Product Liability Lawsuits

Product Liability laws state that a company’s primary duty is to protect its customers from possible hazards. Since the manufacturers have the innate knowledge of their products, courts find it justifiable to have the former assume the financial responsibilities for injuries, as well as property damage.

Product Liability Statistics

Each and every product liability lawsuit case includes its own unique circumstances and unfortunate outcomes. The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) tracks important product liability information and product liability news so they can generate useful reports and statistics.

In 2014, 7% of all personal injury cases were product liability lawsuits.

Product liability lawsuit cases also have the second highest median damage awards in all the types of personal injury cases, sitting at around $300,000. The following statistics show different product liabilities and the possible hazards that come with their defects:

• The number of injuries caused by toys in 1997 was approximately 141,000. Four years later, that number almost doubled to 255,100. Just two years later, in 2006, the number of toy-related injuries dropped down by about 30,000.
• In 2005, Dell performed a product liability recall on over 200,000 of its laptop batteries, which had a high risk of overheating and causing unexpected fires.
• In 2003, more than 80 toys were recalled due to safety hazards
• About 26 infants die each year from crib-related deaths
• Almost 30,000 electric blankets were recalled in 2003, because they were burning consumers if they were folded or bunched.
• In 2006, Toyota recalled more than 1.4 million cars because of possible defective product lawsuits.

As you can see, manufacturers make mistakes as well, (a lot of them). So, always be cautious when using any kind of products. Serious injuries may occur if the defects are bad enough.

Defective Product Lawsuits Statistics

Jury Verdict Research released a more recent study, in 2011, which found the median compensatory award for products liability lawsuit cases involving transportation products to be around $3,000,000. Further data showed:

• Industrial and construction product liability lawsuit cases – $1,254,280
• Medical defective product lawsuits – $1,078,400
• Commercial defective product lawsuits – $725,000
• Consumer products liability lawsuit cases – $279,309

Product liability lawsuit cases are complex, and you have to fight every step of the way. This is where a product liability lawyer comes into play.

Types of Product Liability Claims

Essentially, there are three main types of defective product liability claims. The first one is defectively manufactured products, which can include:

• A swing set with a cracked chain
• A tainted batch of cough syrup containing a toxic substance
• A moped missing its brake pads

The second one is defectively-designed products. Examples include:

• A line of electric blankets that electrocutes customers when turned on too high
• A type of sunglasses that fail to actually protect the eyes from UV rays
• A certain car model which has a tendency to flip over when turning

The last category is the failure to provide adequate warnings or instructions. For instance:

• A cough syrup that does not have the necessary warnings on its label, for example, might cause potentially dangerous side effects if taken in combination with a different drug.
• A corrosive paint-removing chemical which is sold without adequate instructions for safe handling and use
• An electric teal kettle which is packaged without the necessary warnings concerning its strangely positioned steam valve

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Product Liability Injuries

Serious injuries may occur when manufacturers or businesses prioritize their profits over the safety and welfare of their consumers.

Once these individuals are harmed by unsafe products, they can take action against the producer, manufacturer, seller and designer of said products.

Defective and toxic toys for children or infants, faulty electrical appliances, design defects or d improper labeling are just a few examples of how manufacturer mistakes can lead to serious injuries.

In such instances, the producer or company is legally responsible to assure that the end user of their products are safe. If an injury occurs, the seller and the maker of the product should offer full recovery to the injured customer, as well as family members who suffered from the product’s defective features.

Product Liability Lawsuit Cases

The reason for fostering product safety is to protect consumers and to instill knowledge on their rights as end users of a defective product. It is also to educate them on the possible injuries they may experience. Consumers have the right to sue companies for negligence in order to get the compensation they deserve.

Complaints can also be made when the manufacturer or seller fails to fulfill their promise or address concerns about the quality of their products. Companies are also liable if they give false security or safety information about their product or misrepresent the product in an advertisement. To be successful in a lawsuit, the injured party must first prove that the item was defective and that it has caused injury to the user. They must also prove that such defect has rendered other hazards.

Once the injured consumer shows an injury from the manufacturer’s product, the former is entitled to receive compensation for economic damages which include:

• Medical expenditures
• Non-economic damages, such as mental anguish and physical suffering
• Retributive damages which involve necessary actions to be taken for reckless behavior

Aside from monetary reimbursement, justice will be brought with favorable verdicts. Injured consumers who filed charges against the manufacturers of defective products will also contribute to public safety by encouraging the latter to create safer and more reliable products.

Product Liability Lawyers

Our expert product liability lawyers have competitive knowledge on the physical, emotional and economic damage an individual may suffer. These cases prove that manufacturers have the ability to reduce injuries by simply taking more steps to ensure the safety and satisfaction of their customers.

Legal assistance for product liabilities is available at the Fenstersheib Law Group, P.A. without any obligation, including free and confidential consultations with our lawyers.

Get your questions answered - call us for your FREE consultation at 800-835-5762 & 954-456-2488