How do Defective Product Injuries Happen?
We’ve all heard of the piece of metal in a donut or the battery of a cell phone catches fire. There are also many other ways a defective product can harm someone. At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we’ve helped injured consumers in all sorts of defective product cases, and we have the experience to help you if you’ve been injured by a product. Over the years, we’ve seen many different ways a person can be injured by the negligence of a manufacturer. Some of these include:- Items in Food
- Overheating Batteries
- Defectively Designed Power Tool
- Motor Vehicle Part Defect
- Pharmaceutical Marked Wrong
- Tainted or Poisoned Food
- Poorly Designed Medical Device
- Defect in Tires or Brakes
- Weak Ammo Casing
- Defective Cigarette Lighter or Vape
What Should I do if I’m Injured by a Defective Product?
Most defective product cases fail because of a lack of evidence. To make a claim, the injured person needs evidence that there was a defect, and the defect caused the injury. It’s common for the injured person to get medical help and not think about saving the evidence. This is completely natural as your immediate health is your main concern. However, if you can think of it, preserve the evidence so the case can be made much more easily. Take pictures, tell others around you, get the names of the emergency people or any witnesses who were at the scene. Next, contact an attorney who has had experience handling a product liability case. He or she will know what to do with the evidence and can start working on your case to make sure you can make a solid product liability claim.Types of Product Liability Claims
If you are injured because of a defective product, the law says you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. However, the law doesn’t say that just because you are injured, it’s automatically the fault of the manufacturer. Most corporations know this, and they have law firms on retainer to keep from having to pay for any injuries caused by their products. They will say that you misused the product, or you improperly stored the product or someone down the line did something, but it wasn’t their fault. At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we’ve heard all these excuses before, and we know how to conduct an investigation to get at how you were injured and then make a case against whoever is negligent. There are three ways the law allows for a claim to be made for injuries that came from a defective product:- Dangerous or Defective Design: Whoever did the design has a duty to design the product to work as indicate and safely for the consumer.
- Defective Manufacturing, Assembly or Packaging: The plant or factory that manufactures, assembles, and or packages the product has to do it properly and to the specifications for which it was designed. Flaws can come in the materials, the assembly or in many other ways.
- Inadequate Warning of the Hazards of the Product: Many products are dangerous when used as designed even when there was no defect. It might be a product that has a purpose that is dangerous by its use. The manufacturer has a duty to put warnings on the product of any type of harm that can come by using it as intended.
