Were you or a family member recently injured while using a defective product in Carbondale, Pennsylvania? You may be entitled to a substantial monetary award to cover the costs of your medical treatment, lost wages, and suffering. The experienced Carbondale product liability lawyers at Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help you maximize your financial recovery.
Since 2008, our top-rated litigators have been fierce advocates for injured consumers and grieving families across the Keystone State. Our tireless dedication has helped us recover life-changing settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients just like you. Our results speak for themselves – to date, we’ve won tens of millions of dollars in compensation.
Give yourself the edge you need to win your case. Contact our law office in Carbondale to arrange a time for a free, no-obligation case evaluation now at (717) 995-8810.
How Our Carbondale Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help If You’re Hurt Because of a Defective Product
How can you prove that the product you were using was defective or unreasonably dangerous? What can you do when the manufacturer denies responsibility or refuses to take your claims seriously? How can you know how much money your product liability case is worth?
An experienced Carbondale personal injury attorney is ready to help you tackle all of these important issues.
With our law firm in your corner, you’ll benefit from 120+ years of combined experience and a reputation for getting top results for clients like you.
You take the time you need to focus on getting better while our team:
- Determine if the product you used has been the subject of prior complaints or recalls
- Investigate the specific circumstances surrounding your accident and injury
- Enlist the assistance of qualified medical professionals, consumer specialists, engineers, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and other experts who may be able to provide critical insight into your product liability claim
- Defend against claims that you were not using the product in a reasonably foreseeable way or share responsibility for your devastating injuries
- Handle negotiations with the manufacturer and its insurance company
- Be ready to help you reject lowball offers and bring your case to a jury in Lackawanna County in order to get you a better result, if necessary.
Marzzacco Niven & Associates works on a contingency fee basis. We know that your injuries can cause a significant financial burden, which is why there’s no upfront cost to hire our law firm. We only get paid if we win your case.
Give our legal team in Carbondale, PA a call to arrange a time for a free case evaluation to learn more. We are always standing by to take your call, 24/7/365.
What is Product Liability?
Product liability refers to laws that impose financial responsibility on a company that designs, manufactures, or markets a product if it is unsafe.
Since there’s no way for every product to be independently tested or checked for safety before it hits the market, these laws help to ensure that companies take their responsibility to produce safe products seriously.
When a consumer is injured because a product is defective or unreasonably dangerous, the consumer can exercise their right under Pennsylvania product liability laws and seek compensation.
What are the Three Main Types of Product Liability Cases?
In Pennsylvania, there are three main types of product liability cases: defective design, manufacturing defect, and marketing defect.
Defective Design
Defective design cases involve situations where a product is inherently unsafe because of the way it is designed. It doesn’t matter how carefully it is assembled or put together; it will still be dangerous for consumers to use.
A popular example of design defect cases involves Roundup weedkiller. Consumers argue that Roundup suffers from a defective design because its primary ingredient, glyphosate, is a known carcinogen – especially when it is combined with other herbicides. The only way to make the product safe is by removing that ingredient that is part of the product’s formula list and design.
Manufacturing Defect
Manufacturing defect cases involve situations where a product is unsafe because of the way it is put together. Its design is safe, but there’s a problem with how it is assembled.
For instance, a product may suffer from a manufacturing defect if a company uses an incorrect part, substitutes an ingredient, or fails to tighten a component.
Marketing Defect
Marketing defect cases, also known as failure to warn, exist when there are risks and dangers that may not be obvious to consumers. If a company knows or should know about a risk or danger and fails to disclose it to consumers, it can be held accountable.
Many failure to warn cases involve prescription medications, where pharmaceutical companies may have information about potential side effects or health risks but do not provide any warnings to doctors or patients.
It’s important to note that not all product liability cases are based on strict liability. A company can also be held legally accountable for a product if it is negligent or breaches a warranty to consumers.
We Handle All Types of Product Liability Matters in Carbondale, PA
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, we are ready to help you no matter what type of product causes you or a family member harm.
We represent clients in product liability cases involving:
- Household appliances
- Fireworks and explosives
- Children’s toys
- Prescription medication
- Over-the-counter medication
- Medical devices and equipment
- Personal care products
- Heavy machinery
- Hand tools and power equipment
The bottom line is that if you were injured because a product didn’t operate as it was supposed to or carried an unreasonable risk of harm, you may have the right to recover compensation from the company behind it. Our top-rated litigators in Carbondale are ready to help you fight to get the money you need and deserve.
What Damages Can I Get If I File a Product Liability Lawsuit?
Plaintiffs in Pennsylvania product liability cases can seek compensatory damages and, in some cases, punitive damages.
Compensatory damages fall into two categories: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages make up for the monetary losses associated with injuries suffered because of a defective product:
- Medical transportation, hospitalization, and other current medical bills
- Rehabilitation, follow-up medical treatment, and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Nursing care and assistance
- Property damage
- Related out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages are paid to compensate injury victims for the emotional distress and changes to their life that are related to a product liability case:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Depression and anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Punitive damages may be awarded when there is clear and convincing proof that a defendant acted intentionally, with malice, or displayed a reckless disregard for your health and safety.
Our Carbondale product liability attorneys will work closely with experts throughout the valuation process to ensure that you’re awarded the full value of your claim.
Defective Products Can Leave Consumers With Severe, Catastrophic Injuries
Depending on the product involved, injuries related to a defect or malfunction can be catastrophic.
Call our product liability lawyers in Carbondale for assistance if you or a loved one has suffered:
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Soft tissue damage
- Nerve damage
- Broken bones
- Concussion
- Vision or hearing loss
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Neck and back injury
- Amputation
- Wrongful death of a loved one, or other catastrophic injuries.
As always, it is critical to seek immediate medical care after you are involved in an accident or sustain an unexpected injury. The simple step can keep you safe and provide evidence you will need for a personal injury lawsuit against the manufacturer.
Is There a Limited Time to File a Product Liability Lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
Yes, there is a two-year statute of limitations that applies to product liability lawsuits in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The clock begins to run the date of your accident or when your injury or illness is diagnosed, whichever is later.
Pennsylvania does have a statute of repose, which means that you will not have an unlimited amount of time to file a claim. There is a hard limit of 12 years for product liability claims, except in the case of foreign objects left in the body. Once 12 years have passed since the product was first sold, your right to file a claim is lost, even if you haven’t discovered your injury or been diagnosed with an illness yet.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Carbondale Product Liability Lawyer
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, our Carbondale product liability lawyers are here to help you stand up to powerful corporations and well-funded insurance companies. We want to help you make things right when you’ve been injured through little to no fault of your own. Contact our law office in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, to arrange a time for a free initial case evaluation today.