Dangerous Products Lawsuits in Fairfax County, Virginia
Many consumer products are rushed into the market without being properly tested for safety. Many of these products should have warning labels that describe how to use the product safely and avoid injury — unfortunately, many of them do not. Under Virginia law, a manufacturer or seller may be held liable for injuries caused by products that are inherently dangerous or otherwise defective.
A product is “inherently dangerous” when the hazard presented by the product arises from the nature of the product itself, rather than from some error or defect in its manufacture. A “defective” product, on the other hand, is usually regarded as one that, while not inherently dangerous, has been manufactured in a manner that does not confirm to the manufacturer’s own standards, so that it contains a flaw which makes it dangerous.
If you have been injured — or if your property has been damaged — by a consumer product, the company that designed or manufactured the product may be liable for introducing a defective product into the market.
What to Do if You are Injured by a Defective Product
The first two things you should do are seek appropriate medical attention and take steps to preserve the product that caused the injury. Take photographs of any damage and keep the product itself until you can talk with an attorney. The lawyer will need to have this evidence examined by engineers or other experts as part of analyzing your defective product liability case.
How Legal Liability for a Defective Product Injury is Determined
The mere happening of an accident does not, in itself, establish that the manufacturer or seller was negligent or that the product was defective or inherently dangerous. There must be proof to the theory of recovery relied upon. Your lawyer will search for admissible proof from such sources as (i) recalls and service bulletins, (ii) similar or prior accidents, (iii) evidence of defects after the accident, (iv) custom of the industry and industry standards, (v) internal documents, (vi) expert testimony and (vii) circumstantial evidence.
Get Knowledgeable Advice From an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a family member has been injured by a dangerous product — such as a children's toy, dangerous tools or hardware, or automobile components like air bags or seat belts — you can get well-grounded legal advice at the Law Offices of P. Clark Kattenburg, P.C., located in Fairfax, Virginia. Attorney Kattenburg has more than 35 years of relevant legal experience and has been a plaintiff personal injury attorney since 1994.
To schedule a consultation, contact our offices today. Call 703-591-1833 or send us an e-mail.
