Products Liability

Dangerous and defective products are sold everyday to innocent victims throughout the world. The product makers are liable for the injuries and deaths their products cause, whether they knew of the defects before selling them or not.

When someone is injured while using a product that left the manufacturer’s or seller's hands in a defective or dangerous condition, he or she may be able to recover the resulting damages from the responsible party in a products liability based personal injury suit. Products liability law is based on the responsibility of a manufacturer or other provider of goods to compensate users of the goods for injuries caused by defective or dangerous products that it placed into the stream of commerce. The basic idea underlying products liability law is that the companies providing the products are usually in the best position to prevent defective products from entering the marketplace, so if they fail to do so, they should be held accountable.

Possible legal theories that can be argued in a products liability case include negligence (lack of reasonable care in the manufacture or sale of the product or in warning about the product), breach of warranty (failure to fulfill the terms of a promise regarding the product's performance), misrepresentation (giving consumers a false sense of security about a product's safety), and strict liability (under which the product's defect, although not the fault of the defendant, rendered the product unreasonably dangerous and the defendant is therefore responsible).

If a dangerous product has damaged you or a loved one, you may have a legal right to compensation. A products liability lawsuit may be brought by or on behalf of an individual injured or killed by a defective product against the manufacturer and possibly the wholesalers, distributors and seller of the defective product.

Common defective products that are the subject of many lawsuits are SUVs that roll, roof crush or roof collapse, dangerous diet drugs, herbal medicines, ephedra products, seat backs, airbag injuries, air bag failure to deploy cases, seatbelt releases, defective shoulder belts, defective seatbelt buckles, power windows, door latch opening, lift gate or rear door opening failure, rear lift gate release, defective tires, tread separation, lap belt only design defect, gas tank explosions, car fires, sliding door opening, hair dryer fires and  electrocution, tire explosions, silica dust, asbestos, benzene, helicopter engine defects, airplane engine fire defects, tractor rollover, ATV rollovers, helmet cases, crane accidents, engine fires, valve release, blowout valve deaths, firearm defects, fuel-fed fires, elevator door, childrens’ beds, toys, headrest, head restraints, airbag injuries, underride, conversion van, roof collapse,  automatic doors, forklift tow motor, ladder collapses, and many, many other dangerous products.

As in other personal injury cases, if a products liability victim proves his or her case, the manufacturer or other responsible party will pay damages, which may include:

• Compensation for injuries or deaths
• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Property damage
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Other financial awards, including compensation to family members.

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