Product Liability

What is Product Liability?

Types of Product Liability Claims

These are defects that exist independently of the manufacturing process. A product could be manufactured perfectly and to the exact specifications called for, but the specifications and design have led to the creation of a dangerous product. Some examples of defective designs are:

(1) An automobile whose gas tank is positioned in a way that contributes to explosions when the car is hit from behind (generally, this is related to an issue referred to as “crashworthiness”);

(2) Defective medical devices, such as hip implants, knee implants, and similar devices;

(3) Children’s toys, household appliances, and other common products that cause injuries because of the manner in which they were designed; and

(4) Construction problems caused by faulty design, which leads to injuries.

Faulty manufacturing

When a product is manufactured or otherwise created in a manner inconsistent with the intended design, the result may be the placement of a dangerous and injury-causing item into the stream of commerce, where it is eventually purchased and/or used by an unsuspecting consumer. The error could be failure to follow the original design, use of substandard materials, or simply shoddy workmanship. In any of these cases, you could be injured as a result of the faulty manufacturing process.

Examples of improper manufacturing include

(1) Use of substandard materials in a power tool. This could cause the tool to break apart under ordinary use, causing severe injuries to the person using it;

(2) A poorly manufactured car or truck brake system, which causes the breaks to fail without warning; and

3) Poor workmanship in building construction, causing the collapse of a floor, ceiling, or other portion of the structure.

Dangerous toys and recreational equipment.

These are actually subcategories of the design defect area; however, we place them in a separate category here, because they often affect young children, thousands of whom are injured each year by such products. Children do not exercise the same caution as adults, nor are they apt to follow (or even to understand) warnings. Swing sets that overturn, toys with small parts that can be swallowed and lead to choking, and other recreational equipment that can lead to serious injuries may all be the subject of a claim for damages against the manufacturer, supplier, retailer, and/or others involved with the particular item.

DanToxic torts

Toxic tort cases concern substances that are sold or used in the manufacture and creation of other products, and that often cause injury due to their chemical or biological makeup. Exposure to these products can be from consumer goods, the environment, your home, or your workplace. Some toxic torts are well-known, and some are not. Some of the more notorious toxic torts are asbestos, tobacco, hexavalent chromium, mercury, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s), dioxin, and others. The list is extensive. Toxic tort cases also include pharmaceutical drugs that cause illnesses and damage to people, including birth defects, heart attacks, and other problems.

Failure to warn

These are sometimes referred to as labeling defects, or marketing defects. The essence of these cases is an inherent defect in a product which may not be obvious to the average person who might use it, but which could have been remedied by placing sufficient warnings and/or instructions by the manufacturer or supplier. These cases include products such as pharmaceuticals, where the manufacturer knew or should have known about a specific danger, but failed to warn consumers. Many cases involve disputes about whether the risk that occurred was foreseeable enough to warrant warning against.

Given the nature of product liability, litigating these cases is often a complex matter requiring not only specialized knowledge, but also the determination and drive to overcome whatever obstacles the manufacturer and other defendants may attempt to place in the path of establishing liability and damages. It is therefore crucial that your attorney be willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that you have the best chance of being compensated for your injuries.

Product Liability Law Firm in Phoenix

There is a vast number of reasons that could lead to an injury caused by a defective product. The number of possible products, the circumstances under which they are used, marketing and labeling defects, design defects, and toxic torts all require sophisticated legal and technical analysis. These types of products have caused injuries and deaths, and continue to do so on a regular basis throughout Arizona and the rest of the country. The people and the companies responsible for creating, manufacturing, and distributing these products may all share legal responsibility for your injuries.

The thought of taking on a large pharmaceutical company, an automobile manufacturer, or some other business giant may seem daunting at first. But remember that an experienced trial attorney is often confronted with what may look at first glance to be overwhelming odds. The attorneys at Lebovitz Law Group face those challenges head-on and do what is necessary to level the playing field for our clients.

If you have been injured by a product, a drug, a chemical, or similar substance, you owe it to yourself to do everything you can to receive compensation for your injuries. Contact the Lebovitz Law Group today.