Even though there are many laws to protect consumers from harmful and faulty products, the need for a good product injury lawyer Hyattsville MD residents can rely on, continues to be on the rise. If you or someone close to you has been injured by a faulty or malfunctioning product, you may find it helpful to discuss your situation with a lawyer who can explain to you what your rights are. If someone you love has died as the result of using a faulty product, their surviving family members may be entitled to compensation for their loss.
Product Liability
Product liability is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others who make products and goods available to the public, are held responsible for injuries and illness that are caused by the products or goods. The words “products” and “goods” traditionally refer to products and goods that are tangible, personal property.
When a person is injured or becomes ill because of something they purchased, they may have a product liability claim that is worth fighting for compensation for. If a victim of a product injury decided to try to seek compensation in a lawsuit, they would be the plaintiff in the case while one or more parties that helped to make the product available to consumers would be the defendant/s.
The claims that are most commonly associated with product liability in the U.S. are negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, and various consumer protection claims. Each kind of these different claims requires different aspects to be proven in order to win a products liability, or product injury, case. The bulk of product liability laws are determined at the state level and vary from state to state.
To find out more about the laws in your state and how they might protect you in your particular situation, talk to a product injury lawyer Hyattsville MD is proud to call one of its own. You may find it helpful to be able to make more informed decisions about what your next steps should be.
Negligence
Of the aforementioned product liability claims, some form of manufacturer negligence is the most common legal theory that gets disputed in U.S. courts. When a plaintiff (often with the help of a lawyer) claims that a party that was part of the manufacturing or distribution process did not fulfill their legal duty to protect consumers, it is a claim of negligence. In order to prove negligence, it must be proven that the defendant or defendants failed to use a reasonable standard of care in designing, manufacturing, producing and in some cases, selling a product; and that their failure to meet an industry’s acceptable level of care is how/why a person got injured.
Damages
Damages that are typically rewarded in product injury lawsuits include but are not limited to:
– Medical expenses
– Physical injuries
– Disfigurement
– Mental/emotional distress
– Pain and suffering
– Loss of income
– Property damage
– Loss of consortium
– Loss of parental guidance
If you are in the unfortunate situation of needing a reputable product injury lawyer Hyattsville MD victims and their families can turn to during difficult times like the one you are in now, contact Cohen & Cohen for a free case evaluation today.