When people safely and reasonably use an item they have purchased, they expect it to work as intended. Unfortunately, defective and faulty products are often sold to consumers that cause injuries and other damages, even when used properly. If you were hurt while using or handling a product, reach out to a Columbus product liability lawyer for help.

If your injuries were due to a manufacturer or distributor’s careless or reckless behavior, you should not have to bear the subsequent financial, personal, and professional losses alone. A compassionate personal injury attorney could help to investigate the circumstances of your damages and work to build a claim for compensation.

Typical Cases for Product Liability

A flaw can occur at any stage of a product’s development that is nevertheless marketed, sold, and used by the public. The three major categories of product liability include design flaws, defects during manufacturing, and marketing errors or omissions.

Design Flaws

Design flaws occur in the beginning stages of product creation. The builders and designers of an item may have created the product in a certain way that causes it to malfunction. Depending on the product, these malfunctions may result in severe and even life-altering injuries for a user.

Manufacturing Defects

Sometimes, while the design of a product is sound, specific neglectful manufacturing procedures or errors result in a faulty product.

Marketing Errors or Omissions

In other instances, however, the manufacturer or seller of a specific product may neglect to warn potential consumers of any dangers that might be associated with the use of the item. Similarly, they might also provide incomplete and poorly-explained instructions for proper operation, usage, or dosage of the product in question.

The Steps to Prove Liability in Columbus

Success in a product liability case often relies not only on the proof that an item was faulty or defective, but also that a victim’s injuries were directly related to this flaw. Furthermore, it must be determined in which stage of the product’s development the flaw occurred.

Proving each element often requires exhaustive and extensive work, from conducting research about the item’s history and interviewing technical experts or product designers, to performing witness interviews and collecting testimonies from others who have been hurt by the same product. Furthermore, a victim’s medical history and other injury information are often essential in order to demonstrate his or her losses.

Due to the nature of this work, an injured person may feel overwhelmed or underprepared to successfully file a claim. A product liability lawyer in Columbus could help to guide a person seeking compensation through each stage of this process in order to request compensation.

Reasonable Use

For a successful claim, it must also be shown that an injured person was using the product reasonably and safely when his or her injury occurred. This is because any misuse or abuse of a product that resulted in harm can void a claim for compensation based on unforeseeable circumstances for a designer or manufacturer.

What Can be Recovered in a Product Liability Claim in Columbus?

Compensation for a product liability claim can include both economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages are calculable losses resulting from the injury, such as medical bills and other medical expenses, lost wages from missed time at work, and decreased earning capacity.

Non-economic damages, however, are less calculable and more subjective losses suffered by the victim of a faulty or defective product. Therefore, a claim can request compensation for mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering, among others. A meticulous Columbus product liability lawyer could work with an injured person to calculate the full extent of his or her damages for an injury claim.

Speak with a Columbus Product Liability Attorney Today

If you were injured after safely using a defective item, consider reaching out to a Columbus product liability lawyer to discuss your legal options. An injury could force you out of work and require extensive medical treatment that results in financial instability and emotional anguish.

By working with a seasoned attorney, you could focus on your recovery with the knowledge that a legal professional is on your side. However, Georgia law places a time limit on when an injury claim can be filed. To begin working on your case, schedule a free case review today.