About Product Liability in Buffalo

What is product liability?

Product liability is an area of tort law that covers damages caused by defective products. Those parties that manufacture, distribute, or sell defective products may be held liable if those products injure consumers. A defective product is one that has design defects, manufacturing defects, or has defects in the way it was marketed. Design defects are those inherent flaws in the conception of a product, causing it to be dangerous. Manufacturing defects are those flaws that are attributable to the construction of the product in question. A production malfunction or the use of inferior materials may constitute a manufacturing defect. Defects in the marketing of a product include improper instructions and the failure to warn consumers of dangers associated with a given product. Product liability cases usually fall under strict liability guidelines. This means that it does not matter whether the defendant exercised great care to avoid producing or selling a defective product, only that the product did cause harm and therefore liability is established. To learn more about this subject, contact a product liability lawyer in your area. Buffalo attorneys R. Colin Campbell and Eric M. Shelton can advise local residents whether or not to pursue a product liability lawsuit.

What are some examples of product liability cases?

Some common product liability areas include: crashworthiness, defective drugs, and dangerous consumer products. Crashworthiness refers to the ability of a car to afford a reasonable degree of protection to its occupants, particularly in a crash. If the roof of an SUV crumples during a rollover and injures the occupants, the manufacturer may be found liable for a design defect. Defective drugs are those that pose an unacceptable risk to consumers. Some drugs may cause serious health problems in certain people, or have inadequate warnings on the label. As it pertains to consumer goods, product liability can apply to a number of issues - for example, a toy that a toddler chokes on or a knife that breaks and injures the user. To see if you have a product liability case, contact an attorney right away. Lawyers like R. Colin Campbell and Eric M. Shelton in Buffalo, NY can review the circumstances surrounding your injury and determine the best course of action.