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Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110

§2072 Suits for Damages

Title 15 › CHAPTER 47 — CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY › § 2072

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

If someone is hurt because a person knowingly broke a consumer product safety rule, the injured person can sue that wrongdoer in federal court where the wrongdoer lives, is found, or has an agent. The injured person can get money for their harm. The court can also award court costs, reasonable lawyer fees, and expert witness fees (as set by law). The case must involve more than $10,000, unless the defendant is the United States, a federal agency, or a federal official sued in their official job. If the final award to the plaintiff is less than $10,000 (counted without subtracting any counterclaims), the court may refuse costs and may make the plaintiff pay costs. These remedies are extra and do not replace other legal rights under state or federal law.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §2072

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Persons injured; costs; amount in controversy
Any person who shall sustain injury by reason of any knowing (including willful) violation of a consumer product safety rule, or any other rule or order issued by the Commission may sue any person who knowingly (including willfully) violated any such rule or order in any district court of the United States in the district in which the defendant resides or is found or has an agent, shall recover damages sustained and may, if the court determines it to be in the interest of justice, recover the costs of suit, including reasonable attorneys’ fees (determined in accordance with section 2060(f) of this title) and reasonable expert witnesses’ fees: Provided, That the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or value of $10,000, exclusive of interest and cost, unless such action is brought against the United States, any agency thereof, or any officer or employee thereof in his official capacity.
(b)Denial and imposition of costs
Except when express provision is made in a statute of the United States, in any case in which the plaintiff is finally adjudged to be entitled to recover less than the sum or value of $10,000, computed without regard to any setoff or counterclaim to which the defendant may be adjudged to be entitled, and exclusive of interests and costs, the district court may deny costs to the plaintiff and, in addition, may impose costs on the plaintiff.
(c)Remedies available
The remedies provided for in this section shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any other remedies provided by common law or under Federal or State law.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1981—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–35 substituted “section 2060(f) of this title” for “section 2059(e)(4) of this title”. 1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–486, § 3(a), struck out provision subjecting actions under this section to section 1331 of title 28 as to the amount in controversy and inserted proviso establishing minimum amount in controversy and excepting actions brought against the United States, or agencies, officers, or employees thereof. Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 96–486, § 3(b), added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c). 1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–284 substituted “shall” for “and shall” and provision permitting the court to award costs in the interest of justice for a prior provision which permitted the court to award costs in its discretion.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1981 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective Aug. 13, 1981, see section 1215 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 2052 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1980 Amendment; ApplicabilityFor

Effective Date

and applicability of amendment by Pub. L. 96–486, see section 4 of Pub. L. 96–486, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1980 Amendment note under section 1331 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Effective Date

Section effective on the sixtieth day following Oct. 27, 1972, see section 34 of Pub. L. 92–573, set out as a note under section 2051 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 2072

Title 15, Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110