What is Product Liability?

If you've been following the news lately, you may have heard of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones that have become infamous for catching fire due to faulty batteries.

Before being discontinued for good, the phones were responsible for starting fires in people's homes and in user's pockets, and most recently they have been banned on board commercial airliners. Still, despite the recall and damage control done by Samsung, the company could be under fire (no pun intended) for violations of product liability law.

Product liability refers to the burden of responsibility manufacturers and sellers are held to when goods purchased by consumers turn out to be dangerous or defective. Anderson Blanda & Saltzman handles cases regarding product liability that involve victims who are seriously injured or killed due to defective products. These products may include anything from faulty equipment to prescription drugs.

Generally speaking, these cases can be filed by victims if the damage inflicted did not meet the ordinary expectations of the customer buying the product, and if the consumer had no role in causing said damages. For instance, if a person suffers severe kidney damage because he consumed prescription drugs with alcohol, assuming the pharmaceutical company included warnings about alcohol consumption on their labels, the drug producer would not be held accountable. If the same person got into a life-threatening car accident because the accelerator on his or her factory-new SUV was defective, however, the company who made said car could be sued for product liability.

According to law in the state of Louisiana, manufacturers and distributors of defective products are liable if a person sustains injuries by said products. A product manufacturer can be held liable if the product that caused the injury is found to be unreasonably dangerous in construction, composition, design, or because of inadequate warning or nonconformity to express warranty. This law is also designed to protect the citizen's rights if injuries were caused by carelessness. No matter the prerequisite clauses a product liability-related injury occurs from, a victim (or the victim's family, in the event of fatal injuries) can claim compensation for damages through civil suit, including the payment medical bills, alleviation of pain and suffering, and compensation for lost wages due to injury.

If you find yourself in a situation where a defective product caused you or your family injury, it is important to find legal assistance dedicated to helping you maintain your life in the wake of such trauma. Fortunately, for those of you in Louisiana, the personal injury experts at Anderson Blanda & Saltzman can help by providing you with financial support for medical care, counseling, support, and guidance throughout your case. They can help you deal with insurance companies, file your legal claim, and litigate your case from start to finish. Best of all, you will not be charged any fees unless a claim recovery is made.