Defective Products Expert: Don Fountain on 840 NewsRadio with Scott Fitzgerald

Описание: A gift should surprise you. An injury should not.

In this conversation from 840 NewsRadio, host Scott Fitzgerald sits down with trial lawyer and author Don Fountain to talk about the hidden risks inside modern holiday gift giving and what families can do to keep dangerous products out of their homes. As founder and partner at Clark, Fountain, Littky-Rubin & Whitman and author of Defect Safety, Don has spent his career investigating product failures, exposing defects and helping force safety changes that do not happen on their own.
​
The holidays are meant to be joyful. Yet each year, people are injured by products that were sold as safe: toys that break in unexpected ways, electronics and chargers that overheat, scooters and ride on products that lack critical safeguards and everyday items that fail during ordinary use. Many of these injuries are preventable, but most families never see the risk coming.
​
Don explains why product safety does not stop at the shelf. The fact that a toy or device is on the market does not guarantee that it was thoroughly tested or honestly labeled. In many categories, manufacturers operate in a system that leans heavily on voluntary compliance and self policing instead of robust independent oversight. That gap between what consumers assume and what really happens is where families get hurt.
​
Drawing on the experience behind his book Defect Safety: A Primer for Lawyers to Identify Defective Products and Promote Consumer Safety Through Litigation, Don walks through how defect cases reveal what went wrong and how those lessons can help shoppers make safer choices. You will hear:
​
How trial lawyers with an engineering mindset and investigative discipline uncover defects that others miss.
Why “it passed testing” does not always mean a product is safe in real world use.
Where regulation and oversight are weakest, especially for low cost electronics, chargers, imported toys and online marketplace products.
How high impact lawsuits and jury verdicts can force manufacturers to recall products, redesign hazards and strengthen warnings.

This interview also includes practical tips you can use right now:
​
Slow down before you buy and check for recalls, safety certifications and patterns of complaints in reviews.
Be cautious with ultra low price electronics, chargers, hoverboards and ride ons, especially from unfamiliar brands.
For children’s products, match the gift to the child’s age and abilities and be wary of small parts, strong magnets and button batteries.
Register products when possible and keep receipts, packaging and instructions in case something goes wrong.

If you are a parent, grandparent, caregiver or simply someone who wants to give safer gifts, this conversation will help you spot red flags, ask better questions and avoid products that may look festive but hide serious dangers.

🔔 If this discussion is helpful, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who is shopping for gifts this season.