Heath v. State Industries, Inc.

Three-year-old Kendra Heath accidentally knocked over a gasoline container in her home’s storage room, and the pilot light in her family’s water heater caught fire. She suffered burns over 60% of her body and required extensive medical treatment, including multiple surgeries. The manufacturer of the water heater, State Industries, Inc., did not include adequate warnings about the dangers associated with gas-operated water heaters. We argued that the company was responsible for warning consumers not to place the water heater near flammable products such as gasoline and to keep it at least one and a half feet above the ground. Our clients were awarded $1.7 million dollars by the jury to which the judge added $290,000 to cover Kendra’s medical expenses.