Product Liability Lawyer

Winning Representation & Compassionate Counsel in the Pursuit of Justice

The items we use and depend on day to day may not be as safe as we’ve been led to believe. In fact, toxic, faulty, and dangerous products often make their way into the public’s hands. When that happens, so can serious accidents, injuries, and death.

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we are dedicated to helping those harmed by unsafe products, appliances, and equipment. For more than 20 years, our product liability lawyers have been going up against the toughest opponents, providing exceptional advocacy to people just like you in all types of cases.

Tireless, strategic, and skilled at winning, we know what it takes to secure justice when it matters most — and we know how to obtain the maximum available recoveries. No matter how challenging your product liability case may be, we are here for you, ready to answer your questions and help 24/7.

Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers has recovered millions for the injured and their families in all types of product liability cases. Let us make your claim and recovery our next victory.

Call (888) 492-5532 or Email Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation.

Click on a link below to jump directly to a section and learn more about product liability cases, lawyers, and compensation.

• What Is Product Liability?
• What Products Can Cause Accidents & Injuries?
• Who Can I Sue After I’ve Been Hurt by a Dangerous Product?
• When Should I Talk to a Product Liability Lawyer?
• What Happens After I File a Product Liability Claim?
• What Compensation Can Be Secured from Product Liability Cases

What Is Product Liability?

Product liability describes the legal responsibility that manufacturers and others have for the items they make, market, distribute, and sell. In general, product liability claims center on allegations that dangerous products caused injuries or death as a result of negligence like:

• Design flaws
• Manufacturing failures
• Failures to warn

Below is a deeper look at each form of negligence and how it can play a role in product liability claims. Keep in mind that a single product liability case can involve one or all of these allegations against manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and even retailers associated with harmful products.

Design Flaws

Inherent flaws in a product’s design can result in defects, failures, and disaster. These design flaws can prevent products from functioning safely and as advertised, meaning that injuries can happen when people are using the product properly, as directed.

Some examples of design flaws that can give rise to product liability claims include:

• Vehicles designed with a center of gravity that’s too high, making them prone to rollovers
• Appliances with unsafe wiring that can overheat and spark electrical fires
• Equipment or product containers that lack proper safety closures or locking mechanisms
• Toys with tiny parts or strong magnets that small children can swallow

To prove design flaws in a product liability case, it may be necessary to establish that some alternative design would have been safer and more practical.

Manufacturing Failures

Manufacturing mistakes and oversights can result in the:

• Use of substandard materials
• Cutting corners with production processes
• Failing to test the safety of products before making them available to the public

Any of these manufacturing failures can result in toxic or defective items causing serious harm. Some examples of manufacturing failures that could lead to product liability claims include:

• Tires made with outdated rubber or curing errors, making them more susceptible to blowouts
• Medications containing hazardous or toxic substances
• Talcum powder containing asbestos

Failures to Warn

This type of negligence can mean products do not come with adequate safety warnings or proper, clear, concise instructions for safe product use. That could result in no warning labels and/or confusing directions, either of which hide the risks associated with a specific product.

Keep in mind that proper warnings and instructions for products should include certain elements, like (but not limited to):

• Images or pictures
• Words like “Caution,” “Danger,” or “Warning”
• Instructions on how to minimize risks or avoid danger when using a product

What Products Can Cause Accidents & Injuries?

Unfortunately, almost any type of product you can think of could present accident risks if it’s poorly designed, badly made, or lacking the necessary safety warnings. In general, however, product liability cases commonly focus on items like (but not limited to):

• Household items: Food, appliances, electronics, toys, and furniture are just some home products that have been the center of product liability lawsuits in recent years.
• Vehicles and automotive equipment: This includes passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, as well as any of their components, like airbags, ignition systems, brakes, or tires.
• Industrial equipment: Scaffolding, power tools, and heavy equipment can also malfunction when manufacturers or others drop the ball and create dangerous products.

In many cases, product defects and dangers are only recognized after they have hurt people. Authorities, like regulators at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), may issue recalls and launch investigations when products are reported to cause injury or death.

Who Can I Sue If I’ve Been Hurt by a Dangerous Product?

You may be able to sue any parties whose negligence contributed to the harmful product making its way into your hands. Depending on the nature of the product and the incident that hurt you, those negligent parties could include one or more of the following:

• Product designers: Engineers, industrial designers, and special experts can be sued when they design items that are inherently dangerous.
• Manufacturers: The companies that make and assemble unsafe or toxic products can be liable when those items end up causing harm.
• Suppliers: The corporations that supply substandard or toxic materials to manufacturers can also be in the hot seat for any injuries caused by a dangerous product.
• Distributors and/or retailers: Any parties that distribute and/or sell unsafe products may also be sued if they continue to put these goods in circulation after knowing they are harmful.

The best way to determine who to sue after a dangerous product causes harm is by talking to a product liability lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers. We can explain your legal options and identify every party who is liable. We can also help you take the right steps to set these complex cases up for success.

When Should I Talk to a Product Liability Lawyer?

ASAP. If you think you need to talk to an attorney, it’s generally best to reach out sooner, instead of waiting. Here’s why:

• You have limited time to file a product liability case. In Louisiana, state law provides one year from the date of an accident or injury caused by an unsafe product. In Texas, state law provides two years.
• As more time passes, evidence can be harder to track down. This could include evidence of liability, like internal company emails or product safety tests, as well as evidence of damages, like medical bills.
• The defense case could already be in motion. If negligent parties and their insurance companies are aware of potential product liability claims, they could already be working to fight them.

A product liability attorney at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can take immediate action to start crafting you a strong, convincing case.

What Happens After I File a Product Liability Claim?

The nature of your case, how your injuries were discovered, and the negligent parties involved can all impact what happens after you file a product liability claim. That said, many of these cases are marked by:

• Complex claims: Product liability is complicated, often requiring deep investigations and expert witnesses to establish negligence and unpack the highly technical issues.
• Contention: The companies sued in product liability cases can have many reasons to put up a strong fight. They can be keen to preserve their reputation, limit additional cases, and minimize the possibility of punitive damages. And the more companies have to lose in these cases, the harder they may fight back.
• Insurance companies: As part of the defense, insurers won’t be on your side if you’ve filed a product liability case.
• Settlements: The majority of product liability claims are not argued before juries. Instead, they are typically settled out of court. Nevertheless, these cases will end up in court if there are unresolvable disputes over liability, the injuries, or damages.

You can get a detailed explanation of how your potential case could work by contacting a product liability lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers.

During a free, no-obligation consultation, we’ll let you know what to expect as and after you file a case. We can also provide unparalleled counsel as your case moves forward, so you can make more informed decisions at every juncture.

What Compensation Can Be Secured from Product Liability Cases?

Financial recoveries for these cases vary from case to case because compensation depends on negligence, injuries, pain, suffering, and the losses involved. With these recoveries, it’s also important to understand that:

• They can include past and future losses for economic and non-economic damages.
• It generally takes some complex calculations to determine fair compensation for a product liability case.
• Insurance companies and/or others will be looking to pay as little as possible for a claim. So, don’t expect fair settlement offers.

When successful, product liability claims can include damages for (but not limited to):

• Medical bills
• Lost earning capacity
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Burial and funeral costs (if the injuries are fatal)
• Loss of consortium