Updated: Jan 27, 2022
A Guide To Filing Claims For Hazardous Defective Products
Unlike road accidents, it's sometimes hard to pinpoint the liable party that caused someone's injury. Getting injured because of a consumer product can even feel like it's your own fault. However, if a product was defective in some way, your injury might not be because of your own carelessness or negligence. That said, let's take a look at Product Liability Claims in California and see if you have enough grounds to file a case.
People rely on consumer products to complete their jobs and better their lives every day, in every environment imaginable. Under normal circumstances, the vast majority of those consumer products are used and function as intended. There are, however, exceptions.
Defective products may make their way into the marketplace, and they will not function as intended. The cost of these defective products could be restricted to the cost and inconvenience of replacing or repairing them, or they could have more long-term and destructive implications. People may be badly hurt or even killed when a poor automobile tire bursts out at highway speeds, a toddler is exposed to poisonous chemicals from a toy, or a power tool lacks proper cautions for safe use.
When the worst happens, victims of product liability need an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney to fight for their rights and obtain damages from the responsible parties—which could include manufacturers, distributors, and retailers—regardless of how big or powerful those companies are.
What Is Product Liability?
Product liability is a legal term that refers to laws that govern whether products are defective or harmful. Cases involving product liability may differ from those involving ordinary carelessness.
A product is considered "defective" in California if it is not reasonably safe for its intended use due to the presence of one of three types of defects:
Defective Manufacturing. Businesses have an obligation to design and build products to the highest standards; even if a company, brand, or distributor does not manufacture its own products, it may be held liable for damages if it can be demonstrated that it was aware of manufacturing defects during the manufacturing process and failed to correct the problem. A manufacturing error might originate from the use of incorrect or defective materials or from flaws in the manufacturing process itself.
Examples of Manufacturing Defects Include:
Factory defects
Defective products that were overlooked by quality control
Design Defect. A design defect is defined as a flaw in a product that develops during its development and makes it inherently unsafe, either for its intended use or for usage that a designer should have anticipated. A designer can be held liable for damages if a product is fundamentally unsafe and causes injury to a user.
Examples of Design Defects include:
Poorly designed smartphones that overheat to a hazardous extent
Badly engineered workout equipment
Failure to Issue a Warning. If a consumer product is potentially dangerous or could cause injury if used wrongly, the producer or designer must advise users of these risks. Ladder manufacturers and designers, for example, frequently warn users not to utilize the top step of the ladder, lest the user fall and damage himself or herself since the ladder has become unstable.
Examples of Failure To Issue Warnings include:
Over-the-counter medicine that isn't labeled properly
Medicine without a list of side effects
Hazardous bathroom cleaning liquids that don't have appropriate warnings
Product liability claims are especially challenging because you normally don't have direct contact with the party liable for your injuries. Unlike car accidents, you don't see who's on the other car, you don't get to easily exchange insurance information with them, and you sometimes don't know if your injuries are caused by their negligence.
If you're unsure about having enough grounds to file claims, contact a California Personal Injury Attorney to handle your case. Not only will your attorney be able to point out the specific type of defect that caused your injuries, but they will also be able to guide you through contacting the liable party or filing claims against them.
Identifying Liability In Defective Product Claims
Now that we've discussed which products are considered defective, the next step is knowing who should be held responsible for the product's injury-causing defects. You need to find the specific party at fault, because otherwise, those who aren't can simply prove to the courts that they have no direct responsibility regarding your injuries.
Manufacturers and designers are required by law to ensure that their products are safe for use and consumption by the general public. If it is proven that a product is dangerous, the responsible party can be held responsible for any injuries or financial losses that occur as a result.
Plaintiffs can often file an action for damages pertaining to lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering, while each case is unique, and it is impossible to predict what damages you may be eligible for without first talking with you. Compensatory damages are granted to compensate the victim for both quantitative and intangible losses, such as lost wages and mental distress.
It may also be feasible to seek punitive penalties in product liability and premises liability lawsuits to penalize the responsible party and avoid future breaches. In many cases, it is easier and less expensive for a huge corporation to settle out of court rather than devote resources to resolving the issue at hand; punitive penalties can help guarantee corporations do not take this easy route. If we believe that punitive damages are justified in your case, we will pursue them to walk you through getting the most money and compensation possible.
A victim of a crime in California can sue for damages under one of three theories of legal liability:
Strict Liability. Whether or whether the manufacturer, supplier, or sale acted unjustly, manufacturers, suppliers, and sellers are liable for any bodily damage caused by a defective product when someone used it as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable manner. This legal theory only applies when the goods were defective at the time of sale and caused harm to the user or a third party. When the sole "damage" produced by the fault is to the product itself, it does not apply.
