When you purchase a product, you expect it to be safe for you to use. There are a multitude of rigorous safety and quality assurance checkpoints that a product must go through to reach the consumer market.
However, this process and the accompanying guidelines aren’t consistently successful at preventing companies from manufacturing, advertising, and selling products that are or can become dangerous to consumers. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that a staggering 29.4 million injuries are caused every year by unsafe products. Deaths caused by defective products exceed 21,400 annually, and the average cost of damages is $700 billion.
If you or a family member have been injured or became ill as a result of a defective product, a Massachusetts product liability lawyer can help.
A defective product is a product that has become dangerous to consumers due to one or more of the following:
Product liability laws are made on a state-by-state basis; there are no federal consumer laws that protect individuals from defective products.
Generally, any product can meet the criteria of being “defective” under the right circumstances. However, some products are found to be improperly designed, poorly manufactured, or sold deceptively more frequently than others. These include but are not limited to:
Unfortunately, the cost of poor-quality, defective, and deceptively sold products is high and it’s usually the consumer that pays the price. Depending on the product, the nature of its use, and how it was defective, the consequences can be serious. Injuries, illnesses, and wrongful death can occur during or after the use of a defective product.
Children are particularly vulnerable to products that may be defective, like car seats and other safety devices. Or, they may come into contact with toys made with lead or toxic chemicals.
If a product is found to be defective and that defect resulted in injury or damage to someone else, one or more parties may be held responsible.
This may be:
If multiple parties contributed to the product’s defectiveness, they may all be held legally accountable for any harm that resulted from the product’s use. However, this generally requires the assistance of a skilled product liability attorney who can clearly illustrate how each party was responsible for or contributed to the plaintiff’s damages.
Victims of defective products and their families have a few options after being harmed by an unsafe product, such as:
Don’t wait to get help from someone you can trust after you or a loved one were hurt by a defective or dangerous product. You could be eligible for financial restitution to help ameliorate medical bills, lost wages, and other damages your family has sustained as a result of being harmed by a defective product.
Massachusetts & New Hampshire product liability attorneys Robert E. Mazow and Kevin J. McCullough are experienced consumer protection lawyers who can assist you in obtaining justice and compensation.
Contact us today to book your consultation at (978) 744-8000 or toll free at (855) 693-9084.