Papillion and La Vista Product Liability Attorneys

Legal Help for Victims of Dangerous Products in Papillion-La Vista

In Papillion-La Vista and all over the U.S., citizens are injured by dangerous products every year. In 2021, a total of 11.7 million patients were treated in emergency rooms for product-related injuries, as reported by the National Safety Council (NSC). Many injured victims were older adults and children. Most of these injuries were caused by everyday products typically assumed to be safe. If you or your loved one has been seriously injured by a defective product, speak with an experienced Papillion-La Vista product liability lawyer right away.

What Is Meant By Product Liability?

Product liability is legal term that refers to the legal responsibility parties along the chain of manufacture incur for damages caused by their products. Those parties may include designers, parts manufacturers, assembling manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. When a defective product causes harm to a consumer, or someone to whom the product was loaned, it can give rise to a product liability claim for compensation.

How Can a Product Be Defective?

Consumer products can be defective in any of three different ways:

• Design defects: When this occurs, a defect is inherent in the design of the product before it is manufactured. In most states, including Nebraska, the plaintiff (injured party) has the burden of proof to show that a design defect exists.
• Manufacturing defect: A product can be faulty because of defects that occurred during production or construction. In this case, only a few products out of many of the same type will be flawed.
• Marketing defect: Manufacturers must meet certain labeling requirements. Marketing defects occur when they fail to provide proper instructions or fail to warn of a product’s latent dangers.

Which Defective Products Cause the Most Injuries?

According to the NSC, the top three products for causing injury to consumers in 2021 were:

• Chairs, sofas, and sofa beds – 558,000 injuries
• Beds, pillows, and mattresses – 824,000 injuries
• Stairs, ramps, landings, and floors – 2.7 million injuries

Most of the product-related injuries suffered by children ages zero to four were from:

• Cooking ranges, ovens, etc. – 6,097 injuries
• TV sets and stands – 6,519 injuries
• Soaps and detergents – 11,698 injuries

What Types of Injuries Can Defective Products Cause in Papillion-La Vista?

Defective consumer products can cause many different injuries, ranging in severity from minor to fatal. Examples of serious product-related injuries include:

• Organ damage (to the kidneys, liver, heart, or brain) caused by dangerous drugs released on the market with no warning of these long-term side effects in their labeling
• Head and brain injuries sustained in crashes caused by faulty motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters
• Severe burns and electrical injuries caused by toasters, coffee makers, curling irons, and other household appliances with faulty wiring
• Poisoning or burns from improperly labeled household cleaning products and chemicals
• Severe food poisoning from improperly manufactured or contaminated food products
• Fractured bones suffered in falls when furniture breaks suddenly

How Is Liability Established in a Product Liability Claim?

Liability for defective products is established on the basis of strict liability. If a product caused you harm, you need only prove that the product was defective, not that the responsible party was negligent, to hold that party accountable. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to claim damages including past and future medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning potential, pain and suffering, and other losses.

Our experienced Papillion-La Vista personal injury attorney at Bottlinger Law L.L.C. can tell you if you have a case and what damages you may be entitled to claim. Contact us at (402) 505-8234 to schedule a free consultation.