A Grand Rapids product injury lawyer can help you get compensation.
Product Liability Lawyers in Grand Rapids, MI
When you purchase a product, you don’t expect to be hurt by a flaw in the instructions or the product itself. Unfortunately, manufacturers sometimes release products with defects that cause injury or even death to consumers. If a product has injured you, you may experience significant medical bills or time off from work. You may need to file a personal injury claim for product liability to recover the compensation you deserve to cover your lost wages and medical bills. The knowledgeable team at Goodman Acker is here to help with your product liability claim.
Why Choose Us?
When you are taking on corporations and their attorneys, you need experienced, tough advocates on your side. Founding partner Barry Goodman has had an interest in personal injury law since he was a child. He witnessed what happened after his father was injured in a traffic accident while working as a postal worker. A lifetime of workers’ compensation did not seem like justice. Goodman is the former president of the Michigan Association for Justice and a Past Chair-Negligence Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
The extensive legal experience and commitment of Barry Goodman and his team have helped get results for their clients, such as:
- $7.5 million product liability settlement for a man who suffered a spinal cord injury due to tire tread separation on his SUV
- $3 million for a person hurt in a pedestrian accident in Ingham County, Michigan
- $2.1 million in a negligence case in which a brick fell from an apartment complex and struck a tenant on the head
- $750,000 for a product liability case involving a defective press.
Another sign of Goodman Acker’s success is found in our client testimonials. We are proud when we receive positive feedback from the people we help. Our exemplary relationships with our clients help us build solid cases.
See What Our Clients Have to Say About Us!
“Hands down the best firm in metro Detroit. Intelligent, hard-working staff with great communication.”
– Five-star client review
How We Can Help
Product liability cases are complex, and clients and their attorneys must be able to talk to each other and sort out the facts to succeed. Our product liability attorneys at Goodman Acker will ask you many questions, but we will do so in a compassionate way. We understand what you are going through after an injury due to a damaged or dangerous product and want to help.
We also encourage you and your family to ask questions during your initial consultation and throughout every step of the process. We will address every concern you have and make sure you understand what is happening during each phase of your case. You have enough to worry about. Let Goodman Acker take some of the burden off of your shoulders.
Get the fair compensation you deserve in your product liability case by partnering with the Goodman Acker team. Call us for a free consultation with no obligation at 248-286-8100.
What Is Product Liability?
Product liability means that the manufacturer or seller of a product can be held liable for putting a defective product into the hands of consumers. The product must meet the ordinary expectations of the consumer as stated by law. When a product has a defect or flaw, it no longer meets those ordinary expectations, making the seller and manufacturer responsible for any damages caused by the product. Liability for injuries is placed on sellers in the distribution chain of that product. Product liability claims fall under state laws regarding strict liability, negligence, and breach of warranty.
Some products are inherently dangerous, such as electric knives. It’s understood that with such products, consumers and users are equipped to minimize risks. The manufacturer provides proper labeling and instructions, including the risks associated with the product, so that the consumer is adequately informed and can decide whether or not to purchase the product.
Who Is Responsible for Product Liability?
Liability for a product defect or flaw could fall anywhere along the product distribution chain, including on the:
- Manufacturer of the product
- Manufacturer of parts that comprise the product
- Person(s) responsible for assembling or installing the product
- Wholesaler
- Retail store where the product was purchased.
For strict product liability to apply, the product must be sold in the regular course of business; thus, someone selling items at a garage sale would not be included in the distribution chain. You also don’t have to prove you were the initial purchaser or user of the product as long as you used the product the way it was intended. The manufacturer might be liable for injuries caused by defects or flaws if the product causes injury at any time.
What Are the Types of Product Defects?
In a product liability case, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the product was flawed or defective and that the flaw or defect made the product dangerous, causing injury. Three types of product defects may cause injury, including:
- Manufacturing defects. These types of defects or flaws occur during the product’s original manufacture or assembly.
- Design defects. These defects are present even before the product is manufactured. Something in the original design is flawed or defective, causing the product to be unsafe.
- Marketing defects. This refers to any flaws or defects in the way the product is marketed, including vague instructions, mislabeling, or inadequate safety warnings.
