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IRVING, Texas — The Department of Justice and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have filed a complaint against Michaels Stores for selling vases deemed to be defective.
The CPSC filed the complaint against Michaels Stores and its subsidiary Michaels Stores Procurement Co. regarding a claim that glass vases the company imported and sold had shattered during normal handling by customers. At this point there has been no determination of liability.
According to a CPSC release, some vases shattered as consumers lifted the vases off the shelf. The vases caused serious injuries including lacerations requiring stitches, permanent nerve damage and surgery to repair severed tendons.
The complaint alleges that Michaels failed to immediately notify the Safety Commission as required and that when it did send notification, the notices were misleading. The complaint alleges Michaels conveyed the false impression that the company wasn't the importer.
Michaels sold the vases from 2006 to 2010 with the first complaint coming in November 2007. The vases were not recalled until September 2010.
“We believe that Michaels chose to profit from selling defective vases that put people at risk instead of following the law and immediately reporting that their vases were shattering and causing great harm to consumers,” CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye said in the press release. “To protect the public, companies are required to report potential product hazards and risks to CPSC on a timely basis. That means within 24 hours, not more than a year as in Michaels' case.”
The complaint adds that Michaels’ misrepresentation of the facts allowed it to avoid legal responsibility and obligation to pay the costs for the recall. Michaels is the largest arts and crafts specialty retailer in North America, with its headquarters in Irving, Texas.
