Consumers trust product manufacturers by utilizing their products thinking they are safe. Sadly, some manufacturers produce and sell goods that endanger the lives of users. Defective products can lead to severe injuries and even fatalities. The product manufacturer should be responsible for giving compensation to victims of their defective product.
If you have been injured by a defective product, the manufacturer should bear liability. The company may be responsible for your losses like medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost income. A skilled Atlanta product liability lawyer can assist you when seeking monetary compensation or damages from the responsible party.
Why Hire a Product Liability Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer means gaining a legal advocate who can fight for your legal rights. Your attorney can stand up to huge companies for you, ensuring you secure maximum compensation for your injury and losses. They can listen to your story of what occurred. While the manufacturer of the defective product that hurt you may brush you off, your attorney can listen to every detail of your injury and losses. Also, they can investigate the defective product, look into whether other consumers have also been harmed by the same product, and document your injury and losses. Other things your attorney can do include identifying the at-fault parties, estimating your damages, filing a claim, negotiating a settlement, and filing a lawsuit for you.
How Much Time Do You Have to File a Lawsuit
Georgia sets a limit to how long you have to file a product liability lawsuit against the defective product’s manufacturer. Under state law, you can file a lawsuit within ten years of the date you bought or consumed the product. When this limit passes, you won’t be able to sue the manufacturer.
Some exceptions to such a deadline exist. For instance, the statute of limitations may not apply if the defective product caused a disease or a birth defect or if the product manufacturer showed reckless, willful, or serious disregard for life by producing and selling the defective product. While product liability cases are complex, your lawyer can thoroughly investigate the facts of your case to determine the applicability of the law.
What are Defective Products?
Defective consumer products can include anything from vehicle parts to medicines. People who purchase them may risk harm despite using them as per instructions. Some products have flaws from the get-go due to poor design. Other products become flawed while being manufactured. A consumer product can be defective through the following:
- Defective design. A product with a defective design has flaws in its conception, making it dangerous.
- Defective manufacturing. Even if a product has a safe design, it can still be flawed during production, making it unsafe. For instance, cross-contamination can happen between pain medications and another substance, making people sick.
- Inadequate or missing warning label. A product is safe if used as instructed; however, it can become dangerous if used otherwise. The manufacturer of the product should label their products with safety warnings that inform consumers of possible risks.
How to Know If You Have a Product Liability Case
Your product liability attorney has extensive experience handling your type of case. Thus, they know whether you have a case. When you consult with a lawyer, they can listen to you and advice you on you on the best course of action. When your attorney listens to how you sustained an injury after using the defective product, they will determine if the product has a defective design, if such a defect caused your injury, if your injury resulted in losses, and that you used the defective product as instructed when it harmed you.
