle” law firms, we won’t be swayed by the lowball offers made by insurance companies. While attorneys at those firms rarely ever set foot in a courtroom, we prepare your case from day one as if it will be heard before a judge and jury. Many of them do, indeed, go to court. And the result has been a long string of judgments which force businesses and manufacturers to make drastic changes that benefit all who use their products. We call these Society Changing Judgments.

Our willingness to take every case to trial is well known in legal circles and among the insurance companies we face off against. If they want to keep a case out of the public eye, they know they’ll have to do better than toss out a lowball settlement offer when we’re on the other side of the table.

No retainer fee and no monthly legal bills

You might think you’ll have to pay a fortune to hire our Milwaukee personal injury attorneys. In fact, it won’t cost a thing to get us working for you. If you have a solid case, we’ll represent you with no retainer fee and no monthly or bi-monthly bills. We don’t ask for payment until your case is resolved and you have been compensated.

Contact our Milwaukee personal injury attorneys today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.

If you have been injured by an air compressor, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Such claims fall under product liability law. To prevail in such cases, it is necessary to show that the injury was due to a manufacturing defect, a design defect, or the manufacturer’s failure to provide proper operating instructions for the compressor or to adequately warn users of a known danger.

Cases involving product liability typically require a law firm with the ability to conduct extensive investigations into the product and other similar cases. Additionally, expert witnesses are always necessary. The Milwaukee personal injury attorneys of Warshafsky Law have extensive experience preparing—and winning—product liability cases.