Choose a product liability attorney who recognizes when corporations or others have made mistakes. Call Goodman Acker today at 248-286-8100.
Examples of Product Liability Defects
Product liability can happen with any product; however, some of the most recent examples include the following:
- Sulzer hip implants
- Jude heart valves
- Vaginal slings
- Auto defects
- Zantac – Ranitidine
- Zimmer knee replacements
- Firestone tires
- 3M military earplugs
- Neutrogena aerosol sunscreen
The attorneys at Goodman Acker have over 150 years of combined experience with personal injury claims and will use that expertise to get you the best settlement possible. We also work to protect your rights against large corporations. Product liability cases are on a contingency fee basis, so we don’t get paid unless you win.
How Do You Prove Negligence?
For a product liability claim, you must be able to show that a company failed to test its products correctly or that it failed to provide consumers with proper instructions for its use. It’s imperative to keep the product and any paperwork or instructions that come with it to be successful in a product liability case. It will also be helpful if you can locate the original packaging and receipt. If any repairs were done to the product, a repair record would also be beneficial.
Enlist the help of a skilled product liability attorney to increase your chances of success in a product liability claim. The team at Goodman Acker fights to get you compensation and create incentives for manufacturers to develop and produce safe products with sufficient warning of any potential dangers.
What Are My Options for Filing a Product Liability Claim?
You’re not required to hire a product liability attorney to file a product liability claim. However, it’s important to note that your chances of success and the possible award increase when you hire a skilled products liability lawyer. Product liability is a complicated area of the law, and product liability attorneys are well-versed in the complex aspects of these cases. Hiring a product liability attorney will help reduce the stress of the paperwork and documentation process while increasing the likelihood of a positive outcome.
What Are the Steps Involved in a Product Liability Claim?
If a defective product has injured you, there are a few key steps to keep in mind:
- Keep the product. The product will be crucial evidence in your product liability case when your case goes to court. If you cannot keep the product, take as many pictures of the defective product as possible to share with the court.
- Document everything. Keep proof of all medical visits, medical records, medications, diagnoses, and bills. If you have to miss work, keep documentation of that as well. Pain and suffering can also be included in a product liability claim, so if you’re experiencing fear, anxiety, depression, or other signs of pain and suffering, document that, too.
- Hire a product liability attorney. Although not required, a product liability attorney may be the best decision you make when it comes to your product liability claim.
- File the claim. Your attorney will file the claim with the court clerk, who will send copies to the defendant. Be sure to ask for a copy for your records as well. Once the claim is filed, you’ll wait for either negotiations or a court date with your lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions of our Grand Rapids Product Injury Lawyer
When dealing with injuries due to faulty products, you likely have questions. These are some of the questions our clients commonly ask our product liability lawyer.
Michigan has a three-year statute of limitations on product liability claims. Contact a knowledgeable product liability attorney as soon as possible, as a judge will throw out your case if you miss that deadline.
Under Michigan law, the manufacturer isn’t liable if you misuse a product unless its misuse was reasonably foreseeable. Whether you misused the product and whether that was foreseeable are matters for the courts.
It is difficult to determine how much money you can receive as compensation for your injuries until we review the circumstances of your case. Product liability cases involving severe images and long-term medical care can reach millions of dollars.
Never talk to an insurance company without your product liability attorney present. They may try to trick you into saying something they can use to claim your injuries are your fault. They may also offer you a settlement amount that is much lower than you deserve under the threat of dragging out the case and giving you nothing.
Product liability cases are complex, and you may have questions during various parts of the process. Your Goodman Acker product liability lawyer is ready to answer all of your questions in a forthright manner while displaying the compassion we understand you need during a stressful time for you and your family. We will also ask questions of you, as good communication forms the basis of a strong relationship between clients and attorneys. Strong relationships with good communication help win cases.
Get Help from a Grand Rapids Product Defect Lawyer
The period following an injury due to a defective product is very stressful for you and your family. You need an experienced Grand Rapids product injury lawyer to focus on your case so you can focus on your recovery.
You can reach the team at Goodman Acker 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by phone at 248-286-8100 or via our secure online messaging system. Schedule your free consultation today.
LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN
Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]
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Why Choose Us