Columbia Defective Products Lawyer
Common everyday items may contain hidden dangers that can cause severe injuries to yourself or your family members. Electrical shocks, deep cuts, explosions, and burns are just a few of the many ways in which consumer products have hurt individuals. These injuries can cause people a considerable amount of pain and suffering while also requiring extensive medical treatment and long recovery periods.
A Columbia defective products lawyer is available to assist you and your family following a product-related injury. With a skilled attorney at your side ready to help, you may discover that you are eligible to sue the product’s manufacturer or others in the supply chain and obtain compensation for any expenses or losses you experienced.
How Defective Products Reach Consumers
Consumer products begin as ideas drawn up by design teams that often work for manufacturers. From an idea board to a store shelf, products can develop one or more defects along the way. These include:
- Defects in the product’s design, which cause all products in a product line or every item produced according to that design to share a common mistake
- Defects in the manufacturing process, which cause only one or a particular batch of product to have the same error
- Defects in labeling, where the product(s) do not have labels on the packaging warning consumers of the dangerous properties of the product or any special instructions consumers may need to know to safely use the product
In addition, products can become broken or defective during shipping or by being improperly assembled or stored at the retail establishment. Unless a defect is apparent, many consumers may purchase defective products without realizing there is something wrong about the product. These injury victims’ first realization that the product they are using is defective may come through an injury accident.
Prevailing in a Lawsuit Involving Defective Products
A lawsuit alleging that a defective product caused a plaintiff’s injury requires the injured plaintiff to prove four facts or propositions. If a plaintiff can show that each proposition is more likely than not true, then the plaintiff may be eligible to receive financial compensation. Those four propositions are:
- A manufacturer’s product contained one or more defects that made the product unsafe for use by consumers
- These defects existed because the manufacturer did not take reasonable precautions to either fix the flaws or adequately warn consumers about them
- One or more of these defects caused injury to the plaintiff
- A specific amount of damages can compensate for the injury and accompanying bills and expenses that the plaintiff suffered
The plaintiff proves each of these propositions through the use of witness testimony and evidence. Witness testimony might include individuals who helped design or market the product, other injured customers, and the plaintiff’s testimony. Evidence includes reports, blueprints, internal communications within the manufacturer’s offices, and other records. Plaintiffs are often able to assemble these witnesses and evidence much easier with assistance from an attorney who handles defective product cases.
Speak to a Columbia Defective Products Attorney Soon
Missouri has adopted a five-year statute of limitations for product liability cases. After suffering harm from a defective product, you or your loved one will generally have just five years to take legal action and file a claim for compensation.
A skilled Columbia defective products lawyer can assist you throughout the claims process and help you file and prosecute your compensation lawsuit. To get started on your case, be sure to schedule a consultation today.