Cincinnati Product Liability Lawyer
Injuries that result from a defective product can cause severe, lasting harm. Whether you sustained a chemical burn, deep cuts, or another type of injury, product liability laws are designed to let you pursue a claim for compensation. A Cincinnati personal injury lawyer can help you assess your potential claims.
A case against negligent manufacturers, distributors, or their insurers, could include damages from medical bills to lost wages to emotional trauma. Get in touch with Lawrence & Associates today to schedule a free consultation. Your case is our cause, and our firm’s legal team is passionate about getting you the justice you deserve.
table of contents
- Why Should You Choose Lawrence & Associates for Your Product Liability Claims?
- What Are the Main Kinds of Defective Product Claims?
- Products That Can Cause Serious Injuries When Defective
- Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Defective Product?
- What Types of Injuries Can Defective Products Cause?
- Common Forms of Compensation Pursued in a Product Liability Claim
- Understanding Ohio’s Product Liability Act
- How Can a Product Liability Lawyer Help You With Your Case
- Product Liability FAQs
- Meet With Our Product Liability Lawyers at Lawrence & Associates Today
Why Should You Choose Lawrence & Associates for Your Product Liability Claims?
Lawrence & Associates represents people injured by defective products in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Since 2005, our team has represented clients against corporations and insurers while keeping legal representation accessible with no upfront attorney fees.
- Client Bill of Rights: Know what to expect from our firm and how we communicate
- Local experience: Serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky since 2005
- Ready to take on big corporations: We pursue claims against the at-fault companies
- Contingency fees: You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation
- Free consultations: Discuss your potential claim at no cost
- Spanish-speaking services: Assistance is available for Spanish-speaking clients
- Two convenient locations: Offices in Sharonville, Cincinnati, and Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
Contact Lawrence & Associates for a free consultation about your product liability claim today. We can answer your questions and review your case in detail.
Video Transcript
Personal injury law is going to help maximize your settlement because, one, we know every bit of evidence the insurance adjuster wants to see. We know how to get it even if it’s not readily available to you and we know how to put it together in a package that’s going to speak to the insurance adjuster. Two, you need to realize that the adjuster doesn’t have carte blanche to make a decision on your case. Most of the time, the insurance adjuster is being controlled to some extent by an algorithm that the insurance company will set up. The most common one is Colossus, if you look that up, but there are others out there. The point being your attorney needs to know how to speak to that computer algorithm so that it’s spitting out a value of your settlement that then, in turn, forces the insurance adjuster to reach that higher level, even if they wouldn’t have been inclined to originally.
Justin Lee Lawrence
Partner
What Are the Main Kinds of Defective Product Claims?
Product liability claims can be categorized in three different types of claims. These include:
- Design defects: A product has a design defect when its basic design makes it unreasonably dangerous, even if it was manufactured correctly. For example, a product may lack a safety feature that could have prevented foreseeable injuries.
- Manufacturing defects: A manufacturing defect occurs when something goes wrong during production, causing an item to differ from its intended design. The defect may affect one product or a limited number of products in a larger batch.
- Failure to warn: A product can also be defective when the manufacturer or seller fails to provide adequate warnings or instructions about known or foreseeable risks. This can include failing to explain how to use a product safely or warning consumers about potential hazards.
Products That Can Cause Serious Injuries When Defective
Any product can be dangerous if it is defective. However, some consumer goods carry a much higher risk of harm if they are defective. These include:
- Auto parts: Faulty tires, airbags, or brakes can lead to a serious collision, fire, or explosion.
- Dangerous drugs: Defective ingredients, contamination, or labeling errors can make a medication unsafe, leading to serious injuries.
- Medical devices: Defective implants, surgical devices, or other medical equipment can malfunction causing unexpected injuries.
- Unsafe toys and children’s products: Toys, cribs, car seats, and other children’s products can cause harm when they contain dangerous designs, defective parts, or inadequate warnings.
- Defective tools and machinery: Faulty power tools, construction equipment, or industrial machinery can cause severe injuries when they malfunction or lack proper safety features.
- Appliances and electronics: Defective appliances, batteries, or electronic devices can cause burns, electric shocks, and fires.
- Contaminated food: Food contaminated with bacteria, foreign objects, or harmful substances can cause food poisoning and serious illness.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Defective Product?
