Have you recently suffered physical damage due to consumer product defects? In that case, you’re probably entitled to hefty compensation for the injuries.
For example, the Paragard lawsuit holds Teva Pharmaceuticals accountable for selling bad-quality intrauterine devices (IUDs). Their non-hormonal copper IUDs fractured inside the woman’s body upon removal, causing internal bleeding, organ damage, etc.
The victims filed lawsuits, alleging negligence toward product defects and failure to warn. They are now eligible for individual compensation between USD 25,000 and USD 200,000.
In this product liability case, the victims seek reimbursement for their pain, medical bills, suffering, emotional distress, and lost wages. This incident proves that you can also do the same if you follow the correct legal route.
In this blog, we will discuss three things you should do when you suspect that a product has caused you harm.
1. Seek Medical Attention
Do you suspect that the use of a product has led you to develop physical injuries? In that case, you shouldn’t wait to get treatment. Getting proper medical treatment will help protect your health and allow you to safeguard your legal rights.
However, you might think that it’s okay to wait because the symptoms don’t seem too severe. Unfortunately, there can be internal injuries that won’t resolve on their own, leading to complicated health conditions.
Yes, you must not delay the recovery process because it can negatively impact your health. Similarly, the medical records from your immediate treatment can prove that your injuries were caused by the product. These can act as solid evidence for your case.
You’re probably among the 304 million Americans with health insurance coverage. Even then, the treatment costs for the injuries sustained by a defective product can lead to financial stress. That’s why it’s important to quickly seek compensation with the help of a lawyer.
2. Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
The next thing you should do is hire a personal injury lawyer specializing in product liability cases in your city. Let’s say you live in Colorado Springs. In that case, you’ll need to find an experienced attorney among the 22,802 active lawyers in Colorado.
One thing you can do is find someone who is a member of the Colorado Bar Association. Currently, over half (18,000) of the active lawyers in the state are members of the association. Thankfully, most of them specialize in product liability cases.
Your personal injury attorney in Colorado Springs will understand the complex product liability law in the state and the statute of limitations. Hence, they’ll offer you a robust legal path to securing compensation for the other party’s negligence.
According to Springs Law Group, personal injury lawyers will help you navigate the overwhelming aftermath of injuries and damages. Their expert guidance will allow you to seek justice and gain the compensation you deserve. These lawyers will also help prove the product’s defectiveness, the manufacturer’s inability to give adequate warnings, etc.
But how do you find the best attorneys? For that, you must evaluate their experience, check their success rate, and analyze their fee structure. You should also check their specialization, go through client testimonials, and consider their communication skills.
3. Collect Evidence to Seek Claims
Once you’ve gotten medical treatment and hired a lawyer, it’s time to get ready for the lawsuit. To do that, you’ll need to gather evidence to prove the other party’s liability. Did you know that proof of failure from the responsible parties can either make or break your case?
Let’s say that the manufacturing company and the distributors failed to provide proper warnings or instructions. In that case, evidence related to this miscommunication, the defectiveness, and the inability to warn can help you get hefty compensation. The lawyer will then use this evidence to prove that the defendants were negligent.
A solid proof will surely be the backbone of your case. Therefore, you need to keep in mind the following:
- Keep the defective product stored in a safe place without tampering with it.
- Write down the experiences you’ve had while using it.
- Hold on to the proof of purchase and other documents related to the product.
- Keep all the medical information and bills that prove your injuries are associated with this product.
- Document how it malfunctioned or failed during usage.
- Take videos and photos to prove your injuries.
In conclusion, you must follow the correct steps if you want the judge or jury to offer you compensation for your suffering. For instance, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention for your product-related injuries. After that, you can talk to a lawyer, and then you can move forward with gathering evidence for your claims.
You should carefully follow these steps if you’ve suffered physical and financial harm due to defects. Only then can you hold the manufacturers and distributors accountable for the damages.
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