“Companies that make or sell consumer products may have had occasion to ask themselves, ‘What would we do if the government notified us that one of our products was defective and that the product would have to be recalled?’” writes Cheryl A. Possenti, a partner in Goldberg Segalla’s Product Liability and Regulatory Compliance Practice Groups.

“The answer to that question would be a resounding, ‘Wrong question!’ Instead of waiting for the government to knock at the door, consumer product companies must self-report safety issues that could potentially lead to product recalls, and may face claims for significant civil penalties if they fail to act in a timely manner.”

In this article written for USLAW, Cheryl examines the reporting requirements and obligations imposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and regulatory bodies of other countries, when safety issues involving a consumer product arise, and recent trends in the increased monetary penalties sought for violations of these obligations.

Read the full article:

• “Reporting Consumer Product Safety Issues to Regulatory Agencies Worldwide: The U.S., Canadian, and Australian Experience and Recent Trends in Civil Penalty Payments,” USLAW, Fall/Winter 2012