If you or a loved one suffered injuries or died as a result of a faulty product, contact our Michigan product liability lawyers for a free consultation. We’ll help you better understand your legal rights and, if you want to pursue legal action, ensure you have the help you need.
Our Product Liability Lawyers Aren’t Afraid to Fight Big Corporations
Fieger Law is here to stand up to large corporations who sell dangerously defective products that put consumers like you in harm’s way. Product manufacturers have an inherent responsibility to only sell products that are safe for use, and it is our goal to make certain they take that responsibility seriously, even when it means we have to take them to the courtroom.
Since 1950, our firm has fought for the wrongfully injured, no matter the size of the opposition or case complexity. If a defective product seriously injured you or a loved one, then our product liability lawyers want to know about it.
Types of Product Liability Cases We Handle
3M Defective Military Earplug
Partial or total hearing loss has occurred to numerous military members as a result of defective 3M Combat Arms Earplugs. The issue was that these were too short for proper usage and gradually loosened in the user’s ears until they became useless. This company was aware of the design problems as early as 2000, but distribution of this product continued to U.S. military members until 2015.
Acetaminophen
For decades, pregnant women were told that acetaminophen was safe to use as a pain reliever and fever reducer. However, growing evidence shows that babies who are exposed to acetaminophen in the womb have a higher risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It’s our goal to get maximum compensation for families affected by ASD caused by acetaminophen.
Automotive Product Liability Cases
One of the most common product liability claims involves injuries caused by defective vehicles or vehicle parts. Defective parts could include:
- Seat Belts – Though seat belts are supposed to protect us from harm in crashes, they can actually be the source of serious injury when they’re improperly designed or installed in vehicles.
- Faulty Door Latches – Defective door latches have resulted in lawsuits against major auto manufacturers, including a class-action lawsuit against Ford alleging faulty latches on F-150 doors.
- Crushed Roofs – Auto manufacturers should crash test all their vehicles to ensure occupants will be safe in the event of rollover accidents. Sadly, many vehicle manufacturers have sold cars that don’t protect those inside, but they can be held responsible for causing injuries through lawsuits.
- Lack of Crashworthiness –The U.S. has set industry standards that manufacturers must meet for their vehicles to be considered safe. When vehicle occupants suffer serious injuries because of a faulty design, they have the right to file a product liability claim.
- Sudden Acceleration – Sudden unintended acceleration causes thousands of crashes every year in the U.S. When this defect is the manufacturer’s fault, as in the case of high-profile lawsuits against Toyota and Lexus, they can be liable for the damages vehicle occupants experience.
- Defective Airbags –One of the most notorious examples of defective airbags involves a several year-long recall of Takata airbags. In that case, there was a recall of 67 million airbags that exploded when deployed, and numerous class action lawsuits were filed as a result.
- Defective Tires – Defective tires have been the subject of many lawsuits, including legal action against Bridgestone, Michelin, and BF Goodrich.
- Heavy Truck Defects –Large commercial vehicles are extremely dangerous if manufactured improperly or contain defective parts. When serious crashes happen, victims should take legal action to get injury compensation.
- Recalls – Many recalls only occur after consumers have suffered serious injury or died in crashes caused by defective vehicles and/or parts. If you’ve been involved in a crash and later discover that your vehicle was part of a recall, you might have legal options available for compensation.
- Recreational Vehicles and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – When motorhomes and recreational vehicles (RVs) are poorly designed, they carry a serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Baby Food Heavy Metals
Baby food is supposed to be healthy, nutritious, and above all else, safe. Unfortunately, multiple major baby food products were found to contain dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury, which can lead to neurological injuries in children who consume them. As defective product lawyers, we’re here to help them and their parents.
Benzene
Benzene is a known carcinogen that’s created both naturally and artificially. When people are exposed to high amounts of it frequently, such as in sunscreen and other consumer products, their risk of developing many different types of cancer can increase—and they deserve compensation.
E-Cigarette Fire and Explosion Injury
The fuel cells of e-cigarettes have a history of exploding, causing severe chemical and combustion burns to the face and hands. In addition to burn injuries, e-cigarettes can result in serious lung injuries, seizures or convulsions, heart attacks, pneumonia and addiction, among others. If this has happened to you, litigation is currently underway against manufacturers. Call us to share your story and find out if you are entitled to compensation.
Hair Straightener
Recent studies found that hair straighteners/relaxers may increase the risk of uterine cancer in women who use them five or more times in a given year. Our lawyers are working hard to help women and their loved ones whose lives were affected by hair straightener uterine cancer.
JUUL E-Cigarettes
While vaping was initially marketed as a safe alternative to smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes, many users, including minors and young adults, are experiencing serious health issues as a result of vaping JUUL e-cigarettes. These complications include heart, lung and brain damage, seizures, stroke, nicotine addiction, and an increased risk of switching to traditional cigarettes.