To determine liability, you need to investigate the cause of the defect and which party in the distribution chain was responsible. Multiple parties could be held responsible for a defective product. These parties include the following:
- Manufacturers
- Component makers
- Designers
- Distributors
- Wholesalers
- Retailers
Often, these parties have insurance to protect them personally against product liability claims. When a claim is filed, the insurance company will investigate and evaluate the claim.
What Types of Injuries Can Defective Products Cause?
Depending on what the defect was and how the user was interacting with it at the time of the incident, there are any number of injuries that could result from a defective product. At Lawrence & Associates, our legal team has helped secure compensation on behalf of clients who have sustained a variety of injuries, including the following:
- Chemical and heat burns
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Lacerations and amputations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal organ damage
- Toxic exposure
When a defective product causes a fatal injury, our compassionate and experienced wrongful death attorneys can file a claim seeking justice and compensation for the loss of your loved one.
Common Forms of Compensation Pursued in a Product Liability Claim
The primary goal of a product liability claim is to collect compensation for the damages you sustained. This can include economic damages for objective losses, such as medical bills, future care, lost wages, and lost earning capacity. However, your attorney can also pursue intangible non-economic damages for pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment. In addition, the court may award punitive damages either to the victim or their family for egregious misconduct on the defendant’s behalf.
Understanding Ohio’s Product Liability Act
In Ohio, the Ohio Products Liability Act governs product liability claims involving defective design, manufacturing defects, and inadequate warnings or instructions. Depending on the circumstances, an injured person may also have claims based on negligence or breach of warranty.
Ohio law has specific requirements for product liability claims against manufacturers and suppliers. In some cases, a manufacturer may be strictly liable for harm caused by a defective product without proof of negligence. However, you must still establish that the product was defective and that the defect caused your injuries.
Keep in mind that strict liability does not mean a manufacturer is automatically responsible for every injury involving its product, and suppliers may face different liability standards depending on the circumstances.
Statute of Limitations
Generally, an injured person has two years to file a product liability claim under Ohio’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims. However, Ohio’s statute of repose generally prevents claims from being filed more than 10 years after the product was delivered to its original buyer or lessee. Additionally, there are exceptions for certain types of products and injuries. An attorney can help you better understand what deadlines apply in your case.
How Can a Product Liability Lawyer Help You With Your Case
When you partner with a product liability lawyer, they can take on the complex tasks of investigating the defect, preserving the product for evidence, and identifying all liable parties. Your attorney may also work with engineering and medical experts to examine the defect and connect it to your injuries. Additionally, if a corporation or insurer disputes your claim, your lawyer can challenge its defenses and how the insurer evaluated your injuries.
Insurers may use claims-evaluation software such as Colossus to help estimate the value of bodily injury claims based on information about your injuries, treatment, and other factors. An attorney can review the information collected from an insurer’s evaluation to determine if important evidence may have been overlooked and advocate for a settlement that more fully reflects your losses.
What if a Product Defect Injures Multiple People?
When a defective product injures a large group of individuals, your attorney can assess whether a class action, mass tort, or multidistrict litigation may apply. These legal options allow people with similar claims involving the same product to pursue them together, potentially making the overall case more effective by addressing the facts and increasing accountability.
Product Liability FAQs
When Must I File an Ohio Product Liability Claim?
Ohio generally gives you two years to file a product liability claim, although exceptions may apply. A 10-year statute of repose can also limit when you file a claim.
What Will a Product Liability Lawyer Cost Me?
Generally, your attorney receives an agreed-upon portion of the compensation recovered in your case. At Lawrence & Associates, our product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay attorney fees upfront.
Does My Injury Qualify for a Product Liability Claim?
There is no single level of injury that determines whether you have a valid claim. If a defective product caused you harm, an attorney can review your injuries, losses, and the circumstances to determine whether you may have a case.
Should I Preserve the Product That Caused My Injury?
Yes, if possible, preserve the product in the condition it was in when the injury occurred. Do not repair, alter, or discard it. Keeping the product in its original condition often provides important evidence about the defect.
Can I File a Claim for a Product Made Outside Ohio?
You may still have a product liability claim in Ohio even if the product was manufactured elsewhere. The applicable law and parties who can be held responsible may depend on where the injury occurred and other facts surrounding the claim.
Meet With Our Product Liability Lawyers at Lawrence & Associates Today
If you were injured by a defective product, our legal team at Lawrence & Associates can review your situation and explain your legal options during a free consultation. Contact us through our website, or call our Ohio office at (513) 951-6723 or our Kentucky office at (859) 251-3045 to get started.
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