Every year, tens of thousands of people across the United States sustain injuries as the result of product defects. Some of these unfortunate people suffer very serious and even fatal injuries. There is a spike in certain types of product defect injuries during the winter holiday season as a result of an increase in retail sales and because of gift giving.
In order to be better abreast of issues surrounding product defects when gift giving (and receiving) during the holiday season, there are five risk areas that you need to generally understand. These are:
- Manufacturing defects
- Design defects
- Warning errors
- Damage during shipping
- Damage by retailer
Manufacturing Defects
The most commonplace types of products liability cases are those that involve what are known as manufacturing defects. These are mishaps or errors that occur during the manufacturing process. Manufacturing defects can include everything from incorrect or improper materials used in the process to equipment malfunctions or human errors that result in a product defect.
Design Defects
Among the most common causes of product defects are those that occur in the design process. In this type of situation, those responsible for designing a product in the first instance make a design error that can end up making a product dangerous.
Warning Errors
Another type of product defect that can result in injuries to consumers – including serious harm – is found in improper warnings. A common type of warning error can be found on medication, including some type of over the counter drug. Warning errors resulting in injuries can also be found in products designed for children, particularly toys.
Damage During Shipping
A product that left a manufacturing plant properly designed and in good condition can end up being damaged during shipping. There are types of damages that occur during the shipping process that are not immediately detectible, but which can result in serious harm to consumers.
Damage by Retailer
In addition to products being damages and becoming defective during the shipping process, the same type of occurrence can happen when merchandise is in the hands of retailers. Damage by retailer can result in product defects that can end up injuring consumers, sometimes seriously so.
Understanding Who is Responsible for Injuries in a Defective Products Case
When a person is injured because of a defective product, more than one party may be responsible for causing the defect that gave rise to an injury or injuries. For example, a manufacturing defect may have occurred that was caused by deficient materials in the product. In such a situation, the company that produced the material used to make the product and the manufacturing of the product itself might be responsible for injuries. In addition, a claim might also be made against the retailer that sold a particular defective product to a consumer. A seasoned defective product lawyer is capable of ensuring that all responsible parties are identified in a particular case.
Your Rights in a Defective Products Case
If you or a member of your family have been injured as the result of a defective product, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is here for you. We have established a defective product lawyer hotline at (800) 349-0000. Understanding how traumatic and challenging injuries sustained because of a defective product, our hotline is staffed around the clock, 365 days a year, including all major holidays. While we hope you never need our services, we want you to know that we are always here for you.
The Doan Law Firm is a nationwide law practice, with 40 offices located across the country. We can schedule an initial consultation with you at any one of our offices, at your home, at the hospital, or any location that is convenient for you. We can also arrange a virtual case evaluation with you online. There is never a charge for an initial consultation and case evaluation with one of our defective product attorneys.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee guarantee to you. We never charge an attorney fee unless we win for you – and we are committed to tireless fight to win big for you.