You depend on the products you buy to be safe and reliable. Sadly, not all manufacturers produce safe products, meaning products with defects hit store shelves and end up in your hands. If you are injured by a defective product, you may be able to pursue compensation through a product liability lawsuit.
What is product liability?
Product liability refers to the responsibilities of all parties along the chain of manufacturing to produce safe products. If the designer, manufacturer or seller contributes to a product being defective and you are injured by that product, you may be able to pursue a product liability lawsuit.
For example, some defects are inherent design defects, because there is a design flaw that makes them unsafe. Some defects occur during the manufacturing process, when the manufacturer deviates in some way from the design. And some defects are marketing defects, such as include inadequate warning labels or instructions.
Seller liability
Let’s use seller liability as an example of a product liability lawsuit. If a seller sells you a product and you suffer an injury because the product was defective, and your defect both actually and proximately caused your injury, you may have grounds for a product liability lawsuit.
In your lawsuit, you would seek compensation for the damages you suffered as a result of your injury. These damages would include purely economic losses, such as medical expenses and lost wages, as well as noneconomic damages like pain and suffering. The costs of an injury can be enormous, and can impact you and your family for the rest of your lives. And when these losses are the result of the negligence of another party who let a dangerous product go on the market, you deserve to be compensated.
Protect your rights
If you are harmed by a defective product, you will want to protect your rights. By seeking appropriate advice, you may be able to decide if pursuing a product liability lawsuit is in your best interests.
