Product Liability and Defective Product Cases in the News

Defective products have always been a part of the consumer world. These products can lead to dangerous injuries and even death in some cases, and can be found in products that seem as innocent as toys or items that should be considered high quality and professional, such as industrial equipment. However, every year there are recalls on defective products or lawsuits involving negligent companies.

Many people still remember the massive recall on tires by Bridgestone/Firestone. The tires wore out much more quickly than typical tires, which led to tires blowing out while people were driving. These caused car crashes, sometimes multiple car crashes, and injuries as well as deaths. The company fell into disgrace and has had to work on building their customer base and reputation. Customers had to learn to trust the company again, which was not an easy task when so many products were so defective.

Personal care companies can also have problems. According to The New York Times, in a 2008 case, Johnson & Johnson had to pay $16.6 million to the family of a woman who died due to a drug overdose. The overdose occurred due to a defective Duragesic patch as a pain killer.

Auto makers can also receive lawsuits based upon defective vehicles or parts within the vehicles. Ford has had several recalls in throughout its years of operation for various small issues, but the biggest embarrassment came thanks to a small cruise control switch in 2006. The lawsuit was brought by several people, some of which had actually lost loved ones in fires caused by the switch. Ford delayed a recall because the company did not believe there was sufficient evidence. Later it was discovered that not only was the switch problematic, but the design around it. Indeed, the whole construction did, in fact, cause fires, and other cars that were not yet recalled had the potential to do so.

These are merely a few of the cases that get into the news. Many lawsuits occur each and every day due to defective products that never make into the news outlets. If you are the victim of a defective product, contact an attorney immediately.





If you or someone you love has been injured or harmed by the negligence of another party, speaking with a Miami personal injury lawyer, workers compensation attorney, or nursing home abuse lawyer is the first step in protecting your rights and the rights of your loved ones.