Product liability cases differ substantially from most other cases in one important aspect: the outcome of the case will benefit all consumers. After losing a product liability case, the manufacturer will normally correct the defect in future products. A few product liability cases, such as the lawsuits again cigarette manufacturers and the famous McDonald hot coffee case, become well-known. Most product liability cases, however, primarily concern the victims who bring the lawsuit, although society as a whole benefits indirectly.
A good example of a product liability case involves the death of a firefighter. It was successfully litigated by a Product Liability Attorney in New London CT. Firefighters put their lives in jeopardy on a daily basis and, at the very least; their lives should not be endangered by the equipment that they must use during the performance of their duties.
Everyone has probably seen the buckets that can lift firefighters high in the air to reach the roof of a building or to assist in the rescue of people trapped in a burning building. In this case, the manufacturer of a 95-foot platform was demonstrating the equipment to a local fire department. Safety laws and the company policy of the manufacturer both required safety belts be worn by anyone riding in the bucket. However, in this case, there were no safety belt warnings in the bucket, and the manufacturer’s representative during the demonstration did not say that safety belts should be worn.
The doors of the platform bucket had a design defect, causing two firefighters to be thrown from the bucket during an initial training exercise. The family of one of the firefighters was so distraught after this needless death that they decided to sue the manufacturer. In the lawsuit, they alleged that there were both design and marketing defects, negligence, and gross negligence. The jury found in favor of the family on all four causes of action, awarding $800,750 to the family of the firefighter killed by the defective bucket.
Business Name represented the family in this case and won this verdict on their behalf. Each product liability case is brought because one or many people have been injured or killed by negligence on the part of the manufacturer. If you feel that you have sustained an injury because of a defective product or a manufacturer’s negligence, contact this experienced Product Liability Attorney in New London CT.
