People who regularly follow the law and the rules of society hardly ever find reason to think about a lawsuit. Items that we purchase are going to disappoint us, not hold up as well as expected and break when we feel that they have had the utmost of care. But once in awhile, something so catastrophic happens that the situation just has to be addressed. An automobile accident caused by a manufacturer’s defect or a case of salmonella poisoning caused by unsanitary handling of food are examples of possible product liability reasons to seek out legal advice.
An example of a legal claim would be an airbag that failed to deploy in a vehicle, causing serious injury to the driver or passengers. We are all required to purchase products that have safety measures built in and pay dearly for such but what happens when these precautions fail to protect us through a manufacturer’s defect or installation? We are left to pick up the pieces, fighting with insurance companies, facing years of mounting medicals bills and possible bankruptcy for protection from not enough money, all because we followed the rules.
Knowing where to turn can be a challenge if you have never had to think about this type of injury. But with today’s resources, namely the Internet, this can be as simple as searching the web. Product liability is an area of the law that holds manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, retailers and others that make products available, responsible for injury that their product may cause. Searching ‘product liability’ will bring up an array of subjects and contacts by the hundreds.
Since individual states have varying degrees of product liability, visiting your state’s resources will lead you to legal professionals in this field. Consumer protection may be the term that your state uses in conjunction with product liability. Once you have your list of attorneys from your state, find out their track record. Have they handled suits similar to your claim? Do they have any complaints filed through your state’s Attorney General Office or Better Business Bureau? The stress of a pending lawsuit in addition to suffering from a harmful product is bad enough without adding an unskilled or unsuccessful lawyer on top of the situation.
In the area of automobiles, many are concerned that the recent debacle of the American car manufacturers are off limits to any harm tendered to consumers. Rest assured that there are citizen’s organizations and attorneys at work on this very subject that do not intend to let bankrupt car manufacturers off the hook for shoddy workmanship that will endanger the public for years to come. The Center for Auto Safety, Consumer Action, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and the National Association of Consumer Advocates are some of the organizations that have banded together to address this issue in filing a Memorandum in Support.
Protecting our rights from negligence, strict liability or breach of warranty of products is the main purpose of a product liability attorney. This specialized legal group knows exactly what to look for, who to talk to and what type of case you may have. Many have free consultation in discussing your dilemma and will guide you accordingly.
David Vtipil is a leading
North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney . Younce & Vtipil
Workplace Injury Law Firm is focused on getting victims the settlement they deserve.
