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Local Law Firms Home > Product Liability Overview Product Liability OverviewProduct liability is made up of various laws and court rulings that apply to any company that produces or sells a product. Companies that manufacture or sell products are obliged for ensuring that those products are safe and do not pose a threat to the public. Such companies may be held responsible for any harm or damage their products might cause. When a product is defective and causes harm to the consumer, a product liability lawsuit may result. Were you or a loved one injured from a defective product? Contact a product liability lawyer in your local area today. There are three different types of defects that can cause harm to consumers:
Products with design defects were defective before they were even made due to a flaw in the design. With manufacturing defects, something goes wrong during production or construction of the product. Finally, defects in marketing can result in improper product instructions, products that do not live up to their warranties or a lack of necessary warnings regarding product use. A defected product can result in serious personal injuries, including but not limited to:
According to statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are approximately 200-300 product recalls each year. Many of these recalls involve children's toys and other products. Some other products that are recalled frequently include household appliances, furniture, and tools. Equipment that people rely on to remain safe, such as fire alarms and smoke detectors, have also been known to be defective at times, resulting in injury and death. Various parts of automobiles—from brakes to tires—are recalled frequently as well, and are one of the most frequent types of product liability claims. In some cases, medical devices have also been known to cause further injury and in common brands in the form of hip replacement appliances, such as DePuy, Pennacle, ASR, and Stryker just to name a few. Medical recall issues go even further when pertaining to various medications such as Invokana, Eliquis, Pradaxa, Yasmin, Xarelto and other dangeous drugs, which have also frequently been seen in product liability cases. Unanticipated and deadly side effects, in addition to improper usage instructions, have been the result of several product liability lawsuits. Toxic exposure to lead, asbestos or Benzene can also lead to a product liability claim. Even certain foods have been recalled in the past for causing harm to consumers. According to a recent study, over 45 million defective products and toys were recalled in just one year. China produced 30 million of the defective products and toys that were recalled. Many of the toys and products used in the United States come from China, and many of these recalls occur because of unsafe lead materials that were used in production. Some of these products are not properly tested before reaching and being distributed in the United States. The study also shows that there are currently 400,000 children in the United States that are suffering from problems related directly to lead poisoning. It still remains an important health issue today. It is also vital to keep in mind that lead poisoning may not show any obvious, immediate signs at first. Parents and family members should be concerned about lead levels in toys because it is a poisonous, heavy metal that can slow growth in children, both physically and mentally. Have you or a loved one been harmed by a defective product or toy? Contact a product liability attorney today if you or a loved one was injured from a defective product. Did you know? |