Every day, Spring Hill residents use consumer products in their day-to-day lives. At home, work, and everywhere else, countless goods make life easier and more convenient. But what happens when you use an item you trust to be safe, only to have it inflict a painful injury or a severe health problem?
Consumers like you entrust their safety to the manufacturers and distributors of everyday products. These parties must ensure that their products do not cause harm.
The Lucas, Macyszyn, & Dyer Injury Firm represents individuals who have suffered injuries by using unreasonably dangerous products. We can hold manufacturers, distributors, and others accountable for the harm their goods cause you and your loved ones. Contact a Spring Hill Product Liability Lawyer today to learn more.
Committed to Representing Victims of Dangerous Products in Spring Hill
At the Lucas, Macyszyn, & Dyer Injury Firm, we put our clients’ interests first. Our mission is to secure compensation for victims of dangerous products and other accidents. Suffering an injury because of a hazardous consumer product can throw your life off track. By getting you the money you need to pay your bills and heal from your injuries, we can help you get back on track and moving in the right direction.
Our lawyers and legal professionals work day in and day out on behalf of our injured clients. Whether getting you paid for your injuries means fighting an insurance claim or taking your case to trial, we have the resources and experience to get results.
We offer a free case consultation to anyone in Spring Hill who suffered injuries from a defective consumer product. You can meet with us in person at our Spring Hill office, located directly on US-19 across from the Weekiwachee Preserve, or we can meet virtually or at a more convenient location.
What is product liability?
Product liability is an area of personal injury law concerned with compensating people who suffer injuries by using dangerous and defective products. It covers the entire range of goods individuals in Spring Hill use daily, including medications, cleaning supplies, household appliances, hand tools, heavy machinery, and motor vehicles (to name just a few).
The premise of product liability law is that businesses must only manufacture and sell products that are safe for their intended use. Suppose a company’s goods contain defects that make them unreasonably dangerous and harmful to the public. In that case, that business will owe damages for any injuries and losses the products cause to innocent users.
Florida law recognizes three fundamental product defects that can make a manufacturer liable for a user’s injuries.
Design Defect
Some products have a design flaw that makes them unsafe for their intended use. Anyone who uses them risks suffering an injury when they fail to function as the user would typically expect.
Examples of defective designs could include, for example:
- A car with its gas tank located so that it will likely rupture in a collision;
- Backyard lawn darts sharp and heavy enough to cause a puncture wound;
- A chain saw that lacks a safety shield to prevent injury if a chain breaks;
- A phone battery that quickly overheats and catches fire.
Defective designs usually affect an entire class of products, so they frequently cause injuries to numerous consumers.
Manufacturing Defect
Some products, even with a safe design, may contain defects because of a flaw or mistake in the manufacturing process. Manufacturing defects can take a wide variety of forms.
Some examples include:
- Pharmaceuticals containing poisonous contaminants;
- Auto parts, like tires and hoses, that blow out because manufacturers made them with substandard rubber;
- Loose wiring in a countertop appliance that causes an electrocution risk.
Manufacturing defects may affect a single product or a batch of them, so they may impact fewer victims than design defects.
Failure to Warn of the Dangers
Proper use of some products can nevertheless come with inherent risks. Manufacturers of these products must warn consumers about those dangers or will face liability to individuals who suffer injuries because of them.
Common warning defects include the failure to notify consumers of:
- Medication side effects.
- Sharp components on power tools.
- Small parts on toys used by young children.
Potential Compensation in Your Spring Hill Product Liability Case
If you suffered injuries when a product you used in Spring Hill failed to function as expected or did not contain adequate warnings about the dangers inherent in using it, you may hold the manufacturer and others in the supply chain accountable.
Depending upon the facts of your case, it may not even be necessary to prove that the manufacturer acted wrongfully. Instead, Florida law may hold the manufacturer strictly liable for your injuries and losses—meaning that the manufacturer will owe you damages even if it did not know about the defect and took reasonable steps to prevent it.
The types and amounts of compensation you may have the right to receive can vary, depending on the severity of your injuries, the strength of your case, and the funds available (including insurance) to pay your damages.
In general, however, a product liability claim can usually seek compensation for:
- Costs for emergency medical care and emergency transport.
- Expenses for all medical treatment related to your injuries, including hospitalization, rehabilitation, surgery, and follow-up care.
- The cost of medical equipment, medications, and treating secondary conditions.
- The wages you lost when you missed work because of your injury.
- The future income you will not earn because your injury prevents you from working.
- Your physical pain, emotional suffering, inconvenience, and loss of quality of life.
At Lucas, Macyszyn, & Dyer, we work diligently to evaluate the full scope of the harm done by a defective product. Our team aims to pursue manufacturers and others in the supply chain for the maximum compensation allowed under Florida law. Contact us to learn more about the types and amounts of payments you may have the right to demand after suffering a product liability injury.
