When you purchase a product, you expect the product to perform as advertised and to be safe to use. Unfortunately, millions of people are injured each year by consumer products. In this blog, our Grand Forks & Minot product liability attorneys discuss ways consumers can protect themselves from defective products. They also explain how product liability laws protect you if a defective product injures you.
Ways You Can Protect Your Family from Defective Products
Unfortunately, defective products can cause injuries and deaths. In many cases, consumers do not know about the defects until after the product causes injuries. Some steps you can take to reduce the risk of product liability issues include:
- Check SaferProducts.gov to determine if a product has been reported as unsafe or defective.
- Research a product before you purchase it to determine if there are negative reviews or reports.
- Read all the instructions for a product before use.
- Do not use products for purposes other than those described in the instructions.
- Ensure you know the risks associated with using the product.
- Purchase products from an established company with a good reputation.
- Secure dangerous products from being accessible by children.
If a product causes an injury, report the injury to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. As soon as possible, speak with an attorney to determine your legal options for filing a claim for product liability.
What Is the Process of Filing Product Liability Claims in Grand Forks & Minot, ND?
If a product causes you or your loved one harm, seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries. Tell the doctor your injuries were caused by the product so the doctor can document this detail in the medical records.
Safely secure the defective product, including all packaging, instructions, and other documents or items included with the product. Schedule a consultation with an attorney to discuss the next steps.
Generally, the process for filing a product liability claim includes:
- File a notice with the parties responsible for the defective product. Responsible parties could include the designer, manufacturer, seller, distributor, etc.
- Determine whether the product has a design defect, manufacturing defect, or marketing defect. Generally, we hire expert witnesses to assist in proving how the defect occurred.
- Gather evidence proving the product was defective when you purchased it and that you used the product as it was intended to be used.
- Prove that the defect was the direct cause of your injuries. Expert witnesses can also help during this phase of your claim.
- Document your economic damages, including medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, and lost wages.
- Determine the value of non-economic damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, diminished quality of life, disfigurement, and impairment.
Proving the legal elements of a product liability case can be extremely challenging. Product liability cases often involve technical and scientific information that is difficult to understand. For that reason, we rely on experts to break down this information into a narrative that a jury can understand.
If the at-fault parties and their insurance providers refuse to accept liability for a defective product, the next step is to file a product liability lawsuit. Depending on the circumstances involved, the lawsuit may be an individual lawsuit, a class action lawsuit, or a lawsuit filed as part of a multi-district litigation (MDL). A defective product may injure thousands of people.
Learn More from Our Grand Forks & Minot Product Liability Attorneys
Product liability law protects consumers when dangerous products cause injuries. Call Pringle & Herigstad, P.C. to schedule a consultation with our Grand Forks & Minot product liability attorneys to discuss your legal options. You deserve fair compensation for the suffering caused by a defective product.
