Regulations and safety codes, and in particular the Flammable Fabrics Act, address the flammability of certain clothing types depending on the intended use of the clothing. In particular, children’s sleepwear, and some adult sleepwear, is to be made of flame resistant fabrics. Yet, the standards are not very stringent. Some fabrics are impacted by heat, and do not even need to come in contact with an open flame to melt and cause burn injuries. Moreover, many fabrics are imported and may not even come close to meeting the low safety standards that are in place.
We have handled cases in Indiana where clothing has caught fire when the victim got too close to a candle, and other instances where clothing caught fire, but should not have caught fire if the items had been made with the proper materials. All burn injuries are serious, but if you or someone you care about suffered a burn because of a flammable article of clothing, you need to consult a product liability attorney. Call our toll free number to set up an appointment if you need help.