Common Product Liability Injuries We Can Help With
A defective product can inflict a wide range of costly, debilitating injuries. At Lucas, Macyszyn, & Dyer, we have years of experience fighting for the rights of clients who endured extreme trauma when a defective product failed to work as expected.
We know how to secure maximum payment for common product liability injuries such as:
- Burns – Defective products frequently explode, catch fire, become extremely hot, or contain caustic chemicals, all of which can inflict severe burns and cause permanent deformities and scarring.
- Traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, and other impact-related trauma – An unreasonably dangerous product can trigger a wide range of violent accidents that lead to impact injuries, including falls on unsafe flooring and motor vehicle crashes triggered by a parts failure.
- Crush injuries and traumatic amputations – Defects in machinery, tools, and vehicles often cause incidents that trap or sever a user’s limbs or appendages.
- Choking – A product containing small parts and inadequate warnings can pose a choking risk, especially for young children.
- Exposure-related illnesses – Individuals using or spending time around defective products like chemical solvents or hazardous building materials can develop long-term medical complications, such as cancer and respiratory disease.
- Wrongful death – When a dangerous product causes fatal injuries, the deceased victim’s survivors suffer losses for which they can seek compensation through a Florida wrongful death action.
No matter what type of harm a defective product has inflicted on you or someone you love, the lawyers of Lucas, Macyszyn, & Dyer can help. We possess the knowledge, resources, and skills to evaluate your claim and get the money you need to heal and rebuild.
What To Do If You Suffer Harm From Using a Defective Product
If a product you used or were exposed to has caused you injury or illness, you may need to take steps to protect your ability to claim compensation. Every product liability case in Spring Hill differs, so we encourage you to contact us at Lucas, Macyszyn, & Dyer immediately to learn about your rights and options. You may also want to consider following these tips.
Leave the Defective Product Alone
The defective product that injured you constitutes critical evidence in proving your right to compensation. So, if possible, do not throw it away, fix it, clean it, or alter it. Leave it in the condition it was when your injury happened, and keep it that way until your lawyer or an authorized investigator can examine it.
If you must move the product, take photographs of its exact condition and original location before you do so. Be as thorough as possible—even the most minor details can matter in a product liability case.
Seek and Follow Through With Medical Treatment
Getting the medical help you need for your injuries is vital to your recovery and product liability case. It’s critical to seek medical care immediately after you know or suspect a product has injured you. Not only does this protect your health, but it also creates a record documenting the timing, cause, and nature of your injury—all critical evidence proving your right to compensation.
It’s also essential to follow through with your medical treatment. Missing appointments, skipping therapy sessions, or ignoring a doctor’s advice to rest can hurt you and harm your case. You can only hope to secure maximum compensation if you demonstrate that you took the reasonable steps necessary to care for yourself.
Save All Documents and Records
The aftermath of an unexpected injury often includes the unwelcome burden of paperwork. You can expect to receive statements, bills, and other documentation from your doctor, your insurance company, and potentially the manufacturer of the product that injured you.
Resist the temptation to throw all that paper away. It may constitute persuasive evidence in proving your injuries and the amount of compensation you should receive. If filing documents isn’t your thing, place them in a box and bring them to your lawyer to review.
Think Twice Before Posting About the Defective Product on Social Media
Disappointed consumers may post criticisms of products on social media, sometimes tagging the manufacturer as a form of commercial shaming. That can be an effective strategy if you want to draw attention, but it can come at a cost to your product liability case.
If your post misstates a detail or calls out the wrong company, for example, you may make your case more difficult to prove. So before you post, consult with an experienced lawyer.
You May Need to Take Quick Legal Action
The statute of limitations in Florida for a product liability case is four years. But long before that deadline expires, Spring Hill victims of defective products may need to take quick steps to protect their rights.
If you suffered injuries from a product defect already known to the manufacturer and the public, for example, lawsuits filed by other victims might affect your rights if you do not act soon. A manufacturer burdened with potential liability from a product defect may also seek protection in bankruptcy court, which can impact your ability to secure compensation if you do not take quick steps to assert your claim.
Conversely, if you are the first known victim of a defective product, winning your case may depend on conducting a time-intensive investigation of the product’s design and manufacturing process. The sooner that examination begins, the better.
Contact a Spring Hill Product Liability Lawyer Today
So, do not wait. If you or someone you love suffered injuries in Spring Hill when a product you used or were exposed to did not function as intended, contact the experienced Spring Hill product liability lawyers at Lucas, Macyszyn, & Dyer today at (352) 686-0080 for a free case consultation. Our team can answer your questions and help you explore your rights to demand payment for them you suffered.
Client Testimonials
“Lucas and Macyszyn was instrumental in accomplishing the mission at hand. We had to do absolutely nothing once the ball was set in motion. Weekly reports were the norm as the process progressed. The staff were all courteous and very easy to work with. I would recommend this law firm if you don’t already have one on retainer.”
Review by: Les M.
Review: 5/5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Check out some of our other reviews.