According to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 11.7 million people sought emergency medical treatment for product-related injuries in 2021. Many of those injuries were from using everyday products generally considered safe. When people are injured while using supposedly safe products as intended, they can be left with mounting medical bills and lost income due to being out of work for recovery.
Product liability law allows those who suffer injuries and subsequent damages from using products to recover compensation from the companies that design, manufacture, package, distribute, or sell these products. If you or a loved one were injured while using a product in Saint Landry Parish, you can work with a Cankton product liability lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers to recover compensation for damages.
A Cankton Liability Lawyer Can Help You Receive Compensation
Some products cause minor injuries that heal quickly with moderate medical treatment. Still, other products cause serious injuries that can take weeks or months to recover from and a lot of expensive medical treatment. Plus, you may have to take time off work during recovery for a minor or severe injury, which can put more financial strain on you and your family.
Here are some of the economic damages you may be able to recover through your product liability claim in Louisiana:
- Current medical bills, such as for emergency medical treatment, doctor’s appointments, testing, physical therapy, prescription medications, and surgery
- Future medical expenses, such as for ongoing treatment of a lasting or catastrophic injury
- Lost wages and benefits for being out of work after your injury
- Reduced earning potential if you suffer an injury that causes disability
- Property damage costs, including replacement and repair of any damaged property
Our product liability lawyers can also fight to get compensation for the other ways that your injuries have harmed you. These are known as noneconomic damages, and they include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Inability to do hobbies
- Trauma and mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
Average Settlements for Product Liability Cases Have a Wide Range
The Insurance Information Institute (III) reports that product liability settlements range from a few hundred dollars to millions. That’s because there are so many factors that can affect how much compensation you might be able to receive. We’ll consider some of the following factors when determining how much you could recover:
- Your age at the time of the injury
- The severity of your injury
- Your prognosis for recovery and continuing treatment
- The number of negligent parties
- The amount of medical expenses you’ve paid
- The amount of income you’ve lost
You can have a free consultation with a product liability lawyer from our firm to find out how much your product liability case is worth.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientWho Is Responsible Under Louisiana’s Product Liability Laws?
The Louisiana Products Liability Act (RS 9:2800.51) establishes that many different entities can be held responsible for their involvement in creating and distributing dangerous and defective products. These parties can include:
- Manufacturers (i.e., designers, fabricators, etc.)
- Wholesalers, distributors, and retailers
- Famers, harvesters, ranchers, and other producers
- Medical providers who recommend you use a medical device that causes injury without giving you proper warnings
In Louisiana, you can hold any person, company, or other entity that provides you a product that causes harm during “reasonably anticipated use” liable for your injuries.
Common Products that Cause Injuries in Cankton Product Liability Cases
Some consumer products with the highest numbers of injuries include:
- Automobile parts, like tires, airbags, seatbelts, brakes, and steering systems
- Household products, like appliances, cleaners, electronics, and furniture
- Toys
- Medical devices, including surgical mesh, pacemakers, and other implanted devices
- Pharmaceutical drugs, including Zantac, Prilosec, and Abilify
Note that you may still have a case even if the company or a government entity didn’t recall a product. In addition, you may still have a claim if you were injured by the product even after a recall is issued. Your product liability lawyer serving the Cankton, Louisiana, area can help evaluate the strength of your claim.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientHow We Pursue Product Liability Cases in Cankton, Louisiana
The Louisiana Products Liability Act also outlines that plaintiffs (victims of product injuries) can only pursue compensation based on the four theories of product liability. Per RS 9:2800.54, our product liability lawyers must prove the at-fault party or parties were negligent based on one of these four theories:
- A design defect
- A manufacturing defect
- A lack of reasonable warning about the product’s potential danger
- A defect based on the company’s express warranty
Your Cankton product liability lawyer will review the facts of your case, including how your injury occurred and your medical records, to determine which of the four theories we can use to prove the makers of this dangerous or defective product were negligent.
Filing an Insurance Claim Through the Party’s Liability Insurance Policy
Once we know which theory to use, we can file a claim with the at-fault parties and try to seek compensation through their product liability insurance policies. If they accept your claim, we can negotiate a fair settlement that reflects the pain and suffering you’ve experienced.
Filing a Product Liability Lawsuit Against the Party and Their Insurance Company
If negotiations fail or the at-fault parties and their insurance companies refuse to accept your claim, we can file a personal injury lawsuit against them. Filing a lawsuit will involve gathering more evidence of how the product caused your injury, the severity of your injury, and the economic and noneconomic damages you’ve suffered because of this injury. Then, we’ll represent you in court to prove the company’s negligence based on one of the four product liability theories.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientDo I Need a Lawyer for My Product Liability Case in Louisiana?
Product liability law can be complex, not to mention you may find yourself facing large corporations with powerful legal teams. Handling a product liability case alone can be stressful, time-consuming, and scary.
When you hire a product liability lawyer from our firm, we’ll take care of every step of this process. That includes:
- Collecting evidence and building your case
- Calculating your damages
- Communicating with the at-fault parties and their legal teams
- Filing insurance claims and negotiating a settlement
- Filing a lawsuit against the at-fault parties
Can I Afford a Cankton Product Liability Lawyer?
We know that a product-related injury can put you and your family in a tough place financially. That’s why the team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers will take on many cases on a contingency-fee basis. That means you only pay if we win or settle your case, and there are never any upfront costs to get our help.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientLaborde Earles Injury Lawyers – Your Product Liability Lawyers
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers has over 350 years of combined legal experience that we’ll use to fight large manufacturers, retailers, and distributors who are responsible for your product-related injury. We would be glad to represent you as your Cankton product liability lawyer. We can get you the compensation you need and deserve.
Contact our product liability lawyers serving Cankton today for your free consultation.
