You should be able to trust that the products you purchase on a daily basis are safe when you use them as intended. Some products may be inherently dangerous, but when used correctly, they shouldn’t put the consumer at great risk.
Here’s the problem: Not all products are safe. Some malfunction or are defective and cause severe injuries.
If a defective product has caused you to suffer a serious injury, you may be entitled to financial compensation. A respected Charleston product liability lawyer at The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers can help you seek the compensation the at-fault party owes you.
Read on to learn more about some of the more common types of product liability claims and who could be held accountable for what’s happened to you.
Types of Product Liability
We’ve all heard of instances in which products have caused serious injuries. Take the infamous Liebeck v. McDonald’s case, in which an elderly woman’s legs and pelvis were scalded with hot coffee. This case is a simple example of one of the most common types of product liability: failure to warn.
Since the Liebeck case, retailers everywhere have printed “CAUTION: HOT COFFEE” labels on their cups to protect themselves from being held accountable if their customers were burned.
Another type of product liability arises from design defects. This is a problem with the design of the product itself, meaning all of these products everywhere could harm consumers. You see this a lot with SUVs that are too top-heavy. They are more prone to rollovers and—you guessed it—civil lawsuits.
Some manufacturing defects apply only to a single product rather than every instance of this product that entered the market. If this specific product wasn’t put together properly or was missing a part, this would be considered a manufacturing defect. And if the product caused an injury because of that defect, the manufacturer could be held legally responsible.
Filing a Successful Charleston Defective Product Claim
For your claim for compensation to be successful, you need to be able to show the following:
- Someone else’s negligence caused your injuries.
- Your injuries have had negative impacts on your life.
One of the most important elements of any product liability claim is fault. For defective product lawsuits, nearly any entity involved in the design, manufacture, distribution, and sale of the product in question could be found liable for your injuries.
Your lawyer will need to thoroughly investigate the details of your case in order to ensure that all contributing parties are named as defendants in your Charleston product liability claim. From the early stages of the product’s design to the instruction manuals and advertised uses for the product, your lawyer will look under every rock to identify those whose negligence hurt you.
Reach Out to a Charleston Product Liability Attorney
If a defective product has injured you and you’re ready to seek the compensation you deserve, call the trusted attorneys at The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers
Our firm proudly offers free claim reviews to injury victims. Claim your free consultation by calling a Charleston product liability lawyer at 803-592-6231 or filling out the online contact form below.