Indianapolis Product Liability Lawyer

Defective Products

Manufacturers of automobiles, medical devices, household appliances and consumer products all have a duty to manufacture products that are safe for their intended use and any reasonably foreseeable purposes. When product makers release defective products onto the marketplace, they can be liable for negligence or breach of warranty, and they can even be held strictly liable for any harm they cause, without the injured party having to prove that the product maker was negligent. The experienced Indiana personal injury attorneys at Lee Cossell & Feagley, LLP understand the various legal theories and the facts necessary to bring a products liability claim or lawsuit against a manufacturer. We help people who were harmed when the corporations put their profits ahead of the public they are supposed to serve.

Product defects generally fall into one of three categories: design defects, manufacturing defects, or failure to warn defects. Our lawyers represent people who were harmed by any type of product defect, including all of the following:

• Design Defects – Examples of design defects include cars that are designed with a high center of gravity, so that they roll over too easily in a collision or when driven on certain surfaces, or cars designed with the electrical wiring running too close to the fuel line, so that a minor impact can turn into a deadly fire or explosion. Power saws built without safety guards, or appliances like irons and space heaters that do not have sensors or automatic shut-offs, may also be considered defective. When a product is defectively designed, sometimes dozens or hundreds of people are hurt before the manufacturer becomes aware of the problem and issues a recall, either voluntarily or because mandated by a government agency.
• Manufacturing Defects – Even if a product is designed properly, some defect in the manufacturing process can cause a product to fail at a critical moment, causing serious injury or death. Manufacturing defects can include the use of substandard materials that don’t stand up to stress, or a problem in the assembly line with broken machinery or an untrained worker. Depending on the error, there may be only one unit affected, or thousands.
• Failure to Warn – Another way in which a product may be defective is if the product itself, its labeling or packaging does not contain sufficient warnings and adequate instructions for its safe use. If the product needs to be used in a well-ventilated area or kept away from certain other products, or if safety gear such as protective eyewear or gloves are required, then these facts should be plainly stated and easy to understand. Manufacturers and distributors can be held liable for injuries caused by a failure to warn.

Help is Available for Injuries Caused by Defective Products

If you or a loved one have been harmed by a defective product, contact the experienced Indianapolis product liability attorneys at Lee Cossell & Feagley, LLP at 317-631-5151. There is no charge for a consultation, and we only charge a legal fee if we recover for you.