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Defective Products
When we buy a product, we expect that product will perform as advertised and expected. With the Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Food Safety and Inspection Services and other federal and state agencies in Missouri and Illinois looking out for us, we expect the products we buy to be safe. Unfortunately, consumer products can be defective and cause serious injuries. Missouri law speaks of products being “unreasonably dangerous when put to a reasonably anticipated use.” When consumer products are bought and used as directed, the manufacturer can be held liable for the injuries their products cause. The same is true in Illinois.
What is a Product Liability Lawsuit?
Product liability cases in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky generally involve products with a dangerous design or manufacturing defect. If a consumer product does not have proper warnings regarding its use and it causes regarding injuries, those lack of warnings can also be the basis for a lawsuit.
Missouri law (Section 537.760) says plaintiffs can seek compensation from defendants who “in the chain of commerce, transferred a product in the course of his business” if the product was used “as reasonably anticipated” and:
- The product was then in a defective condition unreasonably dangerous when put to a reasonably anticipated use, and the plaintiff was damaged as a direct result of such defective condition as existed when the product was sold; or
- The product was then unreasonably dangerous when put to a reasonably anticipated use without knowledge of its characteristics, and the plaintiff was damaged as a direct result of the product being sold without an adequate warning.
In Illinois, a product liability action is defined as “a civil action brought on any theory against a manufacturer or product seller for harm caused by a product.”
A defective products claim could be based on anything from faulty tires that caused a car accident to a malfunctioning infant crib or bed that hurt a child. Several types of consumer products have been frequent subjects of faulty-product lawsuits. They include:
- Pharmaceuticals, including over-the-counter medicines and prescription drugs
- Motor vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles and their tires and other parts
- Recreational vehicles (RVs)
- Boats and personal watercraft (Jet Ski / WaveRunner)
- All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
- Medical devices, such as breast, hip and knee implants
- Cribs, car seats, strollers, toys and other children’s products
- Household appliances and electronic devices
- Power tools
- Lawn mowers and other yard equipment
- Construction materials, including Chinese drywall
- Ladders
Malfunctioning products can cause burns, lacerations (cuts), contusions (bruises), traumatic brain injuries and electric shock, among other injuries. Foods may cause food poisoning / foodborne illness. Faulty products can even lead to an innocent consumer’s death.
Individuals injured by irresponsible manufacturing or design that led to a defective and dangerous product have a right to compensation for their losses. This would include money for medical bills, including the cost of doctor visits and/or hospital stays; lost wages during recovery; future lost wages in cases of debilitating injury; and pain and suffering.
The Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky products liability attorneys at The Cage Law Firm have successfully litigated numerous cases in which an unsuspecting consumer suffered injuries directly caused by a an error in product design, manufacturing or warning.
Contact Our St. Louis Defective Product Lawyers Today
Don’t hesitate to speak with a qualified St. Louis defective products attorney from The Cagle Law Firm if you suspect a dangerous consumer product was responsible for your injuries or those of someone you know. The Cagle Law Firm’s defective products lawyers will meet with you personally, no matter where you are located in Missouri, southern Illinois, and Kentucky.
Contact the product liability lawyers at The Cagle Law Firm today at 800.685.3302, or through our online contact form, for a free consultation. Your case is safe with us.
