When a consumer sustains a personal injury by using a commercially-sold product, that consumer may file a product liability lawsuit. If you were using the product as intended or according to directions, and you were injured by using the product, it’s likely that your lawsuit will succeed. Typically in these cases, a manufacturer will be held responsible for making a defective product or the marketers or sellers will be found liable for misleading consumers or failing to offer adequate warnings. If you are injured using any consumer product in the southern California area, consult at once with an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney.
When it becomes certain that a product is defective, its manufacturer will usually conduct a recall. Recalls are announced to consumers by the government agency responsible for that part of the economy; the Food and Drug Administration, for example, announces recalls of pharmaceutical drugs, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announces the recalls of cars and auto parts, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission publicizes the recalls of household appliances. These agencies cannot recall products on their own, but they can persuade and pressure a manufacturer to issue a recall. Websites of the various federal agencies usually publish a list of products currently being recalled, and many TV and radio stations offer similar lists on their own websites.
You should know that recalling a nationally-distributed retail item isn’t easy. Sometimes a recalled item can remain on a store’s shelves for weeks and continue to pose a danger to consumers. Nevertheless, if you’ve been injured using a consumer product, speak to a good personal injury lawyer right away. You may receive compensation for your medical expenditures, lost wages, and other injury-related expenses. Statutes of limitations restrict the amount of time you have to file a claim, so act quickly; in southern California, see an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney promptly for the advice and legal representation you need.