Smells Like an Injury Claim: Perfume Leaves 34 in Hospital

As many as thirty four people have been taken to hospital in America and many more suffered from sickness after suffering an adverse reaction to a particularly strong perfume. According to the BBC website, after the perfume was sprayed by a woman in a bank in Texas, two of the employees at the bank initially complained of sickness, saying they were feeling chest pains and headaches.

The bank, displaying regard for the health of its customers, announced over the PA system that anyone feeling these symptoms should leave the building, prompting 150 people to vacate the premises.

The first thought when fire fighters came to investigate the scene was that the symptoms had been the result of carbon monoxide poisoning through a leak in the building, but after investigation it was determined that the strong perfume was the catalyst.

In the UK, the Consumer Protection Act 1987 operates to protect consumers from any damage or injury suffered due to defective products. This creates a process called strict liability whereby the injured party can make a claim against any one of the producer of the product, any person putting their name or mark on the product or any importers from outside the European Commission, provided that the person bringing the claim is able to prove that the product caused their injury.

It is also important to note that the person who suffers the injury does not have to have purchased the product themselves.

The brand of perfume which was involved in this situation was unfortunately not identified so, if this were the case on UK shores, it would be difficult for those injured to make a claim.