Philadelphia Defective Product Lawyer

Every year, thousands of people across the country suffer harm or lose their lives because of defective products. The companies that design, build, and sell these items have a legal responsibility to ensure they are safe for public use. They are also required to provide clear warnings when a product might be dangerous during normal operation. When a company fails to meet these standards, a product liability lawsuit is often the only way to hold them accountable for the damage they have caused.

At Quinn Law Group, we stand up for individuals who have been hurt by the items they trusted. Sean Quinn and our team focus on investigating the root cause of these failures to ensure that negligent manufacturers do not get away with putting profits over people.

What Makes a Product Defective?

It is important to remember that just because a product is dangerous does not mean it is legally defective. A product is considered defective only if it contains a flaw that makes it unreasonably unsafe for its intended use. For example, a kitchen knife is inherently sharp and dangerous, but it is not defective unless the handle breaks off during normal cutting or it lacks basic instructions for safe handling.

A product might also result in an injury if a person uses it the wrong way, but this does not always point to a defect. If a user modifies a tool or uses it for something it was never meant to do, the manufacturer or seller is usually not responsible for the resulting injuries. In fact, improper use is a very common defense that companies use to try to avoid paying for a claim.

Common Types of Product Defects in Philadelphia Product Liability Cases

While there are countless ways a product can fail, most legal claims fall into three specific categories: design flaws, manufacturing errors, and mistakes in labeling or warnings.

• Design Defects: This happens when the actual blueprint of the product is flawed, making the entire line of products unsafe even if they are built perfectly. Examples include a vehicle that is too top-heavy and prone to rolling over, or an electronic device designed with a battery that frequently overheats and catches fire.
• Manufacturing Defects: These occur when a product is designed well, but something goes wrong during the assembly process. This might involve a single batch of medication that gets contaminated at the factory or a car with a physical flaw in the braking system that only affected a specific run of vehicles.
• Marketing or Labeling Defects: These cases involve the information provided with the product, such as the instructions or safety warnings. A common example is a pharmaceutical drug that fails to list a dangerous side effect or an industrial machine that does not have a warning label near a high-heat component.

Many of these cases in Pennsylvania are handled under strict liability, which means you do not necessarily have to prove the company was being careless, only that the product was defective and caused your injury.

Examples of Defective Product Cases in Philadelphia

While any item can be faulty, our team often sees certain categories of products appearing in legal claims more than others.

• Auto defects, such as failing airbags, seatbelts that unlatch, or accelerator pedals that stick, which can turn a minor accident into a tragedy.
• Dangerous drugs and medical devices, including implants that fail prematurely or medications that cause unexpected long-term health issues.
• Household items and appliances, such as water heaters that explode, dryers that catch fire, or electrical panels that do not trip when they should.
• Baby and child products, including strollers that collapse unexpectedly, toys with small parts that fall off, or cribs that pose a suffocation risk.
• Tools and construction equipment, such as ladders that buckle under a normal load or power saws with guards that fail to engage.
• Electronics and batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries in phones or e-cigarettes that can explode while charging.
• Contaminated food, which often leads to large-scale recalls when bacteria like E. coli or salmonella are found in the supply chain.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective Product in Philadelphia?

The list of people or companies you can sue depends on where the mistake happened. Sometimes the designer is at fault for a bad idea, while other times a specific factory is responsible for a build error. In Pennsylvania, anyone in the chain of distribution—from the manufacturer to the wholesaler and even the retail store—can potentially be held liable for your injuries. Because of this, experiencing a thorough investigation by a Philadelphia product liability lawyer is a big part of identifying every party that should pay for your recovery.

What Damages Are Available in a Product Liability Claim?

When you are hurt by a faulty product, you can ask for money to cover the various ways the injury has changed your life. These are usually split into two groups: economic and non-economic.

Economic Damages These are the bills and financial losses that have a specific dollar amount attached to them.

• Medical expenses for your initial ER visit, surgeries, and any future care you might need.
• Lost wages for the time you had to stay home from work to heal.
• Loss of earning capacity if you can no longer perform the same job you had before.
• Property damage if the product caused a fire or broke other things you own.

Non-Economic Damages These cover the more personal ways an injury affects you, which do not have a set price tag.

• Pain and suffering for the physical and emotional toll of the accident.
• Loss of enjoyment of life if you can no longer participate in your favorite hobbies.
• Emotional distress, including the trauma and anxiety that often follow a serious injury.

Punitive Damages In some cases, a judge or jury might award punitive damages. These are not meant to pay you back for a bill, but rather to punish the company for being extremely reckless. In Pennsylvania, you generally have to show that the defendant’s conduct was outrageous or showed a total lack of care for the safety of others.

How Long Do You Have to File a Product Liability Lawsuit in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit. If you wait longer than this, the court will likely dismiss your case, and you will lose your chance to get help. There is also a rule called the “discovery rule,” which might give you more time if your injury was not something you could have noticed right away, but you should always talk to a lawyer as soon as you suspect a product caused you harm.

Why Product Liability Lawsuits Matter

These lawsuits do more than just help one person; they make the world safer for everyone else. When a company is forced to pay for a mistake, it sends a message to other businesses that they cannot cut corners on safety just to save a few dollars.

• They affect the market: Businesses usually focus on the bottom line. If it is cheaper to pay a legal settlement than to fix a factory, some companies might take that risk. However, large lawsuits encourage companies to use better materials and more testing.
• They protect the consumer: No one should have to choose between their health and a product they bought in good faith. These cases ensure that when a company fails the public, the people who were hurt are the ones who get supported, not the shareholders.

Speak With Our Philadelphia Product Liability Lawyers at Quinn Law Group Today

If you believe you were injured as a result of a defective product, call the experienced Philadelphia Defective Product Attorneys at Quinn Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We will sit down with you to explain your legal rights and guide you in making the right decision for your future. Don’t fight large corporations alone. Let the capable attorneys at Quinn Injury Lawyers negotiate on your behalf to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your defective product injury or illness. 

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