After reports of one injury and one death, recall has been issued for the OxyTOTE Portable Oxygen Unit because it can catch on fire and explode.
What You Can Do & How an Oxygen Unit Injury Lawsuit Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by a recalled Western OxyTOTE Oxygen Unit, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is the problem?
August 18, 2015 — Western/Scott Fetzer Co. and the FDA have announced a Class I recall for the OxyTOTE and OxyTOTE NG Series Valve Integrated Pressure Regulators (also known as VIPRs or All-in-One pressure regulators). The devices are used with aluminum cylinders that contain pressurized oxygen for portable oxygen units.
Unfortunately, the manufacturer has received two reports of the unit malfunctioning. One person was injured when the unit was dropped from 4 feet. Another person died after the gas cylinder was not dropped, but set down by an employee’s side. According to the recall:
“When the OxyTote is mishandled or dropped, the oxygen cylinder may ignite causing an internal flash fire and the canister to burst.”
Western warns that the failure can occur without warning. However, incidents have been linked to improper handling when the unit fell, was dropped, or contacted another gas cylinder. The recall involves about 162,000 units that were sold between January 1, 2009 and September 30, 2014. Click here for a list of recalled models and lot numbers.
What is an Oxygen Unit?
Oxygen units are used in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes to help regulate a patient’s breathing. Portable units deliver oxygen while allowing the patient to move around. The system consists of pressurized oxygen in a tank with tubing that goes to a patient’s nostrils or a mask.
Recommendation
Because portable units are inherently more likely to be damaged than stationary units, the manufacturer stresses that they must be handled extremely carefully:
“Western stresses that all cylinder systems MUST be secured and protected from falling or tip-over during fill, during transport and at point of use. Never store the cylinder system in an elevated area where a fall could severely damage the unit. At all times, be certain to handle systems safely and avoid jarring or dropping the system.”
Do I have a OxyTOTE Oxygen Unit Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by a recalled Western OxyTOTE Oxygen Unit that caught on fire or exploded, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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