NEC
Similac and Enfamil are two of the most popular brands of baby formula in the U.S., and they’re both linked to a deadly condition in newborns called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). If your baby suffered from NEC, we want to help.
Mighty Bliss Electric Heating Pad Injuries
On Oct. 24, 2022, Mighty Bliss electric heating pads were recalled by their manufacturer after it received complaints of customers being burned by the products. Our lawyers are currently building cases related to this defective and dangerous product and are here to assist if you need to file an injury claim.
Paraquat Injury Lawsuits
The herbicide paraquat, also called paraquat dichloride, has been used in the U.S. since 1964. The weed killer affects plants that have become resistant to Roundup and other glyphosate-containing herbicides.
Paraquat has been linked with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease and conditions that closely mimic it. Workers who could be at greatest risk of paraquat-related illness include:
- Farmers
- Agricultural workers
- Crop dusters
- Applicators of herbicides
- Those who mix chemicals
- Tank fillers
As public awareness of the link between paraquat and Parkinson’s disease increases, paraquat lawsuits have been growing against weed killer manufacturers, including major companies, such as Syngenta, Growmark, and Chevron Corporation.
Philips CPAP
Sleep apnea is one of the most common health problems in the world, and millions of sufferers find relief through CPAP machines. Unfortunately, popular CPAP devices manufactured by Phillips are linked to serious health problems due to dangerous particles being inhaled and ingested by users.
Social Media
According to Pew Research Center, nearly half of all teens in the U.S. say they use social media apps “almost constantly.” Social media platforms have come under fire in recent years due to their proven negative impact on young people’s developing brains. If your child suffers from addiction, cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, or other serious problems due to social media usage, we’re here to help.
Talc-Related Ovarian Cancer
Talc powder has long been a common product used by women for hygiene purposes. Unfortunately, research has shown a link between talc and ovarian cancer. Talc is a natural mineral containing fine particles that can travel up to the ovaries. It has been shown to increase the risk of ovarian cancer from 2% to 33%.
Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower, has known about the dangers of talcum powder for more than 40 years. Yet this company failed to warn customers and continued to promote it for hygienic use near the genitals.
A class-action suit is pending against Johnson & Johnson, but many women are filing separate lawsuits to cover damages not provided under the class action suit. If you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and have a history of using talc powder, you may be eligible for damages.
Why File a Product Liability Lawsuit?
Manufacturers in the U.S. have a legal obligation to ensure their products are safe for consumers and use clearly labeled potential risks. If they fail to meet these standards, they can be held legally responsible for the costs of consumers’ injuries.
When you suffer harm from a dangerous or defective product, you have the right to file a product liability claim to recover all the costs you face because of a manufacturer’s negligence.
Through a product liability claim, you can receive compensation for medical bills, lost income, property damage, pain, suffering, and any other expenses you face because of the defect. Don’t pay the costs for your injuries when a manufacturer is to blame. Instead, take a stand and seek the help of an experienced product liability lawyer in Michigan.
How Does a Product Become Defective?
To prove that a dangerous defective product caused your injuries or illness, Fieger Law needs to dig into the “how” and “why” evidence. In particular, we want to ask what happened to make the product you were using dangerous and how could that have been prevented if the product manufacturer had been more careful?
We can establish that the product manufacturer was negligent in the duty they owe to all consumers to only sell safe final products, especially when used as intended or instructed.
There are essentially three main ways that products can be considered defective:
- Design: When a product is dangerous at the moment of its conception, it is defective by design. The exploding Takata airbags that triggered the largest auto recall in history were defective by design because of the unstable chemical reagent used in the inflation device, causing a reaction that never should have been used in the first place.
- Manufacturing: When an error occurs between the point of product design and sale or shipping, the product can become defective by manufacturing. For example, if a batch of ladders were sold with a missing lock mechanism, then they would all be dangerous to use due to a mistake during the manufacturing process.
- Marketing: When the marketing or instructional material provided with a product is dangerously misleading, a product can become defective by marketing. For example, if a power tool was sold with no instruction manual, it would be unreasonably difficult for someone to use it without putting themselves at risk of injury.
While proving when a product became defective might seem like a tall order for the average attorney, you should remember that Fieger Law in Michigan is comprised of above-average legal professionals. Together with our network of experts – such as medical doctors, mechanical engineers and more – we can build a strong argument and confidently aim to prove liability beyond a doubt.
Willing to Fight in Court or For a Settlement
Our Michigan product liability lawyers from Fieger Law are always ready for litigation in front of a judge and jury. However, product manufacturers commonly try to settle injury claims filed against them out of court because that allows them to keep all the case details out of public records, effectively shielding their brand from bad press.
We know how to use their nervousness to your advantage by pressing them for a maximized settlement amount during negotiations or mediation. If the amount they offer is not enough based on how much you have suffered and the total amount of your medical bills and lost wages, then we will let you know and advise we move to litigation.