Fort Myers Product Liability Attorneys
Representing the Injured in Florida Since 1995
From electronic gadgets on the store shelves to medications at the pharmacy, products are a constant presence in our world — and when they don’t work like they’re supposed to, they can be incredibly dangerous.
Fortunately, the law imposes strict standards on the companies that design, manufacture, distribute, and sell these products. They are required to ensure that their products are safe before they hand them over to the public. If they fail to do so, they can be held financially accountable for the damages that result.
The legal term for that accountability is products liability. It is an area of law that requires careless companies to pay for the illnesses, injuries, suffering, and hardship that their products cause.
Depending on the type of product and the nature of your injuries, different standards for liability might apply. The law is tough on negligent companies. It may be even easier to fight for justice in your case than you realize.
Why You Need an Experienced Attorney By Your Side
Unfortunately, these companies come with legal armies on their side. So do their insurers. Even if they are clearly in the wrong, they’ll do their best to drag out your claim and pay you as little as they can. With an experienced legal team on your side, though, you can level the playing field.
Our law firm is deeply experienced in handling products liability cases, ranging from routine defects to extremely complicated or unusual injuries. No matter what your suffering looks like, our office is interested in helping you.
Please don’t underestimate the importance of experience when it comes to choosing a defective products attorney. Viles & Beckman, LLC offers over four decades of specific, highly strategic experience in products liability.
If you or a loved one has been injured while using a product, drug, or device in Florida, our Fort Myers products liability lawyers can help. Statutory time limits apply, so please contact us right away.
Common Examples of Defective Products
Almost any product can support a credible products liability claim. Some products are especially notorious for causing harm.
Those include:
- Prescription medications
- Over-the-counter medications
- Vehicles (and vehicle parts, including tires)
- Baby products
- Infant car seats (child restraint seats)
- Children’s toys
- Food and drinks (including food poisoning)
- Household cleaning supplies
- Household tools
- Safety devices and equipment
- Construction equipment and materials
This isn’t a complete list. Even if your accident was caused by a different kind of device, our Fort Myers products liability lawyers can help.
Which Parties Can I Sue for Defective Products?
When a product doesn’t work well, victims usually look directly to the manufacturer for answers. Certainly, the manufacturers are among those chiefly responsible for many product-related injuries. But they aren’t the only ones. Remember that the law assigns responsibility to many other parties as well and they might all share in the liability for your damages.
Parties commonly held responsible in products liability cases include:
- Manufacturers
- Suppliers
- Distributors
- Vendors
- Retailers
- Wholesalers
- Merchants
- Advertisers
- Parties responsible for inspections / ensuring safety
- Insurance companies
Liability can span the entire supply chain. Determining which parties to sue and for what (and how much) is a complex matter, though. There are many considerations to keep in mind and various local, state, and federal laws might apply. The experienced lawyers at Viles & Beckman, LLC can turn over every stone to identify those who are financially responsible for your damages.
Warnings, Warranties, and Advertising
Sometimes, suing a manufacturer or seller means holding them accountable to a specific statute or regulation. But many cases involve promises that they have created for themselves.
Generally speaking, the law allows you to hold companies to the promises they make in their advertisements and other marketing materials. A breach of those promises may give rise to a products liability lawsuit.
The same is true for warranties, which are essentially promises the companies make when you buy their products. Some warranties are express, meaning they are written out in explicit terms (you often find these in the paperwork accompanying the product). Other warranties are implied, meaning the companies have to abide by the warranty even if they never spell it out or explicitly consent to its terms.
Virtually every product comes with an implied warranty that, if used as intended, it will not cause the user harm.
Certain products are subject to additional warning label requirements. Warning label regulations are very strict and it is not uncommon for companies to run afoul of them. Everything from the color and design of the label to the size and character of the font might matter, depending on the specific products and labels involved. Inadequate warnings (and/or failure to warn) are common grounds for product-related lawsuits.
Scheduled a Free Consultation with Our Experienced Attorneys
We want to take a stand on your side. If you’ve been injured while using a product, medication, or some other device that should have been safe, you deserve justice. Our experienced legal team is ready to answer your questions and guide you through every step of the way.
Please contact us online or call (239) 334-3933 schedule a free case review with our Fort Myers products liability attorneys today.