Product liability is a potentially expensive and complicated type of personal injury law with its origins in the early 20th century. There are many different types of product liability cases, but the most common cases in Philadelphia involve automobiles, medical devices, and children’s toys. The purpose of product liability law is to protect consumers from dangerous or defective products that they use every day. Product liability laws vary by state, but all focus on protecting consumers through design and manufacturing defects standards.
Liability cases, like any type of lawsuit, come in a variety of shapes and sizes. In Philadelphia, the most common type of liability cases is those for defective products. These cases can be challenging to prove because there is typically no direct evidence connecting the product to the injury. In these cases, Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys usually offer circumstantial evidence linking the product to the injury, which is typically enough for a jury to award damages to the plaintiff.
Let us now see the most prevalent product liability cases in Philadelphia.
- Defective products
In Philadelphia, the most common types of product liability cases include defective products. Though there are various ways a product may be defective, including a manufacturing mistake or a design flaw, it’s often difficult to prove whether or not a mistake was made because it can be very difficult to figure out what went wrong with an item. There are several different categories that can result in a defective product and the cost of the injury caused by the defect.
- Dangerous toys
Typically, the most common types of product liability cases in Philadelphia center around dangerous toys. When a defective toy causes injury to a child, the parents of that child may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering as well as medical expenses incurred as a result of their child’s injury. For example, suppose a toy with small parts is manufactured improperly and leads to ingestion or choking. In that case, the manufacturer could be held accountable for the necessary medical expenses and pain and suffering caused by their defective product.
- Dangerous prescription drugs
In Philadelphia, most product liability cases involve dangerous prescription drugs. Cases involving people who died from injuries sustained from a drug they were given or while taking it as prescribed account for many successful lawsuits. Other cases involve people who suffered fatal injuries while using defective equipment on the job.