Crucial Steps to Follow After Getting Injured by a Defective Product
Some of the most common incidents that may warrant the services of personal injury attorneys include car accidents, medical malpractice, defamation, slip and fall cases, dog bites, assault and more. However, there is one rare type of personal injury suit that results from the consumption or use of a defective product. Although there are strict quality measures that govern manufacturing of products, sometimes a product ends up in the market and causes harm to its consumers. If you happen to be a victim of product liability, there are few important steps you need follow to ensure speedy recovery as well as compensation for the resulting damages caused by the defective product.
1.Immediate medical attention
The first thing to do after getting injured by a dangerous product is to seek medical treatment. It is perhaps the second most important step in product liability and related cases. Timely medical care will ensure you get back to recovery as soon as possible. It’s however recommended to go to a qualified doctor who’ll not only attend to your injuries, but also help in your case. The doctor should take images of your injuries and if possible document them, so they could be later used as evidence in the court of law.
2.Don’t get rid of the product in question
It’s perfectly normal to want to throw away the product that has caused you harm. But you should do that for the sake of evidence. Make sure the defective product is in the same state it was when it caused you injury. Don’t throw away anything, the manual, instructions, warnings and even the packaging are all important part of your case. Other than the product, the receipt also forms an important part of the evidence and so you should keep it safe if you haven’t disposed of it already.
3.Examine the product and its packaging
If you are injured by a dangerous product, you are entitled to compensation by all means. But this is only possible if it’s a failure on manufacturers part to warn consumers of the potential effect of the product. Carefully scrutinize the packaging for any warnings or directions on the safe use of the product. If such details are missing or they’re not comprehensible, then the manufacturer may be found culpable of producing harmful products.
4.Seek professional legal help
With all evidence backing you, now it’s the right time to consider hiring an attorney. And not just a lawyer, but someone who’s actually conversant in product liability law. This is especially important when the dealing with a strong product brand. The more experienced your lawyer is the high chances of recovering damages.
In other situations, manufacturing processes could also lead to injuries and disease to some people. Companies poor management practices are known to pollute the environment, causing a number of health problems to the general public. In fact, approximately 3,000 people get diagnosed with mesothelioma every year in the United States, with over 80% of those cases attributed to asbestos exposure. So, whether you are directly injured by a dangerous product or develop complications as a result of a certain production process, with the right steps to follow, you are certain to get full compensation.
