Kitsap County Product Liability Lawyer

Manufacturers have a duty to ensure the safety of their products. Additionally, those products must be clearly labeled with any warning consumers need to know about. If you’ve been hurt by a product because it was defective or failed to disclose dangers, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. As these cases are complex and time-consuming to bring to trial, we urge you to reach out to a Kitsap County product liability lawyer.

During a free case review, the lawyer will be able to determine if you have legal options for pursuing compensation.

Understanding the Washington Product Liability Act

In 1981, Washington enacted the Washington Product Liability Act, which protects consumers from defective products and holds manufacturers responsible.

Some of the key components of this law include:

  • Manufacturers can be held liable for defective products that harm consumers
  • A product can can be unsafe if it doesn’t include warnings
  • Product sellers can be liable for defective products
  • Consumers can’t take legal action against food manufacturers if their consumption resulted in weight gain or similar health consequences

It’s also important to note that this law also clearly lays out that victims have a three-year window to file a product liability claim (RCW 7.72.060). This is another reason to involve a personal injury lawyer as early as possible.

Establishing Liability in a Defective Product Case

Any product has the potential to be a dangerous product. Clothing, toys, cribs, tires, and athletic equipment are just a few examples of everyday objects that can cause serious injury if they’re defective.

Part of the role of a skilled personal injury lawyer is to determine where in the process the error occurred. This will help establish liability.

  • A design error means the product never had a chance to be safe. From the start, the product was flawed.
  • A manufacturing error means is an issue with the assembly. In this situation, a single product or batch might be defective.
  • A marketing error means that the product failed to include proper warnings.

Also, the lawyer will need to investigate all potential parties involved in the distribution of the defective product. Remember that a product typically passes several hands before reaching the consumer.

Damages you can Pursue in a Product Liability Case

When it comes to product liability claims, there are two types of damages you can seek to recover: economic and non-economic.

Economic damages include expenses you incurred because of your injury that you can easily assign a dollar amount to. For instance, medical bills are economic damages. We can collect these from hospitals and doctor’s offices  to understand the financial impact of your injury.

On the other hand, non-economic damages cannot be quantified with receipts or bills. These encompass the pain, emotional trauma, missed events, sleepless nights, and anxiety you’ve faced. While it can be difficult to assign a dollar to these kinds of damages, a qualified attorney can provide guidance.

Call us to Schedule a Free Consultation

The best way to know if you have a potential case is to schedule a free case evaluation with a Kitsap County product liability lawyer.

If you’re unable to make it to the office, let us know. One of our lawyers will be happy to meet you at your home or hospital.

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