Liability defenses for the manufacturer, supplier, and seller are limited. It makes no difference whether those parties acted fairly or irrationally when creating or selling the defective product. If a product was defective when it arrived at the consumer's hands, and the manufacturer, supplier, or seller knew someone would use it without inspecting it for flaws, they could be held liable for damages.
As a result, strict liability claims may be easier to prove than other claims, and these are the claims that product liability attorneys normally focus on first when a product causes an injury.
Negligence. Manufacturers, suppliers, and sellers may be held accountable if they fail to use reasonable care in producing, packaging, maintaining, or otherwise managing a product, and the fault resulted in an injury to a user or a third party as a result of their negligent activities.
It occurs when a party in the "stream of commerce" acts or fails to act in such a way that products with manufacturing or design flaws or defects, as well as inaccurate or inadequate labeling, are allowed to reach consumers.
Negligence claims might be more difficult to prove because they necessitate demonstrating that someone acted inappropriately during the manufacturing, distribution, or sale of the product.
Expert product liability attorneys will examine the facts of the case to see if negligence claims should be filed. Negligence claims, on the other hand, are less common than strict liability cases.
Warranty infringement. When a manufacturer, supplier, or seller makes any express or implicit warranty to a customer about the quality and usefulness of a defective product, the customer may be entitled to compensation if the consumer product fails to live up to the warranty's promises.
It's a contract law theory that deals with the commitments made in purchase and sell transactions. The application of warranty claims and the damages allowed for breach of warranty claims are often limited.
You are not alone if you find product liability categories to be perplexing. Because product liability law is complex, it is critical to speak with experienced Top Rated Personal Injury Attorneys In Los Angeles if you or your loved one has been incurred damages and losses because of a product.
This is especially crucial when you're forwarding a claim. Since this enables you to know which party is responsible. It could be that the product was fine straight out of the manufacturer, but the distributor had been in some ways negligent, or the product's marketing was misleading in ways that are dangerous for the buying consumer.
What Payable Damages Are You Entitled To In A Product Liability Claim?
Much like any Personal Injury Case in California, a plaintiff is generally left with losses as a result of someone else's (or a party's) negligence. You may be left with injuries that necessitate you to go to the hospital, buying expensive medicines, paying for rehabilitative services, and losing income from not being able to work for the time being.
Defective products can cause victims considerable and sometimes long-term physical, emotional, and financial anguish. Their losses may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Health-care costs. Regardless of insurance coverage, victims are frequently responsible for financial charges such as hospitalization, medicine, rehabilitation, specialized medical equipment, and long-term care. These, as well as other connected medical costs, maybe recoupable.
Wages and earning capacity have been lost. Because of the damage caused by a defective product, a victim may be unable to work for the time being or may never be able to return to their previous position. It may be possible to recoup lost wages and earning capacity.
If a plaintiff is left with a disability or was harmed to the extent that they can't go back to the type of work they do (or get a similarly-paying position), then that is considered a loss in earning capacity.
Pain and Suffering. A victim of a defective product may be entitled to damages based on the type and severity of the harm, the length of recuperation, and whether permanent scars, disfiguration, or disability resulting from the defect.
Companionship loss. The personal relationship between the victim and their spouse or partner may be considered recoverable damage as a result of an accident, defective product, or wrongful death.
Loss of pleasure in life. When a defective product prevents a victim from engaging in hobbies, pursuits, or other activities that they formerly loved, the value of that loss may be recoverable.
Costs of property damage. A defective product's cost of repair, replacement, or destruction of property may be recovered. For example, if a defective stove causes a house fire, or if an accident or faulty product resulted in damages to your property, then you may include it in your list of losses incurred because of the claim.
Damages for retaliation. A victim may seek and obtain punitive damages if the defendant acts with malice, oppression, or deception. This is especially true when large manufacturers, distributors, and their insurance companies try to silence you, blacklist you, or get in the way of you filing claims against them.
In product liability lawsuits, the potential for damages is enormous. Large corporations, on the other hand, will actively defend their interests in court, making a successful recovery difficult without legal representation. It is strongly advised that you to get legal advice from an experienced, qualified California Personal Injury Attorney to guarantee that your rights are protected and your interests are served.
Why Hire A Personal Injury Attorney To Help Your Product Liability Claims?
When consumers get injured by a defective product, they sometimes hesitate to go forward with their claims. After all, in most Product Liability Cases, you'll have to go up against a group of people—like manufacturers, companies, and well-known brands—to it's a bit intimidating.
However, there's a reason why consumer protection laws like this exist, and it is meant to give consumers some power over negligent companies, distributors, and manufacturers. Just because you're the only one who suffered adverse effects from defective products doesn't mean it's your fault that it happened.
In most cases, these first incidents are taken seriously. Most because it might be the key to preventing further problems in the future. One successful claim is sometimes enough for companies and manufacturers to recall products.
