With the influx of technology and manufacturing over the decades, we have hundreds of thousands of products available for purchase and use. Most operate safely and effectively without incident. However, occasionally a product malfunctions in a way that can lead to personal injury. There are ways to place a manufacturer or company liable for injuries caused by their defective products. The legal theory behind this is known as products liability.
Products liability lawsuits can be complicated, and the legal terminology can seem bewildering to people who are not familiar with it. However, the basic concepts are not hard to understand.
The basic concept behind product liability holds that those who design, manufacture or sell defective products can be held liable for damages caused by the defects. For example, if a consumer suffers a broken leg when a ladder collapses, he or she can have medical expenses, or lost wages from time he or she can’t return to work. If, after an investigation, it is determined that the accident was caused by a defect in the ladder, the injured person may hold a number of parties liable to pay for the medical expenses and other damages.
The next stage of the investigation is to determine whether the defect was caused during the manufacturing process (such as when a ladder collapses because the manufacturer didn’t properly attach the steps) or the design process (for instance, when the design of a ladder makes it inherently unstable). There are also defects in marketing, as when sellers give unsafe instructions, or market a product for some purpose which is unsuited to it.
It doesn’t have to be that way forever. Many victims of products liability have been able to recover and move forward with their lives. No-one deserves to suffer due to a faulty product. Consider how a products liability suit could help you and your family.