Product Liability Lawyer in Clayton

Name: Product Liability
Brand: Turnbull, Moak & Pendergrass
Rating: 5 (5 reviews)

Not every product is a great buy, but you shouldn’t have to worry about being harmed when you purchase something. If you’ve been hurt by a dangerous product, a lawyer may be able to help.

How defective products cause harm

Manufacturers of products (and the various components used in those products) are legally and ethically required to ensure that their products work as intended and won’t cause significant harm. Most industries have rigorous safety protocols, but that doesn’t mean every safety issue is detected and dealt with. The unfortunate truth is that many manufacturers prioritize profits over customer safety. When one of their products causes illness, injury, or death, these companies hire expensive lawyers in an attempt to make the issue go away. Standing up to negligent companies can be daunting. However, when you have an experienced product liability lawyer in Clayton, you’ll have a fierce advocate committed to holding manufacturers accountable.

What makes a product liability claim?

“Product liability” is a fairly broad term that generally encompasses three categories: manufacturing defects, design defects, and marketing defects.

Manufacturing Defects

This type of product liability claim centers around products that are dangerous due to errors made during their manufacturing process. Ideally, these products would be safe if produced correctly. However, defects that occur during manufacturing can make them harmful to consumers. With this kind of claim, the product wouldn’t have been dangerous if it had been manufactured correctly. The product harms a consumer because of some fault in the process, like a defective component or poor quality control. A great example of this is a food manufacturer using contaminated ingredients.

Design Defects

A product doesn't have to have a manufacturing flaw to be dangerous. Sometimes, it’s the design itself that’s dangerous. In these cases, the court will look at how the product was intended to be used, but it will also take into account misuses that might reasonably occur. For instance, imagine a bottle manufacturer that creates pill bottles with childproof caps. The caps end up not working as they’re supposed to, and a child is injured because they ingest pills after opening the cap. Even if the bottle says “keep out of reach of children,” the manufacturer could be found liable for the defective caps. Accidentally leaving the bottle near a child could be considered “reasonable misuse.”

Marketing Defects

A marketing defect means the manufacturer didn’t adequately warn the consumer about potential dangers. For example, if a manufacturer knows a device’s battery could explode when it’s plugged in too long, it should include a warning on the product packaging. If there’s no warning, a consumer injured by an explosion might have a claim based on a marketing defect. Product liability claims can involve virtually any kind of product. However, the following product types show up frequently:

Cars
Medications
Appliances
Medical devices
Food
Electronic devices (many of these claims involve explosions)
Children’s toys

It’s important to note that not every injury resulting from product use will result in a successful claim.

When you set up a consultation with a product liability attorney in Clayton, they’ll review your unique circumstances to assess the viability of your potential claim. If they think you have a good chance of winning, they’ll likely take on your case. Don’t make the mistake of not working with a lawyer because you think you can’t afford it. Consultations with personal injury attorneys are almost always free, and these lawyers generally work on a contingency basis. This means that you pay nothing upfront—you’ll only incur fees if your lawyer successfully recovers compensation for you, and these fees will be deducted from your total award.

Types of Product Liability Claims

If a product liability lawyer in Clayton takes your case, they’ll go about developing a legal strategy. Usually, these cases are based on a certain theory of liability.

Strict liability

This is a fairly straightforward theory. Your legal team simply needs to prove that the product in question was both defective and the direct cause of your injury.

Negligence

A claim of negligence holds that the product caused an injury because the manufacturer was careless in some way. Manufacturers have a duty of care to consumers, which means they’re obligated to ensure that the products they make aren’t dangerous.

Breach of warranty

This argument holds that the product manufacturer failed to honor the terms of a product warranty. For your claim to be valid, you and your legal team will need to show that a product warranty existed in the first place.

Consult a product liability attorney in Clayton, GA

Manufacturers have an obligation to ensure that their products won’t cause harm to users. If you’ve been injured because of a negligent manufacturer, you might be facing medical bills, significant pain and suffering, or other disruptions to your life. The team at Turnbull, Moak & Pendergrass believes that manufacturers should be held accountable for the harm they do to their customers, even when it’s accidental. If we take your case, we’ll fight tirelessly to help you receive the compensation you need for your injuries. Contact us today or schedule a visit at our Clayton office at 41 S Main St to set up a free case review.