Product Liability

A product liability claim involves an injury caused by a dangerous or defective product. The problem may involve the product’s design, how it was manufactured, missing warnings, unclear instructions, or a failure to protect users from a known risk. These cases may involve vehicles, equipment, tools, appliances, consumer products, safety devices, or other products that cause serious harm.

Keep the product in the same condition it was in after the incident. Do not throw it away, repair it, return it, sell it, or send it back to the manufacturer before speaking with a lawyer. The product itself may be the most important evidence in the case, along with the packaging, instructions, receipts, photos, and any communications with the seller or manufacturer.

Responsibility may involve the manufacturer, distributor, seller, installer, maintenance company, or another party in the product’s chain of distribution. In some cases, more than one company may share responsibility. Product liability cases often require qualified experts who can inspect the product, identify the defect, and explain how the defect caused the injury.

Product defect cases often involve design defects, manufacturing defects, or warning defects. A design defect means the product was unsafe by design. A manufacturing defect means something went wrong in how the product was made. A warning defect means the product did not include proper instructions or safety warnings. The type of defect affects what evidence and experts may be needed.

Experts are often important because product liability cases can be highly technical. An expert may need to inspect the product, test components, review design documents, evaluate warnings, or explain how the defect caused the injury. Without that type of analysis, a company or insurer may argue that the product was safe or that something else caused the harm.