Alexandria Product Defect Lawyer

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

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. 

• • 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.

• • 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.

If you or someone you love was hurt because of an unsafe product, we advise reaching out today for help. Signs that a product may be defective include:

• Product has broken component
• Package did not come with instructions or warnings
• The reviews for the item are rated low with complaints about safety
• Product was recalled 
• Toys for children appear to be a choking hazard

At our law firm, an Alexandria product defect lawyer in VA believes in holding manufacturers and other related parties accountable for their actions in releasing an unsafe product. We understand our role in being a source of legal insight, and are happy to provide a consultation as soon as you are available. We know how to protect our clients and use the law for their protection and benefit.

Not every product on the store shelf is going to be safe, even when used as directed. Always use caution when first using a product, read the directions thoroughly, and if something is not quite right about it, you may want to get rid of it and request a return, then file a report to the appropriate consumer agency.

If you were harmed by a product, you must keep the item and keep records such as medical documentation, property damage, pictures of injuries, and any other proof that supports your claims. A lawyer will review your evidence and the situation, then advise how to proceed further. Depending on the circumstances, you may have a strong case for pursuing a product liability lawsuit for financial restitution.

Common Myths About Defective Product Claims

If you have suffered injuries from a defective product, you may be eligible for compensation. However, you may have heard several untruths about these cases. Here are some common myths about defective product claims that you should not believe.

• If the product warranty is expired, you don’t have a case. This is not true. Even if the warranty for a product has expired, you may still have a strong personal injury case if you were injured by a product. This is because an injury claim has nothing to do with the warranty. The claim just has to be brought within the applicable statute of limitations in your state.

• If you modified a product and suffered injuries, you don’t have a case. Just because you made changes to a product, does not necessarily mean that you don’t have a product liability case. If a manufacturer could have predicted that consumers would make certain modifications, they may still be held liable if injuries occur.

• You need direct evidence to win a product liability case. Another common myth about these claims is that you need direct evidence that a product was defective to pursue a case. Sometimes this just is not possible. For instance, if a product caused an explosion, the product may get destroyed. In this case, the victim may use circumstantial evidence to establish that the product was faulty.

• You don’t need a lawyer. Product liability cases can include many complexities, so it is in your best interest to hire an experienced Alexandra, VA product defect lawyer. A lawyer will help you gather the necessary evidence to prove your case and handle negotiations with the insurance company. With a skilled lawyer on your side, you have a better chance of receiving a fair settlement.

• Product liability cases can always turn into class action lawsuits. Although product liability cases can sometimes turn into class action lawsuits, it does not always work out this way.  inot easy for a single case to meet the requirements of a class action lawsuit.

• If you did not use the product as intended, you do not have a case. Even if you used a product not the way it was intended to be used, you may still have a product liability case.

Cohen & Cohen

You can trust when we say that our team is not afraid to go up against big companies. We have been able to obtain substantial compensation for our clients who have become victims because of defective products. We have seen people get taken advantage of by a corporate greed system that does not have the public’s best interests at heart.

You can rely on us to always have your health and wellness as the top priority. We work relentlessly for our clients and hope that if you have questions related to product liability and injury, that you contact an Alexandria, Virginia product defect lawyer from Cohen & Cohen now.