Defective product question

Hello everyone,

I was hoping someone could offer a little advice regarding an injury I sustained at work. I'm a Facilities Technician & this past Monday I attempted to unclog a drain in a restroom by using a product called Bloc-Aid. It is similiar to Drano. The bottle has a "push down & twist" cap. When I pressed down on the cap, the top of the bottle collapsed, & the liquid splashed in my face, my left eye & onto my left wrist. I quicky splashed my face with cold water & ran some water over my wrist. A co-worker then used a bottle of eye-flush on my eye & then I was taken to the hospital.

At the hospital my eye was flushed with 3 liters of IV fliud. If anyone here has had this done, you know how painful it can be. It was probably the most uncomfortable experience of my life. My wrist has a severe burn which is being treated with Neosporin. I also have small burn marks under my eye & around my face which have slowly begun to heal. As of this moment, I can only see the top two lines of an eye chart using my left eye. The doctor expects the damage to heal, but he can't be certain that the vision in my left eye will return to normal until my next appointment this Friday. I've been taking a prescription eyedrop every two hours since Monday evening.

Everyone at work is telling me to go after the company who manufactures the product. The GM of the company tells me he is going to contact a lawyer for me. Should I pursue this any further? The top half of the bottle cracked & collapsed as soon I pushed down to open the cap. There was no indicatoin that the bottle was damaged in any way before I tried to open it.

I'd appreciate any advice that someone could provide.

Thanks a lot,
Rick

[vrzirn]

What is a Facilities Technician? Is that a euphemism for Maintenance?
If so, you should be aware that products containing caustics must be handled with extreme care. I am sure the caution directions on the side of the bottle indicate this. Gloves and protective goggles are a given.
In any event, the company will argue that the bottle was mis-handled after it was purchased. Consulting an attorney is certainly a good idea and you may get a "go-away" settlement.