Sarasota Defective Product Attorneys
Numerous state and federal laws, regulations and standards have been enacted to help protect the public from dangerous products. However, many dangerous defective products still reach the market and harm consumers every day. The elderly and children are especially vulnerable to injury from defective products, but people of all ages are susceptible to harm from items used in their homes, yard and pools and on Florida’s roads and waterways.
If you are injured by a defective product, you should seek medical attention immediately and make sure you get the care you need to recover. It is also important to get advice from an experienced Sarasota product liability attorney as soon as possible. As the victim of a defective product injury, you may be able to hold the responsible parties accountable and get compensated for the injury, pain, suffering and losses you have suffered.
The experienced Sarasota product liability attorneys at Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA have helped victims of defective product injuries for twenty-five years. We want to hear about your injury and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Serious Injuries from Defective Products
Many types of injuries can occur because of defective products, depending on the type of product and condition of the victim. Some injuries are minor, but many are debilitating or life-threatening. The most common injuries are:
- Broken bones – When a product, such as a ladder or exercise equipment unexpectedly breaks, it can lead to broken bones for the victim.
- Burn injuries – Defective electrical appliances and faulty wiring can be very dangerous, causing fires or explosions and burning people who are close to them.
- Choking – When young children put small parts from broken toys in their mouths, internal injuries and death can occur.
- Head injuries – Victims of defective ladder, equipment and machinery accidents often sustain head injuries.
- Organ injuries – Defective pharmaceutical products can cause serious injuries to internal organs, including lung damage, brain damage, liver and kidney failure and cardiac arrest.
- Death – Defective automobile parts, such as tires, brakes and fuel tanks, can lead to a fatal accident.
Liability for Florida Defective Product Injuries
In Florida, anyone in the distribution chain for a product can potentially be held liable for injuries caused by a defective product. This list of potential responsible parties includes:
- The designer of the product
- The manufacturer of the product and/or of component parts
- The assembler or installer
- The distributor
- The wholesaler
- The retailer
Types of Product Defects in Florida Product Liability Lawsuits
In Florida, you do not have to prove negligence on anyone’s part in the chain of distribution in order to recover damages in a product liability lawsuit. You do, however, have to show you were injured by the product, that the product was used as intended, and that it was defective in one of the following ways:
- Design defect – A defect that is actually built into the design of the product. Design defects are part of the original design of the product; however, that does not mean the designer intended for the product to be faulty. Since design defects are found within the product design itself, all of the products manufactured with the design have the defect.
- Manufacturing defect – A defect that is introduced into the product during the manufacturing process. If a product begins with a safe design, but something that occurs during manufacturing causes it to become a defective product, then the product has a manufacturing defect. Since the defect is introduced during the manufacturing phase, not during the design phase, only those products manufactured at the same time and same location will exhibit the defect.
- Failure to warn defect – Products that cannot be made entirely safe because of the nature of the product itself can have failure to warn defects. Products such as electrical tools, household cleaning products, and heavy furniture, for example, have a legal duty to have a warning label to alert consumers to potential dangers. If a warning is not adequate or not included, a “failure to warn” defect exists.
Compensation for Injuries from Defective Products
If you have been injured by a defective product, a product liability lawsuit can help you obtain financial compensation. The experienced Sarasota product liability attorneys at Dennis Hernandez & Associates can help ensure your success in showing that the product had a defect, that you used the product as intended and that you suffered actual damages from using the product as intended.
In addition to the out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred as a result of your injury, you may also be entitled to compensation for:
- Future medical expenses related to the injury
- The emotional trauma, pain, and suffering you experienced because of the injury
- Wages lost due to time off work because of the defective product injury
- Diminished earning potential because of the injury
- Other damages recoverable under Florida law
- If you are a surviving family member of someone who was fatally injured because of a defective product, you may also be entitled to compensation for your loss.
Experienced Sarasota Product Liability Attorneys Want to Help You Win the Compensation You Deserve
If you have suffered an injury from a defective product, or if you lost a loved one because of a defective product injury, please get in touch with the experienced Sarasota product liability attorneys at Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
Our product liability attorneys are committed to helping victims of defective product injuries get the justice and compensation they deserve for their injuries. We will build a strong case for your right to substantial compensation for physical, emotional, and financial damages and fight aggressively for a fair settlement or award.
Unlike many Florida personal injury lawyers, we will not rush to settle out of court to avoid a trial. We will negotiate aggressively and, if needed, put our trial experience to work fighting in court for the compensation you deserve. Working with us means you will be guided and supported throughout the entire legal process. We won’t back down in our fight for justice.
Call us at 855-LAW-DENNIS or fill in the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website to get started on your case.