The American public purchases thousands of defective products each year. From faulty airbags to hazardous furniture, many products contain dangerous defects that can lead to personal injury. If a defective product of any type injures you, filing a product liability lawsuit can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Types of Product Liability Claims
Design Defects
The first type of product liability lawsuit holds the designer strictly liable for the defective design of a product. In these cases, a product is “unreasonably dangerous” if it cannot be safely used as intended. For instance, a car that is too top heavy and poses a high risk of tipping over is a defectively designed product that could warrant a product liability claim.
Manufacturing Defects
The second type of lawsuit holds manufacturers responsible for your damages if the design of the product is safe but an error occurred during the manufacturing process that made the product hazardous. A manufacturing defect occurs when the product does not conform to its intentional design and fails to perform as expected. For example, imagine the plan for a set of tires was entirely safe but during production, sawdust gets into the glue that is used to bond the casing together. Now the well-designed tires are at high risk for tread separation, blowout, and a severe car accident, and the manufacturer who caused the error can be held liable for damages.
Warning Label Defects
The last type of product liability claim focuses on labeling defects. In this scenario, the party filing the lawsuit alleges that the products sold had inherent dangers and that the manufacturer neglected their legal responsibility to warn consumers by putting it on the label. The strict liability in these cases can apply to both avoidable and unavoidably dangerous products, but only for risks that are discoverable in light of the best general knowledge available. A label may also be defective if wording, the location of the sign, or other circumstances regarding how the warning gets conveyed is misleading.
Compensation in Product Liability Lawsuits
If you sustained a severe injury because of a defective product, filing a product liability claim can help you get the money you need to recover. While it won’t reverse the harm done, filing a suit can recover compensation for your economic and intangible damages.
Economic Damages
For starters, payment for economic losses could reimburse you for money or property lost due to your injury. Some of the most common financial damages include medical bills, cost of disability, lost income, and the cost of repairing/replacing any ruined assets.
Non-economic Damages
Meanwhile, intangible damages compensate for the aspects of the injury that are more challenging to quantify, like your physical and emotional distress. The size of these awards varies substantially from case to case due to the intangible nature of your pain and suffering. However, depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to payment for your anguish, loss of companionship, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the defective product.
Benefits of Hiring an Attorney
Any product liability claim warrants the legal advice of an experienced attorney. Filing a complaint against a large corporation can be frightening, but having legal representation will ensure that your rights and best interests are protected throughout every level of your case. A competent lawyer will be able to determine who is responsible for your injuries, estimate the damages for your situation, and fight to get you the maximum compensation for your case. You’ve already been through so much. Let the attorneys handle the legal battles so that you can focus on recovery.
The Law Firm of Ralph B. Wegis accepts clients in the California and Nationwide.
If a faulty product injured you in California or throughout the United States, the Law Firm of Ralph B. Wegis is prepared to fight for you. With over 40 years of experience, attorney Ralph handles all types of product liability cases including cases regarding defective cars, toys, household products, drugs, and industrial equipment.
At the Law Firm of Ralph B. Wegis, we pride ourselves on providing our clients with the best possible personalized legal representation for their case. Our legal staff will listen to your concerns work hard to get you the best possible outcome for your situation. Call us today to schedule a free consultation and get started on your brighter path to recovery.
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