Product Liability Lawyers

When it comes to consumer goods, we rely on product manufacturers and sellers to provide us with items that are safe, effective and appropriately labeled. Unfortunately, there are too many documented instances where a product with known defects or dangerous risks makes it into the marketplace. Every year, millions of people are injured, sometimes fatally, due to consumer products that are made with a defect, under-tested, or sold without proper instructions.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that more than 34 million consumer product-related injuries were medically treated annually from 2004 through 2006. An estimated 13 million people sought treatment at U.S. emergency departments as a result of those injuries.

Many of the people who have suffered personal injury or property damage because of a consumer good may have a product liability claim. Product liability is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers and others who make products available to the public are held responsible for the injuries those products cause. By contacting a product liability attorney, victims ensure that their rights are being protected by a legal professional who understands the laws and the necessary steps to recover compensation for medical and repair bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Product liability laws cover almost every type of traditional consumer products -- including home appliances, cars, boats, food, medicine, cosmetics and environmental items such as pesticides. Among the more common types of product liability:

• Prescription Drugs: It has been estimated that nearly half of the U.S. population is taking at least one prescription drug during any one month. Unfortunately, there are many documented cases in which the manufacturer of a drug failed to inform the public and government officials of unacceptable and dangerous side effects. In some instances, drug manufacturers have not adequately tested or monitored their products before placing them in the stream of commerce. The true dangers surface only after dozens, sometimes hundreds, of consumers are seriously harmed or killed. According to one recent news report, as many as 22,000 patients could have been saved if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had moved more quickly to take the heart surgery drug Trasylol off the market after questions were raised about its safety in 2006.
• Toys: Toy makers target children with their products and are expected to design and manufacture products with the safety as their utmost priority. However, dozens of toys are recalled each year. Children's toys led to nearly 225,000 injuries in 2007, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission. In some instances, toys posed a choking or strangulation hazard; in other cases, electric motors created the risk of a dangerous shock. Since 2005, 1 death and 86 injuries have been linked to tiny magnets, leading to the recall of 8 million magnetic toys. Lately, many small painted toys marketed to toddlers have been removed from the market because they contain toxic substances such as lead.
• Appliances / tools / machinery: Each year, 33 million people are injured by consumer products in the home. Some hazards are from products that have been recognized as dangers for years; others come from new products and technologies. The injuries and property damage that occur with home appliances and tools are many. Some recent recalls have involved a shock hazard from cordless drills, a fire hazard from an electric toaster, and multiple violations of lead paint standards. Improper bracing of heavy objects leads to many injuries when furniture, TVs and ranges tip over and crush young children.
• Food: The nation's food industry has not been immune to product problems. High profile cases include a massive recall in 2007 of one million pounds of beef over fears of E. coli contamination. Thousands of tomatoes and peppers made the recall list in the summer of 2008 as prime suspects in a salmonella outbreak. Other injuries stem from foreign objects in food items as well as improper labeling, including the failure to mention allergy risks from foods containing nuts or dairy products.
• Motor vehicle defects: A defect in a moving vehicle can be devastating. Even a minor flaw is enough to cause a devastating crash. One recent example: a motorcycle maker in 2008 recalled one series of its bikes because a tiny set screw might not have been installed properly within the oil duct. The problem: that one missing part could cause the engine to seize during use and lock up the rear wheel -- sharply increasing the risk of a deadly crash. Some of the more common defects that have been found in cars and trucks have been linked to incorrect or faulty wiring and defective tires. Manufacturers of individual components can be just as liable as the maker of the vehicle if their product played a role in an injury.

Legal Action

This site contains information to help consumers better understand product liability laws and to find information on highly qualified product liability lawyers. This site does not provide legal advice. For a legal consultation, please contact a consumer product liability attorney.

If you or someone you care about has suffered an injury or accident due to a consumer product, it is important that you immediately contact a qualified product liability lawyer today to ensure that your rights are being protected. A product liability lawyer will know how to prove negligence on the part of the party responsible and help to win you compensation for your personal injury or property damages. Equally as important, by coming forward with information concerning a defect, you can help to ensure that other consumers do not fall victim to the same injuries you suffered.