Exactly Sailingfun......how do you know the equipment is defective? Neuropathy is squirrelly and very hard to tie to a specific cause. It can be Hereditary or even idiopathic (no cause at all, just "happens"). Do you drink daily? That is a huge risk factor for Neuropathy; there are so many more; just take a look at Mayo's list of possible causes.
Not a single disease, peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage caused by a number of conditions. Causes of neuropathies include:
Alcoholism. Poor dietary choices made by people with alcoholism can lead to vitamin deficiencies.
Autoimmune diseases. These include Sjogren's syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and necrotizing vasculitis.
Diabetes. More than half the people with diabetes develop some type of neuropathy.
Exposure to poisons. Toxic substances include heavy metals or chemicals.
Medications. Certain medications, especially those used to treat cancer (chemotherapy), can cause peripheral neuropathy.
Infections. These include certain viral or bacterial infections, including Lyme disease, shingles, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis C, leprosy, diphtheria and HIV.
Inherited disorders. Disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease are hereditary types of neuropathy.
Trauma or pressure on the nerve. Traumas, such as from motor vehicle accidents, falls or sports injuries, can sever or damage peripheral nerves. Nerve pressure can result from having a cast or using crutches or repeating a motion such as typing many times.
Tumors. Growths, cancerous (malignant) and noncancerous (benign), can develop on the nerves or press nerves. Also, polyneuropathy can arise as a result of some cancers related to the body's immune response. These are a form of paraneoplastic syndrome.
Vitamin deficiencies. B vitamins — including B-1, B-6 and B-12 — vitamin E and niacin are crucial to nerve health.
Bone marrow disorders. These include abnormal protein in the blood (monoclonal gammopathies), a form of bone cancer (osteosclerotic myeloma), lymphoma and amyloidosis.
Other diseases. These include kidney disease, liver disease, connective tissue disorders and an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
In a number of cases, no cause can be identified (idiopathic).
The folks you sue will point to any of these causes and more and they would be correct.
You'd have one hell of an uphill battle against folks who have a lot more money than you. (PS, my degree is PreMed, so I know a little)
Hope you heal soon and keep the dirty side down,
RadialGal