Representing Injured Consumers Across the Country
Children and adults across the U.S. use countless products every single day. Motor vehicles, home appliances, electronics, toys, construction materials, safety equipment, and many other products influence our personal and professional lives. We rely on them to work properly and to be reasonably safe to use, but some defective and inherently dangerous products are sold to consumers and cause serious harm.
Have you been injured by a defective product? If so, the product liability attorneys at Ashcraft & Gerel may be able to assist you in taking legal action against the at-fault manufacturer, distributor, or retailer. Our firm has a long history of fighting for the injured that extends back to 1953. We have recovered over $1 billion for our clients and are prepared to see how we can help you.
Types of Product Defects
If it is defective, any type of product can cause harm. This may include a booster seat that does not buckle into a car properly, causing it to come loose in a car accident, a children’s toy that contains lead, causing lead poisoning, or an airbag that does not deploy in a collision, causing catastrophic injuries to a driver or passenger.
There are three primary types of defects affecting consumer products in the U.S.:
- Manufacturing defects, which occur when a product is improperly manufactured. A broken latch on the booster seat mentioned above may be a manufacturing defect, if it was built that way.
- Design defects, which affect the design and inherent safety of the product. In the same example involving the booster seat, if the seat was designed without a latch that would properly buckle it into a vehicle, this may be considered a design defect.
- Marketing defects, which may include failures to warn, improper instructions for use, or improperly marketing a product. If the booster seat in our example did not contain proper instructions for installation, and a child was injured as a result, that may provide grounds for a viable product liability action.
Our product liability attorneys have experience representing individuals who have suffered injuries due to defects in products such as:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical devices
- Motor vehicles
- Child products and toys
- Industrial equipment
- Consumer and household products
- Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices
- Recreational products
Strict Liability in Defective Product Claims
If a product is defective, the manufacturer (or other at-fault party) may be held strictly liable for resulting injuries or losses. This means that the plaintiff (the injured party) would not need to prove negligence or intentional wrongdoing in order to pursue compensation.
In a strict product liability claim, the plaintiff must prove:
- The product was defective; and
- The victim suffered quantifiable harm as a result of the defect.
With our experience in litigating cases of this nature, our product liability lawyers know how to develop compelling evidence that proves accountability and maximizes our clients’ recoveries.
Injured by a Defective Product? Call Ashcraft & Gerel Today!
Whether you are in Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia, you can find trusted product liability counsel in the attorneys at Ashcraft & Gerel. Lawsuits involving defective and dangerous products often require facing off against large corporations with considerable resources to counteract our claim. With resources of our own, we are prepared to go to battle and pursue the highest amount of compensation possible – no matter the opponent or odds.
Ashcraft & Gerel can meet you at home, in the hospital, or at one of our office locations in Washington D.C., Silver Spring, Baltimore, Landover, Rockville, Fairfax, and Manassas.