Injuries sustained as a result of a defective product form the basis for a product liability case. Foster Law Offices is committed to dedicating the maximum resources and time necessary to fully investigate the defective product causing the injury and in aggressively representing injured victims against insurance companies and corporations in order to obtain the maximum settlement available to our clients under the law.

Typical defendants (or at-fault parties) in defective products cases include corporations and other businesses and parties involved in the manufacturing and sale of the defective product, including the manufacture of the component part, an assembling manufacturer, the wholesaler, as well as the retail store owner where the defective product was sold and purchased. As any attorney experienced in product liability cases understands, proving that the product was defective is the most challenging aspect of these cases.

Our firm proudly contributes to the goal of safer consumer products through our work in cases involving defective products with the goal of preventing further injuries in the future to individuals we may never meet. With every dollar recovered on behalf of injured victims, we further our goal of corporate responsibility in the consumer products arena.

The product liability lawsuit is the consumer's only truly effective weapon against unreasonably dangerous products. Government regulations on manufacturers that produce dangerous products often lack teeth and offer little more than a wrist slap. Product liability attorneys help individual citizens prosecute reckless or negligent manufacturers of defective or mislabeled products.

Because Washington residents currently possess this unique power to keep corporations accountable to unsuspecting individuals who purchase their products, it is not surprising that manufacturers are extremely frightened of the prospect of a consumer lawsuit to publicly expose their dangerous and defective products. As a result, corporations retain high-powered government lobbyists to attempt to persuade lawmakers to limit consumer rights.

A product can be unreasonably dangerous for various reasons. A product can become dangerous based on faulty design, which leads to an entire line of dangerous products that may be released to the unsuspecting public. This type of defect is called a design defect. A manufacturing defect is another category of product liability. A product can also be unreasonably dangerous if the corporation fails to include necessary and appropriate warnings on the respective product.

Defective Design

Under some circumstances, such as the GM pickup truck or Ford Pinto gas tank cases, the hazard of the product stems directly from the original design. That is, the product is built exactly as intended, but the design itself failed to consider circumstances such as the ability to withstand crashes without exploding.

Preparation of design defect cases involves expert investigation, and demanding that the manufacturer produce correspondence and memos pertaining to the design. On occasion, such as the Ford Pinto gas tank cases, this investigation reveals memos and other documents indicating the manufacturer knew of the hazard but chose to disregard it.

Manufacturing Defect

The Firestone tire cases are an example of a product which, although apparently properly designed, was not properly manufactured, leading to injury and death. In the Firestone case, the manufacturing defects resulted in failure of the tires which in turn caused crashes of Ford Explorer S.U.V.'s .

Inadequate Instructions or Warnings

Virtually all products include instructions which are supposed to clearly tell the user the proper way to use the product. In addition, manufacturers have a legal obligation to inform users of any hazards which may result from use of the product but cannot be avoided by design. For example, products such as augers, a common device used to move bulk material in circumstances such as manufacturing and farming activities, are dangerous, but can be made safe with proper instructions and guarding.

The law requires that manufacturers give product users instructions regarding safe use of their product and appropriate warnings of any dangers associated with use of the product. If they fail to do so, manufacturers, distributors and sellers can be held liable for injuries caused by the inadequate warnings and instructions.

The Attorney’s Role in Your Case

Our law firm advises injured consumers should keep and preserve any potentially defective product that has caused injury. This is very important because the consumer may be left with no proof if the item is lost, and the possibility of a successful lawsuit could be diminished because the corporation (who designed, manufactured or sold the product) will utilize this fact against the injured victim.

As stated above, a product liability case can be very complicated, so it is important to retain product liability attorneys that are prepared to help you through the process. If you or someone you care about has been the victim of a defective or dangerous product, the product liability attorneys at Foster Law Offices are here to help you and your loved ones.

Unfortunately, a product liability lawsuit is the best, if not the only, remedy for consumers injured by unreasonably dangerous products. A product liability lawsuit also generates a heightened incentive for manufacturers to produce safer products.

Handling products liability cases is both complex and time-consuming. The insurance companies which cover manufacturers routinely employ experienced adjusters and high-powered attorneys who will go to great lengths to attempt to defeat a claim of a badly designed or improperly manufactured product. The injured person must have experienced attorneys with the financial resources to fight the manufacturer and their insurers.

Persons seriously injured by a malfunctioning or badly designed product should contact Foster Law Offices as soon as possible after suffering an injury as a result of a consumer product.

Contact Information:

To discuss your products liability case with an attorney at Foster Law Offices, or to inquire about your legal rights associated with your products liability case, please contact us to schedule a free consultation at 206 381-3939, or if you prefer to submit a confidential electronic written inquiry, please email us at: info@fosterinjurylaw.com.