When a victim has been injured by a defective or dangerous product, they may wonder who is to blame and how they can hold them accountable for the damages they have suffered. The public has a reasonable expectation of safety when using everyday products and when they are harmed by an unsafe product should be familiar with protections available to help them with their physical, financial and emotional damages.
The good news is that products liability law holds a variety of parties responsible when a victim has been injured by a dangerous or defective product. Any party that could foreseeably be injured by the unsafe product may have a claim for damages against a variety of parties provided the unsafe product was sold. Parties that may be liable to compensate the victim for their damages includes the manufacturer of the product; the manufacturer of component parts of the product; the party that assembled or installed the product; and the wholesaler or retailer of the product.
Victims of an unsafe product may be harmed by a variety of different types of product defects including design defects, manufacturing defects and marketing defects. Victims who are injured by a defective or dangerous product may be able to recover compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages depending on the circumstances.
Because products liability claims can involve different types of liability and multiple liable parties they can be complex which is why it is best for injured victims and their families to understand how a products liability claim for damage works when they have been injured. Familiarity with the legal protections available can help injured victims with the harm they have suffered and can help to make them whole again.