Louisiana Product Liability Law Firm

Manufacturers should be held accountable when their faulty products cause injuries or property damage.  Product liability is the legal liability a manufacturer incurs when they produce or sell a defective product.  Manufacturers have a duty to design, produce, and distribute safe products.  When they fail to accomplish this, the consumers of their products could be injured.  Under La. R.S. 9:2800.51 et seq., the manufacturer may be held liable for any injuries or losses that occur.  These losses can include past and future medical treatment, pain and suffering, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, loss of consortium, and property damage. 

Manufacturers for purposes of the Louisiana Product Liability Act may include not only manufacturers, but also companies that put their name on a product label, a seller who controls a characteristic of the design or construction of a product, and “alter ego” companies who sell goods made by a manufacturer outside the U.S.

If you have been injured by a defective product, don’t hesitate to seek legal representation from an experienced personal injury attorney.

Standard of Care

The Louisiana Product Liability Act applies to situations when a consumer uses a product in a way which is reasonably expected and the product characteristics make it unreasonably dangerous when used in that manner.  When this occurs, the manufacturer is held liable for the damages proximately caused by the defect.  In Louisiana, you can hold a manufacturer liable for injuries which are caused by their product if one or more of the following criteria is met:

• If something goes wrong in the manufacturing process, either in construction or composition, an unreasonable danger may arise and the manufacturer may be liable for damages;
• If a product is poorly designed an unreasonable danger may be present, and the designer may be legally responsible for any injuries;
• If a manufacturer fails to provide adequate instructions or warning of the dangers posed by the product, a company may be held accountable for damages; or
• If a company does provide a warning, but the product does not conform with the express warning.

Common Defective Products

Defective tires or auto parts can cause car accidents.  As a result, they are among the most dangerous types of defective products.

Toys can be dangerous to children if they are poorly designed or assembled.  Children are also inclined to use toys in a way than is not inherently intended, but that the manufacturer should have reasonably foreseen.  Baby products and toys are often harmful, especially if they have small parts or incomplete instructions.

Power tools and household items often have defective designs or are negligently manufactured.  Defective electrical devices are especially susceptible to causing burns, electrocutions, and fires.  Household chemicals such as glyphosate (commonly referred to as Round Up) have been shown to cause cancer.

Medications can sometimes cause unintended and unlisted side effects and complications, and the pharmaceutical companies should be held liable.  There are many name-brand drugs that have been proven to have caused harm to thousands or millions of users.  They include Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, and Lipitor, just to name a few.  The Louisiana Product Liability Act does not cover vaccines though, which must be filed in a Federal program.

Medical devices can sometimes cause more harm than good.  There are many examples of medical devices that have been the subject of class action lawsuits, including certain pacemakers, hernia meshes, artificial joints, birth control devices, stents, and breast implants, among many others.

The news is filled with recalled products.  While a product recall is certainly not a prerequisite to a product liability claim, they are good indicators that a product that you use is defective.  If you have been injured by a product that is under a recall, call us today.

New Orleans Product Liability Attorneys

Bowes, Petkovich & Palmer, LLC is a Gretna law firm that has served the New Orleans area since 1980.  Our experienced product liability lawyers are well versed at handling all types of injury claims including injuries resulting from manufacturers’ faulty design or construction.  We take pride in offering a personal and trusted experience.  Call us today for a free consultation and find out why so many of our clients come back to us.