Product Liability Attorney in New Jersey
The product liability lawyers at Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman regularly represent individuals who have been seriously injured by dangerous and defective products. Many of our product liability cases have been against some of the largest manufacturers in the world. Because of our successes, we have been named to the Best New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers lists by the Best Lawyers in America. Our firm has won close to a billion dollars in compensation for our clients, including the largest product liability settlement in New Jersey history.
What is a Product Liability Lawsuit?
Let’s start from the beginning, what even is a product liability lawsuit? A product liability lawsuit in New Jersey is a legal action taken by a consumer against a manufacturer, distributor, supplier, retailer, or other parties involved in the production and sale of a defective product. The purpose of such a lawsuit is to seek compensation for injuries or damages caused by the defective product.
Types of Product Defects in Product Liability Cases
There are three main types of defects that can form the basis of a product liability lawsuit.
- Design defect: A design defect is when a product is fundamentally flawed due to its original design. It must be demonstrated that a safer, economically feasible, and practical alternative design was possible while maintaining the product’s primary function.
- Manufacturing defect: A manufacturing defect is when a defect arises during the manufacturing process, such as from the use of low-quality or dangerous materials.
- Marketing defect/Failure to Warn: Marketing defects are defined as a known defect that is not adequately communicated to consumers through proper labels and instructions.
Common Defective Products
Product liability cases are complex and often involve multiple-party liability. You may not know whether you have a claim for damages until you understand your rights. Here are a few common defective products that have led to product liability cases.
- Auto defects: Issues like seat belt and airbag failures, gas tank problems, defective brakes, and sudden acceleration.
- Dangerous drugs: Includes recalled prescription medicines.
- Medical devices: Includes defective orthopedic products, surgical devices, and more.
- Dangerous household products: We represent clients injured by common household items.
- Home appliance injuries: Includes electrical shocks, serious burns, and injuries from gas line explosions.
- Industrial workplace and construction injuries: From power construction tools, air hammers, conveyor and hoist equipment, forklifts, and other machinery.
- Defective power tools: Injuries from chainsaws, table saws, snow blowers, and lawn and garden equipment.
- Toys and children’s products: Injuries from choking, burns, fractured bones, amputations, and suffocation.
- Chemical products: Burns and respiratory problems from exposure to caustic industrial cleaners and processing fluids.
Our successes with product liability lawsuits include:
- $68 million jury verdict against C.R. Bard
- $33.9 Million Product Liability Settlement
- $15 million jury verdict against Johnson & Johnson
- $11.24 million settlement
- $11.1 million jury verdict for defective medical device
- Automobile Mechanic Severely Burned In Gas Explosion Settles for $4.7M
- $9 million settlement
- $7.8 million settlement of a product liability lawsuit involving a defective ride at an amusement park which resulted in the deaths of two persons
- $4.15M Product Liability Settlements
- $2 million construction site accident settlement
- $2 Million Settlement for Defective Supplement Causing Liver Failure
- $2 million settlement for defective ladder
- $1.9 Million for Spinal Injury
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Our Product Liability Lawyers Fight For Justice
Defective products can be dangerous to consumers, workers, and all those in their vicinity. They can kill, maim, paralyze, burn, or otherwise seriously injure the user or innocent bystanders. When a personal injury or wrongful death occurs due to a defective product, our product liability lawyers in New Jersey are here to help the victims fight for justice. The defectively designed or manufactured product could be a machine, ladder, forklift, toy, car, truck, food, medical device, drug, or any other man made item. How do defective goods end up in homes or workplaces? Some companies fail to conduct enough safety testing, while other companies simply ignore the results of their own tests. In fact, some manufacturers factor the cost of product liability lawsuits into the price of their goods!
Every product liability case comes with its own set of circumstances that makes it unique. The United States Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) tracks trends on product-related injuries and fatalities. So do other governmental entities such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to statistics, in 2012, seven percent of all personal injury cases dealt with unsound products. These cases have the second-highest median damage awards of all personal injury lawsuits.
Contact a Defective Product Liability Attorney Today
Complex product liability lawsuits require specialized legal representation. Contacting our product liability lawyers in New Jersey can be a first step to receiving fair compensation for defective product claims. Call 973-228-9898 or use our online contact form to gain assistance from our product liability attorneys near you, now.
Frequently Asked Questions About Product Liability Lawsuits
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What if the defective product was manufactured overseas?
Although the task of suing a product manufacturer can feel daunting, every product imported for sale in the United States is sold or distributed through a U.S. company or the U.S. subsidiary of a foreign corporation. In most cases, the U.S. entity will be held liable for damages.
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What if you weren’t using the product according to instructions?
Courts have determined that products must be safe when used responsibly and under reasonable conditions for which they are intended. For instance, it is reasonable to expect a child to play with a toy in various ways that provide fun and enjoyment, even if not strictly following the intended purpose or playing instructions. The same principle applies to consumer products like tools. If you were injured while using a product for its intended purpose and in a reasonable manner for safe use, you may still have a valid claim for damages under New Jersey product liability laws.
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What to do when a product liability accident happens to you?
If you are a victim of a product liability accident it is important to Seek Medical Attention, Preserve Evidence, Document the Incident, Report it, Keep Communication Records, and Consult an Experienced NJ Product Liability Attorney.
