As a consumer, you expect that the products you purchase are safe to use. When a product performs in a dangerous manner and causes an injury, that trust is broken and could leave you with a multitude of medical expenses and doubt as to what to do next. In events such as these, an experienced attorney could help prove that the product you trusted to be safe was defective and caused your injuries. This is called product liability by the legal community
If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective product, a Jefferson County defective products lawyer may be able to help. Reach out to one of our attorneys today for more information.
What Is a Defective Product?
A defective product can be nearly anything that is sold or exchanged on the market. However, certain conditions of a defective product must be met in order to substantiate a legal claim. Under Missouri law, you have a product liability claim and that the negligent party may be liable for damages if the following conditions are met:
- The defendant transferred the product within the normal course of business
- The defective product was used in the manner that it was created for
- The plaintiff suffered damages when reasonably using the product for what it was designed for as it was when it was sold
- The product was inherently dangerous when used as reasonably anticipated, and the plaintiff was damaged as a direct result of that product lacking an adequate warning upon its sale.
For more information about what constitutes a dangerous product, contact a Jefferson County defective products lawyer.
Missouri Time Limits to File
Individuals who suffer damages due to a defective product need to be aware that the state of Missouri has time limits to file a defective product claim. Missouri Revised Statutes §516.120 states that there is a 5-year time limit for these filings. You could decrease their chances of missing this deadline by hiring a defective products lawyer in Jefferson County. A well-versed attorney familiar with the steps that need to be taken in these cases can help.
If the time limit elapses without a filing, the chance to receive compensation for any claims is gone forever. Victims could still file a lawsuit, however, there is an extremely high possibility that the defending party might move to have the case dismissed based on the deadline to file being missed and that the court will likely honor it.
Compensable Losses in a Defective Products Lawsuit
Injuries from a defective product might cause a multitude of financial, physical, and emotional damages for which you may be entitled to compensation. A Jefferson County defective products attorney can help you identify damages to receive the highest amount of compensation possible. Defective product plaintiffs could claim the following damages:
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future lost wages
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Financial damages are usually compensated for their exact value. Although, non-economic damages are often more challenging to assign a value to due to their subjective nature. The good news is that Missouri does not place limits, also known as damage caps, on the amount of compensation injury victims could receive.
Talk to a Jefferson County Defective Products Attorney Today
If you need assistance dealing with the fallout from a defective product, a Jefferson County defective products lawyer can review the situation. If it is warranted, the attorney may want to move forward with the goal of receiving compensation for your injuries and other damages.
To find out if your defective product injury merits any of these actions, call today and ask to speak with a seasoned trial lawyer.