Pittsburgh Product Liability Lawyers
Holding manufacturers of defective cars, drugs, electronics, and other dangerous products accountable
The companies that make products you use for health, work, entertainment, the home, and your children have a duty to ensure those products are safe. Manufacturers should use quality materials, design their products with the latest technology, test those products, and warn consumers of known dangers. Distributors and retailers can also be held liable for defective products they buy from manufacturers. Your safety must always come before company profits.
At Carmody and Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, our Pittsburgh product liability attorneys understand the unique challenges involved in defective product claims. We understand what type of claim you should file, what the requirements are for proving product liability, and what evidence you need to support your claim. Our personal injury lawyers work with product safety experts, technology experts, and other professionals who can verify that a product was defective. Our lawyers work with your doctors to show just how difficult your life is because of your injuries, and represent families whose loved ones have died because of a defective product.
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What would you like to know?
- What types of defective product claims do your Pittsburgh attorneys handle?
- What are the requirements for filing a product liability claim in Pittsburgh
- Who may be liable for my injuries in a product liability claim?
- Does a product recall affect my Pittsburgh product liability claim?
- How much time do I have to file my Pittsburgh product liability claim?
- Do you have a product liability lawyer near me?
What types of defective product claims do your Pittsburgh attorneys handle?
At Carmody and Ging, our personal injury lawyers handle all types of product liability claims. We represent the victims. We also represent families when a loved one dies. We handle defective consumer, healthcare, vehicle, and commercial products.
If you were injured due to any of the following defects, we’re ready to file a product liability claim on your behalf:
- Defective car parts. Common defective auto parts include fuel lines, tires, ignition switches, steering mechanisms, windshield wipers, tires, and brakes. Products that are designed to protect you may also be defective such as defective seat belts and airbags.
- Defective truck parts. We file product defect claims when trucks have defective electric systems, hydraulic systems, trailer attachments, tires, products designed to keep cargo from shifting or falling, and other types of defects.
- Defective motorcycle parts. Defective motorcycle products include substandard frames, engines, clutches, handlebars, and other motorcycle components.
- Defective household products. You may have a Pittsburgh product liability claim if a heater, stove, or another product ignites. Some household products such as cleaning items are toxic.
- Defective commercial products. Employees and contractors generally both have the right to hold manufacturers accountable when construction vehicles, power tools, forklifts, machinery, tools, or equipment malfunction.
- Defective medications and medical devices. You have the right to expect that the drugs your doctor prescribes and any medical devices you use or are inserted into your body improve your condition – or, at least, don’t make it worse. Defective medications include heart medications, opioids, antidepressants, and diabetes medications. Defective medical devices include vaginal mesh, hip replacement devices, pacemakers, birth control devices, and IVC filters.
- Defective children’s products. Our Pittsburgh product liability lawyers represent parents and children when car seats, clothing, furniture, and other products cause a child to choke, suffer burns, break their bones, or suffer other injuries.
Other defective products include lithium batteries and defective nutritional products.
What are the requirements for filing a product liability claim in Pittsburgh?
There are three different types of claims our Pittsburgh product liability attorneys can file if a product malfunctions and you suffer injuries because of the defect. Often, we file all three claims together.
- A strict liability claim. This type of claim requires that the product must be defective, the defect must either cause an accident or fail to protect you, and the accident or failure must cause your injuries. If these conditions are met, there is no need to prove the manufacturer was negligent. Products are considered defective:
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- If the design is defective. This type of defect generally results from not fully analyzing what could go wrong, not creating tests to determine if the product works, and other conception flaws.
- If the workmanship is defective. This type of defect is usually due to using substandard
parts, poor workmanship, and problems during the manufacture/assembly of the
product. - If the marketing is defective. Defective marketing includes a failure by the manufacturer to notify you of known dangers. Defective marketing also includes instructions that are wrong or unclear.
- A negligence claim. Manufacturers must design, make, and market their products using industry standards and common safety protocols. They must respond to government recalls. When they are negligent or careless, they can be held liable for any injuries or deaths that occur.
- A breach of warranty claim. Most manufacturers make express (written) warranties or implied warranties that their products will be safe for their intended use. Manufacturers that violate these warranties can be held liable when the products cause harm.
We work with product safety experts who are skilled at showing why and how the product that caused your injuries was defective. Our experts are skilled at preparing written reports and testifying in court.
What injuries are caused by defective products?
The types of injuries Pittsburgh product liability victims suffer depend on the product. At Carmody and Ging, we represent victims who suffer:
- Traumatic brain injuries or head trauma
- Spinal cord damage including paralysis
- Traumatic amputation/loss of limb
- Broken bones
- Burn injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Heart failure
- Injuries due to defective medications and medical devices
- Exposure to toxins
- Many other types of injuries
If a loved one tragically dies, we file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the family.
Who may be liable for my injuries in a product liability claim?
Our Pittsburgh product liability lawyers file personal injury and wrongful death claims against everyone involved in the manufacture, sale, and repair of a product. The defendants may include:
- Manufacturers
- Distributors
- Wholesalers
- Retailers
- Repair companies
As an example, if a power tool fails to work causing an electric shock, the defendants may include a manufacturer based in a different state, the distributor who sent the product to Pennsylvania, and the Pittsburgh hardware store or big box store where you bought the power tool.
Does a product recall affect my Pittsburgh product liability claim?
Our Pittsburgh product liability lawyers do review whether the product involved in your accident was involved in a recall. There is no requirement that your product is subject to a recall to file a product liability claim. However, if the manufacturer failed to comply with the recall, the manufacturer may be subject to punitive damages.
Generally, product recalls are either issued by a governmental agency or by the manufacturer itself. Recalls advise consumers that the product is dangerous, and that the purchaser can either return or repair the product according to the recall guidelines.
Several of the agencies that issue recalls include:
How much time do I have to file my Pittsburgh product liability claim?
The best course of action is to contact us immediately. We need to examine the product that caused your harm. We need to speak to you and all the witnesses while your memories are fresh. We want to ensure you are seeing the correct doctors who can best treat your injuries.
Generally, you have two years to file a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania. Some exceptions may apply.
Do you have a product liability lawyer near me?
Our North Shore office is located at 801 Vinial Street in Pittsburgh. We’re on the 3rd floor of the Deutschtown Center building, right across the street from Penn Brewery. (Yes, you can park onsite.) You can also take the bus to the stop on Troy Hill Road; we’re around the corner.
We do meet clients at alternate sites if they’re immobile or ill. We also discuss claims through a video conference.
At Carmody and Ging, we understand how scary it is to think a product from a manufacturer or seller you trusted failed you in your moment of need. We’ll answer all your questions and explain the claims process.
Contact our Pittsburgh product liability lawyers today
Our Pittsburgh product liability lawyers have the skills and resources to fight the big insurance companies and their high-priced lawyers. We understand how life-changing any injury is including the serious types of injuries that defective products cause. We will fight to hold manufacturers accountable for your personal and economic losses. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced Pittsburgh product liability lawyer, please call Carmody and Ging at 412.281.2929 or complete our contact form. Proudly serving the injured in Allegheny County.
