It is reasonable to trust that items on store shelves are safe. When you go to a store or visit a website to buy products, you certainly do not expect them to be dangerous. However, consumer items occasionally hurt people.
When you or a family member experienced an injury due to a dangerous or defective product, a Lafayette products liability lawyer could help you understand your legal rights. The experienced product liability attorneys at Tomeny | Best could investigate the circumstances of your injury and help you develop a strategy for pursuing financial compensation for your losses.
What Is Failure To Warn?
In addition to producing reasonably safe products, manufacturers have a duty to warn potential consumers about possible dangers associated with them. They can be legally responsible if a consumer sustains harm because they did not know how to use an item safely, and inadequate operating instructions can lead to a product liability lawsuit.
For instance, most prescription drugs have side effects. If a patient knows the side effects, they or their doctor might use an alternative drug. However, if the pharmaceutical manufacturer fails to disclose those side effects on the pill bottle or a pamphlet included with the packaging, the patient could sustain a severe injury, and the manufacturer could be liable. Similarly, if a consumer severs their finger when using a power tool, the manufacturer could be legally responsible if there were inadequate directions on safely operating it. The trusted Lafayette attorneys at Tomeny | Best understand how to review the evidence and develop solid failure-to-warn cases so that an injured person could receive the maximum compensation for a claim.
Steps To Take after Experiencing Harm From a Product
When someone sustains harm after using a product, they should be careful what they do and take specific steps to protect themselves if they decide to bring a lawsuit.
Get Medical Attention
Injured consumers should get medical help as soon as possible. A doctor’s examination serves two purposes. It allows the doctor to diagnose and treat any medical problems promptly, and their examination and notes can serve as a written document connecting the patient’s injuries to the product. A patient could use that written record in court as evidence.
Keep the Product
Although the first temptation after experiencing an injury from a product might be to throw it away, an injured consumer should keep the dangerous product in the same state when the injury occurred. They should not manipulate the product to try to fix it or figure out what went wrong, as tampering with the product could make it harder to establish liability.
Take Notes
Injured consumers should record precise details of what happened and the impact the injury has on their lives physically, emotionally, and financially. They should keep the bills for their medical, therapy, caregiver, and other recuperation expenses. They should also keep track of their lost wages for missed work.
Avoid Talking About the Incident
People should not talk about their product accident on social media or communicate with the product’s manufacturer or insurance company. A seasoned Lafayette lawyer could offer knowledgeable advice at any stage in the legal process concerning a failure to warn case.
Contact a Lafayette Product Liability Attorney About Your Claim Today
With so many different types of products on the market, some may come without clear operating instructions and then make their way into the hands of consumers. When a product has a risk, its manufacturer must warn the public.
When a manufacturing company fails to warn consumers and you sustain harm, the company could be responsible for your losses. Contact a Lafayette product liability lawyer at Tomeny | Best to learn your legal options today and to set up a free consultation.
