January 31, 2019
Many of our readers in the Chicago area probably know that each year, defective products injure thousands of Americans. However, some people do not know that lawsuits that are based on these types of injuries draw upon an area of law known as “products liability”. So, what do our readers need to know about products liability law if they are injured by a defective product?
For starters, this is an area of personal injury law where injured victims attempt to hold designers, manufacturers and retailers of defective products responsible for negligent conduct. Similar to other personal injury lawsuits, such as those based on car accidents, the injured victim has the burden of proving that the company associated with the defective product acted in either a negligent or reckless manner when the product was designed, manufactured or sold.
The designer of a defective product could be held accountable if there is a fundamental flaw in the design of the product that makes it unsafe. The manufacturer of a defective product could be held accountable if there was a problem that occurred while the product was being made. Lastly, a marketer or retailer of a defective product could be held responsible if the product was sold in a manner that presented a danger, such as with inadequate warnings about the product or instructions on how to safely use the product, or if the product did not have the proper labels.
Products liability law is an area of personal injury law that can become complicated quickly, as large companies fight to prove the injured victim wrong. Anyone in the Chicago area who has been injured by a defective product will want to investigate the potential legal options that may be available.
