Vero Beach Defective Product Lawyer
Whether buying an everyday household appliance or an expensive medical device, we expect that the products we purchase have been expertly designed and tested, so that they will be safe and work the way they should. When they don’t, and an injury results, manufacturers can be held strictly liable for the harm they have caused. Not every law firm has the resources and ability to take on major manufacturers and the complex litigation of a products liability case. At Vocelle & Berg, you will find a team of talented attorneys led by the firm’s partners who are each dually-certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial and Business Litigation. Our Vero Beach defective product lawyer have the skills and resources to stand up to the biggest companies and hold them accountable for the harm they have caused.
Learn more about products liability law, and contact Vocelle & Berg after a product defect injury
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, tens of millions of injuries and tens of thousands of deaths occur each year due to dangerously unsafe products. These products are not limited to items you find on store shelves but include everything from cars, appliances and children’s furniture to food, drugs and medical devices.
It is not just a manufacturer who can be liable for putting a dangerous product on the market. Any company that places that item in the stream of commerce, such as a wholesaler or retailer, could also be held liable for putting defective products in the hands of consumers.
There are basically three types of product defects: design defects, manufacturing defects, and failure to warn defects. Examples of each type of defect are described below:
- Design Defects – Products which are defectively designed may include cars which are not designed according to current crashworthiness standards, or that are likely to explode on impact because the fuel line was placed too close to an electrical line. Products such as space heaters and irons should have automatic shut-offs when they are left unattended for a period of time, and power tools such as table saws should have adequate guards. Product makers usually know how to design a product for safety, but they sometimes cut corners to save costs.
- Manufacturing Defects – Manufacturing defects may occur when products are built with substandard materials to maximize profits at the expense of public safety, or because of human error or a fault in the machinery used in the manufacturing process. With manufacturing defects, it is sometimes hard to know whether only one unit is defective, or if thousands of units share the same defect and the same potential to cause harm. Early litigation can help force changes in manufacturing processes or initiate a product recall before too many people are hurt.
- Failure to Warn Defects – Product packaging, labeling and instructions should be clear and easy to understand. If safety equipment such as gloves or goggles are required, or if the product should only be used in a well-ventilated area or not mixed with certain other products, these facts should be clearly stated. Inadequate or missing warnings or instructions can make a product dangerously defective.
Strict Liability for Product Defects
Manufacturers can be held strictly liable for harm caused by product defects. This means you do not have to prove how the company was negligent, but only that the product was defective when it left the manufacturer, and that defect was the source of injury. Regardless, products liability cases are challenging, complex cases to litigate. They often require lengthy, detailed investigations, expert witness opinions, accident reconstructions and more while going up against well-funded corporations and their armies of lawyers. Our firm’s lead attorneys are seasoned trial experts dually certified as specialists in civil trial and business litigation who understand complex litigation and how to bring a successful case against corporate giants, including automakers and pharmaceutical companies. We have the skills, stamina and resources required to fight for you and achieve a successful outcome on your behalf.
Experienced Legal Representation for Florida Defective Product Injuries
Some companies could choose to make their products safer but decline to do so for economic reasons. Product defect litigation is often the only way to get a company’s attention and force them to make changes for the public good. If you have been harmed by a defective product or dangerous drug, contact our Vero Beach defective product lawyers for a no-cost, confidential consultation regarding compensation for your injuries.