There are numerous advantages to hiring an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney. When you have legal counsel at your side, they will be able to do the following:
Determine whether you have a valid claim. A person who has been injured or incurred losses as a result of the conduct or negligence of another (like a company or manufacturer) is likely to have grounds for a personal injury claim in California. The facts circumstances of your injury and loss, on the other hand, may work against you.
It is important that you do have a legitimate claim. Sometimes, people do get a defective product but are fortunately uninjured as a result. In this case, it might be best to just get a replacement product from the manufacturer or distributor.
Having a flimsy case might also be a waste of your time and effort. An attorney will be able to look at your case, review the facts, and tell you if you have enough grounds to file for a claim. This might save you more time rather than getting your case dismissed in the end.
A product liability attorney in California will be able to tell you what to look for to see if you have a case.
Represent and file important documents for you. While you're recovering from your injuries, you want less stress in your life. You don't want to have to deal with insurance companies and gathering evidence while you're trying to recover.
Attorneys also do their own investigations of your case. If you leave the investigation to one party, it might be biased in the end. That said, if you have someone on your side doing the same investigative work, you'll have someone working for your interest and help show that you were not at fault for your injuries and losses.
Having a Personal Injury Attorney in California affords you this peace of mind. They will be able to talk to the key people in your case, as well as process evidence and documents related to your claim.
Assist you in complying with the statute of limitations. Personal injury sufferers have a certain amount of time to file a lawsuit in each state. This deadline will be met with the help and guidance of a personal injury attorney in California.
Make a claim for compensation for your injuries. You may be entitled to compensation for your physical injuries as well as mental distress. Personal injury lawyers will seek compensation in any way feasible. Furthermore, victims who engage a lawyer are more likely to receive a large payout than those who represent themselves.
Hold the relevant parties accountable. The defendant's lawyer and the insurance company will do everything they can to deny responsibility for your injuries. An expert personal injury lawyer is familiar with these tactics and will fight to ensure that the defense does not win.
In short, your California Personal Injury Attorney is not only your legal counsel; they are also your representative. They can guide you through deadlines and paperwork, as well as speak to insurance companies and the people responsible.
They'll make sure you build a solid case for your claims and keep up with deadlines. You'll want to be able to process your claims in the right way so that you get the compensation you need without further difficulty than the one you're already trying to recover from.
California's Product Liability Statute of Limitations
A statute of limitations is a law that establishes a time limit for filing a lawsuit. All cases are subject to these time limits, and the amount of time granted varies depending on the type of action.
For each type of litigation, it is critical to recognize and comprehend the statute of limitations. Failure to make a claim within the appropriate time frame might be costly. While the harmed party can still launch a case, it is unlikely that they will be successful. When the opposing party realizes the statute of limitations has expired, they will notify the court, and the judge will dismiss the case.
As a result, it is critical for those who have been hurt by defective items to contact a California product liability lawyer as quickly as feasible. Beginning the liability claims process with plenty of time on your side can provide invaluable peace of mind and a good chance of receiving financial compensation.
The statute of limitations in California for product liability cases is two years from the time the injured party learned or should have known about their injury. So, if an injured individual discovered their injury or losses on January 1, 2020, they have until January 1, 2022, to file a claim.
The statutes of limitations for products liability cases vary slightly from those for other types of actions.
The clock starts ticking on a products liability lawsuit when the injured party learns or should have reasonably recognized their injury. This is in contrast to other types of claims, where the clock starts ticking on the date of a major event.
If a defective product causes property damage in addition to injuries, the injured person has three years to file a lawsuit from the date the property harm occurred. It's still a good idea to bring a case within two years to prevent blowing your chances to seek compensation for your injuries.
When an injured person discovers that their damage was caused by a defective product, they should contact a California Products Liability Attorney straight away. Waiting may result in the loss of the opportunity to seek compensation.
Why Do Product Liability Claims Have a Statute of Limitations?
Most sorts of claims have a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time the plaintiff has to file. There are several reasons for this. There is a statute of limitations for product liability claims in particular because:
It's possible that the problematic products might get destroyed over time.
It's possible that crucial evidence will go missing or become unavailable.
As time passes, gaining access to medical records gets more difficult.
The longer it takes to examine the injuries and damages caused by the defective products, the more difficult it becomes.
The party who has been harmed by the defective product is unable to stop the clock once it has begun to tick (except in very limited circumstances). As a result, it is critical to retain the services of an experienced Products Liability attorney in California to protect your right to just compensation.
Find Top Rated Personal Injury Attorneys In Los Angeles
Getting into an accident is stressful on many fronts. Not only do you have to deal with physical and emotional pains, but you will also face economic losses from medical and other recovery bills.
Hiring a California Attorney For Personal Injury will ease the difficulties you are already experiencing in the workplace.
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