Vallejo Products Liability Lawyer

Personal injury law includes a subcategory called Products Liability.  Products liability cases involve defective and/or dangerous consumer products that cause injury or medical harm. The Vallejo products liability attorneys at AutoAccident.com have been long time advocates for those who have suffered injuries caused by the use of defective and dangerous products.  Our firm welcomes all inquiries and will provide a no-obligation consultation if you or someone you love was injured after using a dangerous consumer product.  

Inherent Trust in the American Marketplace

The United States has a vibrant consumer marketplace full of innovative and mostly safe products.  Because we have consumer safety advocates and government regulatory agencies, we feel a certain level of confidence that the products sold to us will be safe.  This inherent trust is due to our history of product testing and quality control measures during the design and manufacturing process.  The United States indeed has more consumer safeguards than many other countries.  However, no system is 100% foolproof.  Negligence and carelessness can occur during any phase of the manufacturing process.  Sometimes our safeguards fail.  When a dangerous product enters the marketplace, injuries to the public can occur.  In some cases, consumer products have caused deaths.  When manufacturing negligence causes harm, those that were injured are entitled to financial compensation.  

Companies Can Be Found Legally Responsible 

As stated above, even though our consumer marketplace is overall very safe, dangerous, and/or defective products do get sold regularly.  Sometimes, a manufacturing defect will go undetected until it results in harm to a consumer.  Design flaws can also go undetected and cause injuries.  Because the potential for harm cannot be completely eradicated, California law provides civil remedies if a hazardous product causes injury to a consumer. 

A seasoned products liability attorney will first establish where the negligence occurred.  The discovery of the negligence will determine who should be held responsible for the harm caused.  It is often the case in products liability matters that there is more than one party at fault.  Common defendants in products liability cases are:

• Wholesalers
• Retailers
• Distributors
• Assembly manufacturers
• Part manufacturers

Types of Negligence

Often in products liability matters, the manufacturer will be found liable (legally responsible) for consumer injury partly because it failed to warn of the risks.  Manufacturers have a duty to warn consumers of any known hazards associated with the use of their products.  Detailed instructions, as well as all necessary warnings, must be included with the product.  Depending on governmental regulations, some warnings are required to be attached directly to the product on a label.  Other types of liability that may come into play in a products liability matter are:  

• Manufacturing Defects
• Design Defects

Potentially Dangerous Products

Some types of products are inherently more likely to cause harm than others.  Listed below are categories of products that are common subjects of products liability cases:

• Medications - Drugs often have harmful side effects.  They are also prone to defects during the manufacturing process.  Because they require detailed instructions and labeled warnings, those may be found to be incorrect or incomplete. Currently, many types of medications are involved in litigation for the harm they caused to consumers.  Zantac and Metformin are two drugs against which there are pending lawsuits.
• Medical devices - Similar to medications, this category has the potential to cause significant harm to users.  Transvaginal mesh, Paragard IUD, and Allergan textured breast implants are current examples.
• Chemicals including pesticides such as DiCamba and Round-Up
• Industrial equipment and machinery
• Children's toys and furniture - risks include choking, tipping, and entrapment.
• Appliances - these often present fire or electrocution risks.
• Motor vehicles
• Motor vehicle accessories, such as the Takata airbag.
• Apparel could present choking or asphyxiation hazards, or be flammable.

Sometimes a product will present such a clear danger that it is removed from the market altogether.  Recently recalled products include:

• Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder was pulled from the market by the manufacturer.
• Zantac - many formulations were subject to recall by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
• Allergan Biocell textured breast implants - recalled by the FDA.
• Takata airbags were recalled by the manufacturer.
• Metformin - Several manufacturers of this diabetes drug voluntarily recalled their products.

Below is an entertaining YouTube video presenting the 12 most dangerous household appliances.

Dangerous Products and the Injuries They Can Cause

There is a wide variety of injuries that can result from the use of a dangerous consumer product. Especially when the product is a medication, the harm caused is not always immediately obvious and may result from prolonged usage.  

Even when the causation is immediately clear, it may feel overwhelming to think about taking on a large and profitable company.  The products liability lawyers of AutoAccident.com understand that it is necessary to hold negligent manufacturers accountable for the harm their products cause.  

Some of the common injuries related to products liability cases are listed below: 

• Poisoning
• Lacerations
• Electrocution
• Broken Bones
• Suffocation
• Head Injuries
• Cancer diagnosis after use of a defective or dangerous drug
• Burns
• Disfigurement
• Paralysis
• Death

It takes courage to initiate legal action against a business with deep pockets.  It also takes courage and strength to recover from serious injuries.  American consumers have been diagnosed with serious diseases, left with chronic pain, or permanently disabled because they trusted that a product sold to them was safe to use.  If you have sustained injuries as a result of your use of a dangerous or defective product, take the critical step of consulting with our experienced Vallejo products liability attorneys to get informed about your options and legal rights. Our lawyers have the breadth of experience that is necessary to be successful in such a case.  You are welcome to reach out to us to talk about your case, at no obligation.

Vallejo Products Liability Lawyer

I'm Ed Smith, an attorney in Vallejo, California, with years of experience handling products liability cases. If you or anyone you love suffered harm as a result of your use of a consumer product, we are here to offer compassionate, free, and friendly advice.   Do not delay in seeking a qualified Vallejo products liability attorney to help protect your rights and maximize your case value.  Call us at (707) 564-1900 or toll-free from outside the region at (800) 404-5400 to arrange a no-obligation consultation. We also can be contacted via our online form.

Photo by Sergiu Vălenaș on Unsplash

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