Richmond, VA Product Liability Lawyer

All of us work with hundreds of consumer products on a weekly basis. We put our faith and trust in big corporate entities to design and manufacture safe products. Unfortunately, big corporations often put profits in front of safety, and this can lead to serious injuries.

Our Richmond product liability lawyers are familiar with the physical, emotional and financial damage that a defective product can cause. If you have been injured or lost someone because of a dangerous product, you have the right to file a claim against the supplier or manufacturer of the product.

Unfortunately, thousands of people are injured or die each year because of dangerous products – from automobiles to insulation to medical devices to pharmaceutical drugs and supplements. We frequently hear of product recalls because of safety and design issues in motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, children’s toys and pajamas – even the food we eat.

You Are Entitled to Compensation

You may feel helpless or hopeless if you are one of the innocent people who has been injured, suffered property damage or tragically lost someone because of a hazardous product. However, you do have some control. Victims injured by faulty products have the right to seek compensation, including economic damages (lost wages or medical expenses), non-economic damages (pain and suffering) and punitive damages (to punish reckless behavior).

The attorneys at Epperly & Follis P.C. have the experience to represent victims who have been injured by defective products. Our firm has won many cases against large manufacturers who have been sued by clients for injuries caused by their defective products.

Help Others Who Have Had a Similar Experience

In addition to the monetary considerations of a favorable verdict, if you win your case you may find solace in the fact that those responsible for your situation will be brought to justice. Moreover, you will contribute to the public safety by making manufacturers accountable for safer and more dependable products.

The Path to Justice

When you file a product liability claim, you are suing the makers or sellers of injurious products. Anyone in the supply chain can be held responsible for damages, including the manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer. When their product was brought to market, the manufacturers and distributors became legally obligated to provide a well-designed product that is reasonably safe when used as intended. To win a product liability case, your attorney must demonstrate that:

• The product had an “unreasonably dangerous” defect that caused your injury, and that the defect occurred in the product’s design, during its manufacture, or during shipping or handling.
• The defect caused your injury even though you were using the product in the way the manufacturer said that it was intended to be used.
• The product that caused damage had not changed “substantially” from its original sales condition.

Other forms of product liability claims are negligence (carelessness, recklessness or malice) or breach of warranty of fitness (damage directly resulting from inadequate product warning). Each of these types of suits has its advantages and disadvantages, and your attorney will recognize and recommend the avenue that offers the greatest chance of recompense. In some cases, your lawyer may opt to use a combination of the three.

While product liability provisions vary greatly from state to state, every jurisdiction requires proof that the product was defective. Your attorney will present one or more of the three types of defects that demonstrate liability:

• Design defects – these are inbuilt defects that make the product flawed prior to its manufacture.
• Manufacturing defects – these are problems that happen as the product is being built or produced.
• Defect in Warning – the manufacturer has failed to adequately instruct or warn consumers of the potential dangers in the product.

Have You Experienced One of These Defective Product Injuries?

Common injuries from defective products include:

Fractures or Broken Bones

A defective chair or raised sidewalk could easily cause broken bones or fractures.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

A defective bike helmet could easily lead to a traumatic brain injury or concussion. If a chain breaks on a worksite, it could lead to a heavy object falling on your head. Airbags failing to deploy in an automobile accident are known to cause serious head injuries.

Burn Injuries

There are many ways big corporations may be responsible for burns. Electrical appliances can cause an individual to be electrocuted or burned if the appropriate safety mechanisms fail. Propane and gasoline products can leak and explode. Food products prepared at restaurants can cause burns too.

Choking Injuries Caused By Toys

Toy manufacturers can be held liable when a part of the toy or the toy itself obstructs the airway. Children die every year from defective toy products, and many more children suffer permanent brain injuries.

Death of a Loved One

Unfortunately, some defects can result in fatal injuries. People die in car accidents every year due to the negligence of car manufacturers. Defective brakes or tires sometimes lead to catastrophic crashes. An employee on a job site could fall off a 40 ft. ladder because the company wasn’t following proper safety procedures.

How The Manufacturer Will Defend Themselves

There are a couple defense strategies a manufacturer might argue during the case. The most common defense is that their product was altered in some fashion which made the product dangerous. The defendant might also argue they were not part of the distribution chain for the product, and they are not liable for damages. An experienced law firm will know how to fight against these defenses and other arguments the manufacturer makes.

In some instances with inherently unsafe products, such as with guns and knives, the onus is on the plaintiff to understand they could be injured. Manufacturers can provide documentation that warns of the potential dangers of using the product. This might provide a defense for the manufacturer when they are sued by a customer who claims they were injured by their product.

Timing Is Everything

If you believe that you may have a product liability claim, it is important to seek the counsel of an attorney experienced in recovering damages. Time is of the essence because product liability suits are subject to a Statute of Limitations which specifies that a claim must be filed within a restricted time frame.

Successful Claim

A successful verdict will help improve your quality of life as well as compel suppliers and manufacturers to improve the quality of their materials, increase product safety features, and provide thorough cautions regarding a product’s potential dangers.

Epperly & Follis, P.C is a law firm concentrating in personal injury cases against major defendants such as nursing homes, hospitals, insurance companies, product manufacturers, corporations and municipalities. Our firm does not approach its cases as mere jobs, but as causes in which larger issues are at stake – causes in which our firm’s lawyers invest personal dedication to see that justice is done.

We’re Here to Help

If you need the advice or the assistance of a legal professional in your personal injury suit, please contact the product liability law firm at Epperly & Follis, P.C in Richmond, Virginia today at 1-888-703-0109. As our client, you will receive an assessment of your case, professional care and responsive service. Our skilled team of lawyers can help you make informed decisions about your legal rights.