Proven Track Record in Product Liability Cases
Any number of products could cause personal injury. That includes industrial products (like a forklift), consumer products (like a space heater or crockpot), furniture, or even toys. Kim Beck has a proven track record in product liability cases. These cases have been her main focus for most of her career. She has helped hundreds of people come to a favorable resolution of their product liability cases.
Economic Loss
Keep the following in mind when considering bringing a product liability case:
- You can only bring a product liability case if you have what the law calls an "economic loss." That means you (or someone acting on your behalf) have to "be out" some amount of money, objectively.
- For example, if your toaster catches on fire and burns up some of your cabinets, the cost of replacing your cabinets is your economic loss.
- If your chair leg breaks, causing you to fall to the floor and break bones in your foot, your medical bills are your economic loss. That is true whether you pay them, or your insurance company pays them, or Medicare pays them. If you received medical care and/or testing, someone paid for it, so you have economic loss.
- Let's say, on the other hand, that you go to a fast-food restaurant and bite into something hard in your hamburger. Then, you spit it out, and then just go on with the rest of your day without seeking any medical attention. You do not have economic loss, and therefore, you cannot bring a lawsuit. In example, you would not "be out" any amount of money.
What You Need to Win a Product Liability Case
- In order to win a product liability case, we are going to have to prove exactly who made the product. Some products look very, very similar to products made by a different company. For this reason, if you are hurt by a defective product, keep the product if you can.
- What if you cannot keep the product because an insurance company or a doctor demands the product itself? If that happens, take as many pictures of the product as you can. If you see any writing or any numbers on the product, make sure to take pictures of the writing and the numbers.
- If you are able to keep the defective product, keep it! Put it in a plastic bag and then put that in a climate-controlled area. Keep it some place that only you and people you trust can get to it. For example, you can put it in a closet at your house or a relative's house.
- Also, make sure it is not going to get jostled around. So, do not keep it in the trunk of your car.
- I will take possession of the product if you hire me. Both you and I will sign a receipt that says exactly what I took.
How Long Will It Take to Win a Product Liability Case?
Different cases take different amounts of time to complete. And, no one can guarantee you will win your case. A case involving a complex personal injury (like a case involving pharmaceutical products) usually takes several years. On the other hand, a relatively straightforward injury may settle in a few weeks without even filing a lawsuit. If we need to sue the product manufacturer and the case does not settle, it usually goes to trial in one to two years.
Conclusion
We have a proven track record in product liability cases. Product liability cases come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. You have to have some "economic injury" meaning you have to be able to point to some amount of money that you or someone acting on your behalf paid because of the defective product. Hold on to the defective product and keep it in a safe, dry place until I can make arrangements with you to come to get the product. If you cannot keep the product, make sure you get a lot of good pictures. More complex cases will take longer to resolve than simple ones.