Consumer product injuries happen every day causing serious injuries and sometimes death to innocent consumers. When consumers are harmed by defective or dangerous products, they deserve to be compensated and our Federal Way product liability attorneys can help. Our personal injury team has dedicated a large part of its practice to helping innocent consumers recover for injuries and damages they sustained as a result of dangerous and defective products.
Common types of defective products
Any dangerous or defective consumer product can result in a product liability case under the Washington Consumer Protections Act and listed below are some of the most common product liability categories.
Furniture – Dangerous or defective furniture that causes unreasonable risks of injury, often to children, include things like top-heavy dressers that can easily tip and airtight storage trunks or containers that have no unlocking mechanism from the inside.
Electrocutions – Every year thousands of people are electrocuted often due to dangerous and defective appliances and power tools.
Fires – Products that cause fires such as exploding cell phone batteries or products that increase the severity of a fire and resulting injuries such as defective smoke detectors and flammable children’s pajamas frequently result in product liability cases.
Baby and children products – People assume that products designed specifically for babies and children are safe, but there are many injuries and deaths related to dangerous products such as defective baby carriers and products that present choke or suffocation hazards.
Chemicals – Product liability can relate to dangerous levels of chemical exposure that put people at risk such as flame retardant chemicals found in mattresses and pajamas.
Poisoning – Poisoning most often relates to accidental pediatric poisonings from things like detergent pods, medicine, or household cleaning products.
Pharmaceuticals – Dangerous pharmaceuticals include those that do not come with adequate warnings about side effects, dangerous drug combinations, or that are unreasonably dangerous for people’s health.
Medical devices – Medical devices are supposed to help people, but they can be defective and dangerous such as pacemakers with premature battery depletion.
Automobile and boat parts – Defective parts related to automobiles and boats can cause serious injuries such as fires or loss of steering control.
Product liability defenses
There are several defenses that defendant manufacturers and sellers often raise in product liability cases such as:
The consumer did not use the product properly or in a reasonably foreseeable way.
The statute of limitations has run.
The product was changed or modified after it was sold to a consumer.
The product did not cause the injuries sustained by the plaintiff.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or death due to a dangerous or defective product, contact our Federal Way product liability attorneys at Russell & Hill, PLLC to schedule a consultation. Consumers are protected from these products under Washington law and our attorneys will fight to see that you are compensated for your injuries and damages which may include medical bills, wrongful death, disability, disfigurement, pain and suffering, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity.
