Dishwasher Cable Broke and Injured Leg...

by Anonymous
(USA)

I opened my dishwasher and the door came slamming on my leg and badly bruised it. The cable broke and I hardly ever even used the dishwasher. My leg is now sore and bruised.

Do I have a product liability case against the manufacturer of the dishwasher?

Disclaimer: Information provided in our response is NOT formal legal advice. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information you provided. Under no circumstances should the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site be relied upon when making decisions about your case. You should always get a formal case review from a licensed attorney.

ANSWER for "Dishwasher Cable Broke and Injured Leg...":

Anonymous (USA):

You might have had a product liability case against the manufacturer of the dishwasher, but because you were not seriously injured, nor required hospitalization or other medical care, you probably don’t.

To have a case you must have “damages”. Those damages almost always include personal injuries which require hospitalization or at least a doctor’s care.

The medical bills resulting from hospital treatment or doctor’s care are the damages which constitute the basis of a personal injury case. Without those damages it's virtually impossible to recover any type of monetary award from the manufacturer of the dishwasher.

Contact the manufacturer (do so by certified letter). Explain to them you were injured when the cable on one of their dishwashing units broke, causing the door to fall immediately resulting in bruising to your leg. Be ready to give them the model number, the name of the company which sold it to you, and the store's contact information.

Although your case may not result in a financial recovery for you, at a minimum the notice you gave the manufacturer may ultimately cause them to use a stronger cable, bolts, or whatever else might be used to make the door safer for future users.

Since laws change frequently and across jurisdictions you should get a personalized case evaluation from an attorney licensed in your state (if you haven't already). Find an experienced local attorney to give you a FREE personalized case review here.


Best of luck,

Law Guy