Tampa Defective Products Lawyer
Few things are more disconcerting than when a trusted consumer product, pharmaceutical drug, or medical device proves unexpectedly dangerous and causes serious injury or worse. Because the items everyone uses daily are generally safe and effective for their intended applications, people can often feel angry that a product could cause them harm.
Though the trust placed in manufacturers is typically justified, there are an unfortunate number of instances each year in which severe harm or death result from defective products or those which lacked sufficient warnings of potential risk.
If you or a loved one has sustained significant loss as the result of an unreasonably dangerous product, a Tampa defective products lawyer is prepared to aid in your fight for fairness.
Common Products
Considering the massive consumer landscape Americans inhabit, it should come as no surprise that the array of products that can give rise to a product liability complaint is vast. However, among the more common types of defective product claims are those involving:
- Toys and playground equipment
- Cars, trucks, buses and related components
- Household appliances and gadgets
- Construction equipment
- Manufacturing machinery and tools
- Firearms
- Personal care products and cosmetics
- Food items and other consumables
- Exercise gear
- Recreational vehicles
- Sporting goods
- Pharmaceutical drugs
- Medical devices
- Smoke detectors and other safety devices
Establishing Fault
Product liability cases are generally based on assertions of defective manufacturing, defective design or a failure on the manufacture’s part to provide adequate warnings about known risks or appropriate use of the goods at issue. A defective products lawyer in Tampa will often proceed under a theory of strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty or some combination thereof, after assessing the specific facts of the case.
Matters of this nature tend to be extremely complex, involving detailed investigative work, analysis by subject matter experts, extensive documentation of injuries sustained and formal valuation of the plaintiff’s losses.
Filing a Product Liability Lawsuit
Injured parties need to be aware that there are regularly multiple potential targets in lawsuits of this type, including not just the manufacturer but also retailers, distributors, installation personnel, service centers and more. A skilled product liability attorney will be able to conduct a comprehensive investigation to identify each party to which blame may properly be attributed.
Because the harm suffered by victims of dangerous and defective products can be profound, the compensation frequently obtainable in such cases can be significant.
Though plaintiffs must be careful to observe the relevant Florida time limitations for bringing actions of this type, including the four-year restriction on negligence actions provided by Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(a),(e),(k),(p), as well as the state’s statute of repose, it may be possible for them to obtain payment for:
- Medical costs
- Hospitalization expenses
- Therapy and rehabilitation bills
- Physical pain
- Mental suffering
- Lost wages
- Lost marital and other relationships
- Funeral expenses
- Financial support for remaining dependents
A Defective Products Attorney Can Help
While it is certainly easy for victims of defective products to give in to feelings of despair and confusion, a Tampa defective products attorney can step in and assist them in their quest for justice and compensation. The time to act and protect your rights under the law is now.