As a product defect lawyer in Alexandria, VA from Cohen & Cohen can explain, product sellers and manufacturers must produce, send out, and sell items that are reasonably safe for consumers. Companies that release products that are a health risk may face a liability lawsuit. Our team can take a deeper look into what happened, inform you of your options, and work to hold the offending parties accountable. Product defect/liability cases are typically categorized under the following:
- Manufacturing Defect: the design of the item may be impeccable, but a mistake may have occurred during the manufacturing stage. This can happen due to quality control failures during assembly.
- Negligence: distributors, vendors, manufacturers, and/or sellers may be careless in how they choose to create, market, and sell a consumer product.
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- Design Defect: the creative idea behind the product may have been flawed, causing it to be unreasonably safe or hazardous. If there is an inherent error in the design, then it doesn’t matter how well the manufacturing process is, since it’ll still be a safety concern.
- Warranty Breach: products that do not function properly in some way may be breaching an implied or written warranty.
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- Failure To Warn: the consumer was not informed about safe operation of the item, and/or what would happen if the item was not used correctly. Products should have warning labels as appropriate, so that consumers are aware of risks.
- Strict Liability: the nature of a product may cause severe injury or fatality if defective, such as heavy machinery and medical tools.
You must speak with a VA product defect lawyer in Alexandria if any of the above situations may apply to you. Once someone has been hurt by a product, it can be difficult to figure out who exactly is at-fault. But thankfully, there are professionals such as ourselves who know the law and how to hold companies liable for the harm they caused.
You may feel inclined to contact the store or company that you bought the item from to report your injury. However, before making any statements, we can help you identify who is liable. It may be the designer, manufacturer, distributor, another party, or all of the above. We can look into the history of the product in question and demand fair restitution for your suffering.
Do not throw out the product. And do not try to take it apart or fix it. Look for your receipt or proof that you purchased the item. Take photographs of your injuries, the product itself, broken parts, and anything else relevant. Get copies of medical records for your lawyer to use in support of your case. The more you take action now to protect yourself, the better your chances are at being awarded compensation.
To receive qualified legal insight into a possible product liability case, contact a product defect lawyer in Alexandria, Virginia from Cohen & Cohen today to reserve your consultation.
Common Types of Defective Products
Product manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are safe for the public to use. If they fail to do this, people can suffer serious injuries from various consumer products. Many people do not realize that the products you use on a daily basis can result in severe injuries. Here are the most common types of defective products.
- Medical devices. Medical devices are created to help people with injuries and illnesses. However, if they are manufactured or designed poorly, they can cause serious injuries in people. Some examples of medical devices that have resulted in injuries include transvaginal mesh, pacemakers and metal hip replacements.
- Children’s toys. A parent’s worst nightmare is to witness their child get injured from playing with a toy. Unfortunately, however, there have been many product liability cases related to children’s toys in recent years. For example, some toys that are negligently designed can cause choking in children. If your child has been injured by a toy, you should contact an Alexandria, VA product defect lawyer soon.
- Auto parts. Many people rely on their vehicles to get to work and other important places. Unfortunately, the same vehicles they depend on every day can also cause them injury. If auto parts, such as tires, brakes or steering wheels, are poorly designed or manufactured, they can cause car accidents.
- Household appliances. The appliances you use on a daily basis, like a water heater or toaster, also are not immune to product defects. If these appliances were not carefully manufactured or designed, they can cause severe injuries. For example, poorly manufactured water heaters have caused burn injuries.
- Food. Even the food you eat can cause harm. For example, if food is cross-contaminated, it can lead to food poisoning, which can be life-threatening.
- Cleaning products. Bleach and other household cleaning products often contain harsh ingredients. If they are not properly labeled, these products can cause burns and poisoning.
- Industrial machines. Factory workers have to operate heavy machinery every day. Unfortunately, if these machines are not properly manufactured or designed, they can cause catastrophic injuries in workers.
- Medications. Prescription medications can treat so many different illnesses these days and help people live longer lives. However, if these medications do not undergo sufficient testing before being released to the public, they can cause harmful side effects.
