Buying a new product shouldn’t have to be accompanied by weighing the potential injury risks it may pose to you and your family. Unfortunately, far too many of the products available to consumers today carry significant safety hazards, causing unsuspecting people to suffer from debilitating injuries and illnesses. In fact, consumers who have suffered harm as a result of a product they purchased frequently have to deal with a range of consequences, from the costs of medical treatment and lost income to, in the worst of circumstances, life-threatening physical trauma.
In light of the serious challenges that the victims of dangerous or defective products often face, product liability laws allow consumers to hold the manufacturers of these products accountable for their negligence in producing an unsafe product and the harm it causes victims. For the many people in Columbia who we at the Goings Law Firm, LLC, know have suffered unduly as a result of a defective product, these laws can provide a much-needed opportunity to get justice and financial compensation.
How Can a Lawyer Help?
After you experience the harm that a faulty product can bring, it might be unclear what to do next. You might not know what kind of compensation you might be entitled to or how to obtain it. You might not even know if you have a strong case. A lawyer can help answer these questions and more. They can evaluate your case, gather evidence, and help you get the financial compensation you deserve.
To seek justice for injuries or property damage caused by a defective product, you might sue the manufacturer, retailer, or distributor, depending on the details of your situation. Consulting legal counsel can help you determine which is the best approach for you and which will get you the compensation you deserve. Experienced lawyers, like ours at Goings Law Firm, LLC, should know the specifics of South Carolina’s laws and have prior experience to guide them in approaching your case.
Many manufacturers or retailers have large groups of aggressive corporate lawyers at their disposal. These teams might try to intimidate you into settling for less than you deserve. You should not have to face these powerful companies and their lawyers alone. You need someone on your side who will stand up for your interests. A lawyer can gather evidence, seek out other victims, and contact witnesses to build you a strong case. They can fight aggressively on your behalf to ensure that these companies are held accountable for their negligence and that you get justice.
Why Choose Goings Law Firm, LLC?
When approaching a product liability lawsuit, it’s important that you have someone on your side that you trust. Having a good lawyer can make the difference between winning compensation and walking away empty-handed. We know that there are a number of firms that you could choose in the Columbia area, but none are as dedicated or as capable as our team at Goings Law Firm, LLC.
Goings Law Firm, LLC has been proudly serving Columbia and its residents for many years now. Through our work, we have helped many members of the community seek justice for their injuries and property damage by recovering millions of dollars in compensation. We have gotten results because we believe in honest hard work and in putting our clients first. We understand that this may be a difficult time for you. We want to do everything that we can to make the trial process as seamless as possible so that you can focus on recovering. We will always keep your interests at the forefront of our minds when fighting passionately on your behalf.
Our firm has received a number of awards for our proud dedication to our clients. We have been honored by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, the South Carolina Association for Justice, and the American Society of Legal Advocates—just to name a few. We also rank at the top in client satisfaction. In fact, we have earned a 10/10 rating from client reviews on Avvo. Contact one of our experienced lawyers today to see how we can help you.
What Does the Law Say?
According to South Carolina’s state laws regarding product liability, the seller is at fault if:
- They sell their product in a defective condition that poses a potential danger to its user
- They sell their product knowing it is defective
- Their defective product causes injury to the consumer or user
- Their defective product causes property damages
In any of the cases above, the producer is legally responsible for damages or injury. The consumer is entitled to compensation for the danger the producer put them in. Even if you are not the person who bought the product or the person who was using the product directly, if you were affected by its malfunction, you are entitled to compensation.
South Carolina law does, however, state that if you knew the product was defective and purchased or used it anyway, the seller is not at fault and you will not be able to obtain compensation.
Product Liability Lawsuits
The impact that a dangerous or defective product can have on a person’s life can be devastating. You might face financial consequences, such as medical bills, lost wages, or property damages. You may also have to come to terms with a physical injury or even the loss of a loved one. However, a product liability claim can help to alleviate some of the challenges that victims may be facing.
Some of the most common types of product liability claims that people pursue include:
- Pharmaceuticals: Medications are meant to help you get better, not worsen your health. Defective medication might lead to further medical issues and medical bills that you do not deserve.
- Defective household appliances: Things like microwaves, washing machines, and refrigerators are staples of modern life. They are so widely used that we would not expect them to bring us harm, but in some cases they do.
- Toxic Food Products and Containers: Ingesting toxins and chemicals is particularly harmful to your health. If you have been exposed to toxins through your food or containers, you may be entitled to compensation.
- Dangerous Childcare Products and Toys: Children are particularly susceptible to harmful chemicals or toxins. There are also many choking hazards that are associated with faulty toys or products. Any negligence on the part of the seller that puts a child’s life at risk is unacceptable.
- Defective Vehicles: There are already many dangers when driving. Adding faulty brakes or defective wheels, for example, only puts your life even more at risk. Sellers need to be held accountable for putting you and other drivers in danger.
- Manufacturing Defects: Manufacturing defects occur when there is a problem during the production of the product. When the product is assembled incorrectly, it can cause serious injuries to users.
- Design Defects: Design defects occur when the actual design of the product contains a problem. Even if a product with a design defect is assembled perfectly, it will still be dangerous. Design defects will affect every product sold, so class action lawsuits may be possible in these cases.
- Defective Implants, such as defective hips or knees: Defective implants can lead to further injury and can majorly worsen your health. You’ve already paid a lot of money on the surgery to get these implants; you should not have to pay any more to get them replaced.
Though filing a product liability claim for these or other issues does not guarantee compensation from the manufacturer, distributor, or producer, having a lawyer’s help can provide a victim with an advantage in this situation. If you are successful, not only will you gain justice for your own incident, but you might prevent others from being injured in the future.
Talk to a Product Liability Attorney in Columbia
If you have suffered injuries resulting from a dangerous or defective product, our attorneys at the Goings Law Firm, LLC, believe that you shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences on your own. The medical bills, lost wages, or property repairs you might be facing can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, with our help, you may be able to hold the manufacturer liable for their actions and get the compensation you need to begin recovering and moving on with your life. Call us at (803) 350-9230 today.
