St. Tammany Parish Defective Products Lawyer
As a consumer, you regularly purchase and use products without thinking those items could harm you or your family. Manufacturers have a duty to make sure their products such as household goods, food, clothing, automobiles, and any other, are safe to use. But sometimes, these products are not as safe as they should be due to someone’s negligence, potentially causing injury and requiring the help of a seasoned personal injury attorney. If you or a loved one was injured after using a product you believed to be safe, a St. Tammany Parish Defective Products Lawyer could help you recover the money you deserve.
Product Liability in Louisiana
Plaintiffs in Louisiana product liability lawsuits must prove to the courts that the product was unreasonably safe due to the negligence or error of a manufacturer, retailer, distributor, or marketer. Identifying defendants can be complicated today by the number of goods imported from other countries with origins that are difficult to discern. The plaintiff cannot alter the product and must use it as a consumer would be expected. A St. Tammany Parish products liability attorney could help plaintiffs to protect their rights and identify who is responsible for the damages they sustained.
Who is Responsible for Dangerous Products?
Louisiana law defines a manufacturer as the person or legal entity, such as a corporation, that is responsible for producing, fabricating, constructing, or remanufacturing a product set for the marketplace. Even a seller could be considered a manufacturer if the seller alters the product. This is especially true if the seller knew the product is defective and does nothing about it. Some products that have been subject to faulty product cases include:
- Automobiles, buses, airplanes, motorcycles, boats
- Baby items, such as cribs, clothing, baby bouncers, strollers, toys
- Household items such as window blinds, furniture, weed killers, talcum powder
- Drugs, medical devices
Common Types of Defects
Along with manufacturing and design defects in which the product is constructed incorrectly, or its design is dangerous, manufacturers could also be liable for warning defects and warranty issues.
Warning Defects
Manufacturers must warn consumers of any dangers they might face by using the product. Often in these cases, the manufacturer will argue that it cannot warn consumers about a threat that is unknown at the time of manufacture. Caveats to Louisiana law provide that sophisticated consumers may not need to be warned, although a reasonable consumer unfamiliar with the product’s use should be warned.
Warranty Defects
A warranty defect occurs when a manufacturer issues a guarantee that a product will perform the way it is supposed to. Consumers may have a claim if they rely on that warranty when purchasing the product and find that the product does not perform as advertised, causing injury. Confirming product defects that may support a lawsuit is just part of the job for a St. Tammany Parish attorney with knowledge of product liability.
A St. Tammany Parish Defective Products Lawyer Can Help
Louisiana imposes a one-year statute of limitations to file a claim related to product liability. In many cases, more than one defendant could be at fault for your injury, for example, a product designer, the manufacturer, and a seller that knew the product was dangerous. If you have a claim, you will want to be compensated for your economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages. But you are also entitled to recompense for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
Understanding which defendants should bear the blame for your injuries and what your pain and suffering may be worth is a daunting task for a plaintiff but with a St. Tammany Parish defective products lawyer, you won’t have to take on the legal system by yourself. Call today to schedule a consultation and begin work on your case.