We all assume that the products we purchase have been correctly designed, manufactured and tested. We expect those products are safe to use as intended. However, a defectively designed or manufactured product, or one that comes with inadequate warnings, can cause serious injuries. When this occurs, manufacturers and sellers can be held liable for the injuries and damages the consumer suffers.
Injury cases involving the items we buy are known as product liability claims. Pursuing a product liability claim can prove incredibly complex – you may need significant engineering evidence, and manufacturers have multiple defenses and immunities under Michigan’s product liability law.
When a product injures you, get help from our knowledgeable, and skilled product liability attorneys. We can help you build an effective, persuasive legal claim to obtain the financial recovery you need and deserve.
Contact Christensen Law today if you or a loved one have been injured by a product. We will schedule a consultation to discuss the details of your case. Our Michigan product liability lawyers will help you understand your legal rights and options. Call us or contact us online now.
What Is Product Liability?
Product liability refers to a type of legal claim in which a manufacturer or seller of a product is held liable for putting a defective or dangerous product into the hands of a consumer who was injured by it. Under Michigan’s product liability law, non-manufacturing importers and sellers of the dangerous or defective product are not liable unless they failed to exercise reasonable care, including breach of warranty, with respect to the product, and that failure was a proximate cause of the person’s injuries.
Product liability cases are brought under state law. In Michigan, you must prove that:
- The manufacturers of a product negligently designed or manufactured the product in such a way to render it inherently unsafe or dangerous; or
- The manufacturers of the product failed to instruct or warn you about the safe use of the product or the risks of using the product.
Types of Product Liability Cases We Handle
At Christensen Law, our Michigan product liability attorney can help if you or a loved one have been injured by one of these products:
- Auto Parts. Auto parts that are defectively designed or manufactured can lead to failures that trigger motor vehicle accidents where the vehicle occupants are injured. We can help you show that your accident was caused by a defective part on your vehicle. We will fight to hold the responsible manufacturers accountable.
- Household Appliances. We should feel safe in our homes, but unsafe or defective household appliances can injure us or members of our families. When your appliance is unreasonably unsafe or dangerous, we can help you prove it came with inadequate warnings or instructions for its safe use.
- Children’s Products and Toys. Children may not appreciate the risks of a product or know how to use toys or other products in a safe manner. Children’s products and toys should be designed and manufactured accordingly. When your child is injured by a toy or product, we can help you prove it was not designed or manufactured for safe use by a minor of your child’s age.
- Contaminated Food. Food processors are expected to grow, process and package food in safe and sterile environments. When they fail to do so, consumers can suffer infections or illnesses from viruses, bacteria, parasites and other toxic or harmful substances. We can help you hold those food processors accountable when you are injured or fall ill.
- Toxic Chemicals in Products. Even safe products may have toxic chemicals that can cause disease and illness. Most notably, asbestos-containing products have led to cancers and respiratory illnesses in many people. Our firm can help you assemble the engineering and medical evidence necessary to prove the dangerousness of toxic chemicals in a product.
Damages in a Product Liability Case
Have you have been injured by a dangerous or defective product? You may be entitled to compensation for the damages you have suffered as a result of your injuries. Those damages may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Long-term care expenses
- Lost wages and income
- Lost earning potential
- Lost enjoyment or quality of life
- Pain and suffering
Michigan’s product liability law places a cap on the non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering or lost quality of life. Our Michigan product liability lawyer will help you understand the compensation you may be entitled to in your product liability case.
Time Limit for Filing a Product Liability Lawsuit
Under Michigan law, a time limit exists for filing an injury lawsuit. This time limit is known as the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations on a product liability claim is three years from the date you were injured by a product. The limitations period may be extended, or tolled, under certain circumstances. For instance, if the victim is a minor, the period will be delayed until six months after his or her 18th birthday.
If you do not file your lawsuit during the time limit, the court can permanently dismiss your lawsuit. That means you will have lost your right to seek compensation from the manufacturers or sellers of the product that injured you.
How a Michigan Product Liability Attorney Can Help You
Even though you may have been wrongfully injured by a product, the manufacturers and sellers of that product will deny liability for your injuries. At Christensen Law, our Michigan product liability lawyer can help you successfully pursue compensation in a product liability claim by:
- Investigating the circumstances of your accident and injury and securing evidence we can use in your case.
- Identifying potentially liable parties in the chain of commerce.
- Working with engineering experts to show how the product that injured you was defective or dangerous.
- Aggressively negotiating with the big corporations and their insurers to obtain a settlement that provides you with full and fair compensation.
- Preparing to take your case to court if that becomes necessary.
Now is the time to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Michigan product liability lawyer from Christensen Law. We will discuss the details of your case and explore how an experienced product liability attorney can help you navigate Michigan’s product liability law.
Our goal is to help you secure the financial recovery you need and deserve. Call us today or reach out online.
