Whether you’re walking through the Delaware Shopping Center or your local store, you understandably expect every item you see to be safe to use. Unfortunately, the products you see every day can be susceptible to design and manufacturing errors. In 2023 alone, consumer product injuries were as high as 12,740,256 throughout the U.S.
Defective products can lead to serious injuries that can leave long-lasting and even permanent impacts. At Oliver Law Office, our women-led team of defective product attorneys can help you get the compensation you deserve for the losses you suffered due to malfunctioning products.
When it comes to claims involving defective products, Ohio follows the strict liability doctrine. Under strict liability law, you aren’t required to demonstrate negligence. Instead, your attorney will need to show that the product somehow malfunctioned and that you suffered injuries because of it.
One way a product can be defective is through its design. A design defect is present from the moment the product is conceived, so it cannot be used safely. A child’s toy with components that are choking hazards would be an example.
A product can also have a manufacturing defect. This means that its basic design is correct, but there was a deviation from it during the manufacturing process. An example would be auto parts that weren’t appropriately manufactured in the factory, causing them to malfunction when installed on vehicles later.
Products can also be defective due to a failure to warn. Some products can potentially be dangerous if not used correctly, and a manufacturer is responsible for warning consumers about it. They can be held liable if they don’t ensure the appropriate warnings are visible on the product. Common examples are medications that have serious side effects if mixed with other substances.
You can also claim a product was defective if it didn’t conform to what the manufacturer or supplier advertised. For instance, if the manufacturer claimed that an item was fire-resistant and it caught on fire and caused an injury, you can file a lawsuit.
As with other types of personal injury claims in Ohio, you have a statute of limitations to abide by. For product liability claims, you have two years from when you received an injury or when you discovered the injury.
This is important, mainly when dealing with medications. Medications might not cause immediate adverse effects but require years of consuming them before an injury becomes apparent.
If you miss the deadline to file the claim, you may lose your chance to get compensation, so make sure to contact us as soon as possible if you suspect a defective product.
Stairs, ramps, and floors are the types of products that lead to the most injuries in the United States. In 2023, they caused 2.7 million injuries. Children between the ages of zero and four are the most likely to suffer because of these products.
Cars also have a high rate of malfunctioning because of defective parts. Brakes that don’t work correctly, tires that explode, or signal lights that don’t work because they’ve been installed incorrectly can all lead to catastrophic accidents.
Additionally, household appliances can lead to serious injuries. Overheating items could cause fires and lead to burns, while other faulty appliances can result in electrocutions.
Defective medications are issues as well. They may cause side effects you’ve not been warned about or interact with other products.
If a product you’ve used sent you to Grady Memorial Hospital or another hospital with any type of injury, you may be entitled to file a product liability claim. At Oliver Law Office, we can handle every step of the process for you.
Although you don’t have to prove negligence on the defendant’s part, you do have to show that the product malfunctioned. That’s not always simple to do. It often requires referring to professionals like engineers, mechanics, and scientists. Our team has a wide net of professional contacts that we can rely on to provide corroborating testimony.
One of the most challenging aspects of a defective product claim is dealing with the opposing legal team. The defendant might be a large manufacturer with corporate legal teams ready to fight these claims. The last thing you want to do is tackle negotiations without legal representation.
Insurance companies, too, can try to push you to accept a low offer or even drop the claim completely. With our team on your side, you will have tenacious advocates who can protect you from receiving an unfair offer.
There are times when negotiations aren’t as effective as needed. If that occurs and we feel you would be better served by going to court, we can handle this for you, too. We have a proven track record of litigation success, and you can rest assured that we will leverage our resources and experience to help you win fair compensation.
Going through this process while dealing with injuries can be stressful. But you don’t have to struggle alone—turn to our compassionate team for the support you need to move forward.
If a defective product injures you, you may be eligible to claim economic and non-economic damages in Ohio. These damages serve to compensate you for quantifiable losses you’ve experienced, as well as for more subjective losses.
Economic damages aim to cover financial losses. Medical expenses typically make up a big part of these losses, including hospital stays, medication costs, rehabilitation expenses, and anything else you will need to recover from your injuries. If you need ongoing care, economic damages can cover this, too.
Most people have to miss some work days as they heal from an injury. That could mean losing wages, bonuses, commissions, and even vacation or sick days. Claiming lost wages compensates you for these losses. When the injuries are so severe that you can’t return to work, you can also claim loss of earning potential.
Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that aren’t financial in nature. Pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life fit into this category. If you lost a loved one because of a defective product, you can claim loss of consortium, which compensates you for the loss of companionship and support.
Because each case is unique, a consultation with our team can give you a better idea of what to expect.
Defective products may cause life-altering injuries that could keep you from working or living your life as you want to. If you suffered harm because of a product that wasn’t safe in Delaware, you may have the option of filing a personal injury claim. This is where our seasoned defective product attorneys come in.
At Oliver Law Office, our women-led team has decades of experience helping those who’ve suffered because of other people’s negligent or wrongful conduct. We are fierce negotiators who never shy away from going to court to achieve the most optimal outcome for you.
You don’t have to face medical expenses and lost wages alone. Schedule a consultation with our Delaware defective product attorneys team to learn more about filing a claim today.
