Q: My heating pad recently caught fire, I filed a complaint, now they are requesting it be mailed to them.

To see what went wrong. My question is, is it safe to mail in the product, prior to being compensated? Do companies try to request failed products, to avoid compensation? Essentially taking my proof?

The heating pad burned part of my mattress, my body was not blister burned, but very red for a day or two.

2 Lawyer Answers
Theodore Allan Greene
Theodore Allan Greene
Answered
  • Sacramento, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: If you have a personal injury claim you should talk to an attorney first. They most likely would have an expert evaluate it and keep it as evidence in your case. If you didn't get hurt very badly then it most likely will be hard to get an attorney. They should compensate you for a new mattress and something for the redness. You might consider suing them in small claims court if it's not a big enough case to get an attorney. You could offer them the opportunity to inspect it while still in your possession but without them inspecting it they might not offer you anything. There are a lot of scammers out there and they are just guarding against that most likely.

Yelena Gurevich agrees with this answer

1 user found this answer helpful

Peter N. Munsing
Peter N. Munsing
Answered
  • Products Liability Lawyer
  • Wyomissing, PA

A: I would say offer to let them inspect it in your presence. You could also call the

Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Do understand you can only claim damages for what did happen, not what could have happened.

1 user found this answer helpful

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