Consumers' Rights & Product Liability
Product Liability
Sadly, every year thousands of Americans are injured as a result of defective products. Fortunately, it is possible to hold the individuals and companies responsible for those injuries accountable due to product liability laws. Because of the complex legal and technical issues involved in product liability cases, it is important to have an experienced attorney with the legal and technical skills honed through training and experience to handle your case.
Product defect claims typically fall into three broad categories:
- Design defects – the design of a product makes it unreasonably dangerous
- Manufacturing defects – the product is manufactured in a way that does not conform to the specifications of the designer or manufacturer
- Marketing defects – improper labels, inadequate instructions, or a lack of warnings
If you or a loved one is injured and you suspect it is due to a defective product, you should take action immediately and:
- Keep the product and any packaging and any documents that are available
- Identify the manufacturer, model name, model number, serial number, and date and place of purchase
- Keep the product in a location where it will not be touched or tampered with
- If an automobile, instruct your insurer not to allow the vehicle to be modified or destroyed
- Obtain witness information, such as name, phone number, and address
- Do not talk about the case with anyone other than your attorney
Specific examples of product liability cases include:
- Automotive defects including airbag defects, defective seat belts, tire defects causing tread separation or blowout, roof-crush, and unsafe SUVs resulting in rollover injuries or death
- Chemicals such as pesticide, herbicides, and household products that pose an unreasonable risk of injury or death
- Defective workplace machinery or power tools
- Medical devices such as insulin pumps, heart monitors, heart valves, and prosthetics
- Defective boats, airplanes and motorcycles