Houston Product Liability Lawyer

Dangerous and defective household and industrial products cause thousands of injuries and deaths each year in the U.S. More than 150,000 injuries occur on average every year from chemicals alone, according to data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

While manufacturers have a duty to provide consumers with safe products, many fail to adequately test their products or ensure they are advertised correctly. This results in many thousands of injuries each year—many of which are severe, some of which are fatal.

If you’ve been injured or have lost a loved one due to a defective or dangerous product, the skilled Houston product liability lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. are ready to fight for you.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON PRODUCT LIABILITY CLAIMS?

Common examples of defective or dangerous products that can lead to injury or death can include:

• Appliances and Electronics (heaters, toaster ovens, smartphones, etc.)
• Child and Infant Products (bottles, cribs, etc.)
• Children’s Toys
• Commercial Equipment (forklifts, fall safety products, etc.)
• Defective medical devices
• Recreational Products (jet skis, ATVs, etc.)
• Outdoor Equipment (ladders, tents, folding chairs, etc.)
• Sports Equipment (helmets, rollerblades, etc.)
• Over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs
• Tools (nail guns, chainsaws, etc.)

A dangerous or defective product can be responsible for many serious injuries if you or a loved one are not careful. Our Houston law firm is dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured product liability victims throughout Texas – including in areas like Montrose and Midtown. We want to hold the manufacturer of your dangerous or defective product accountable for their negligence.

WHAT ARE TYPES OF PRODUCT LIABILITY CLAIMS?

Defective products can hurt a victim in many ways. However, depending on the type of defect, your product injury case may require a different approach. These are the common types of product liability claims a Montrose product liability lawyer can help you with:

• Manufacturing Defect Claims: This type of claim applies when a product defect occurs during the manufacturing process. Manufacturing defects can result from using cheap materials, from untrained or poorly trained employees, or from equipment malfunctions. A faulty part used in the steering wheel column of a car that causes the driver to lose control is an example of a manufacturing defect.
• Design Defect Claims: This type of claim applies when a product is faulty from inception because of a design flaw. The plaintiff’s legal team must be able to prove that the product could have been designed better at a reasonable cost and that the product would still have performed as well or better. A toy that contains a choking hazard is an example of a design defect.
• Failure to Warn Claims: This type of claim applies when the manufacturer of a product fails to warn consumers of all the potential dangers of using the product. This is considered a marketing defect. A baby car seat that does not come with a warning that the car seat could fail if the baby is over a certain weight/height is an example of a possible failure to warn claim.

Product liability claims often require testimony from expert witnesses. Make sure to keep and safeguard the faulty product for examination by expert witnesses. The skilled Houston product defect lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. secure expert witnesses who provide the vital information needed to establish your case.

WHAT TYPES OF COMPENSATION CAN BE RECOVERED IN PRODUCT LIABILITY CASES?

Loss of a primary breadwinner from disability or death due to a faulty product can impact a family financially and emotionally for years or even decades. Several types of compensation can be pursued in a product liability case, depending on the specific circumstances of the situation. Examples include:

Medical expenses: medical expenses can cover the immediate costs of medical care following an injury, as well as future costs such as lifelong physical therapy.

Future medical expenses: this type of claim includes projected medical expenses for the rest of the injured party’s lifetime due to injuries sustained by the dangerous or defective product. The projected cost may be determined based on similar past cases. For example, if someone is expected to miss work and recover for one year after suffering injuries from a faulty appliance at home, they should be compensated for their medical expenses for the rest of the year to account for healthcare costs and other related financial burdens.

Lost income: If a person is unable to work due to a serious injury from a faulty product, it may be possible to recover lost wages in addition to expected future income.

Pain and suffering: Pain and suffering is difficult to put a price on. This type of compensation takes into account the severity of injuries, remaining pain, and changes in quality of life due to injury. The more severe the pain or injury is expected to be, the higher the amount of compensation.

Punitive damages: If it can be shown that the manufacturer knew about the dangers involved with using their product but continued to sell, distribute, or manufacture it anyway, punitive damages can be pursued. Punitive damages are generally awarded when compensatory damages cannot adequately address the seriousness of the injury or wrongdoing.

If a manufacturer is liable for any injuries you have suffered, we would like to help you fight to get the compensation you deserve for your losses. Contact a product injury lawyer in Houston, TX today to get the legal representation you need for your product liability claim.

TRUST YOUR CASE TO A HOUSTON PRODUCT LIABILITY ATTORNEY

The skilled Houston product liability lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. have helped hundreds of people win their cases and get the compensation they deserve. Read about our case results.

If you’ve been injured or have lost a loved one because of a faulty or defective product, we’re standing by to fight for you—contact us today for a free consultation with a product liability lawyer from our personal injury and defective product law firm.