A defective product caused a death in my family. Could I have a Wrongful Death case?

It’s difficult to believe a loved one could be taken away by something we use everyday-toys, electrical fans, and heating elements. But the reality is, these things are all made by people-and people can make mistakes.

Any product that causes harm when used as intended could be the cause of a Jupiter wrongful death accident. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission studies show that over 20,000 deaths each year are caused by badly-manufactured products, and many more suffer injuries.

A few common defective products that have caused wrongful deaths in Florida:

• Consumer products. This includes a wide variety of household goods that can cause electrical damage, house fires, suffocation or poisoning. Refrigerators, hair dryers, tools, household chemicals, stepladders, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms have all caused damage through malfunction.
• Medical devices. This includes catheters, defibrillators, and other monitoring devices that can have catastrophic consequences when not functioning properly.
• Motor vehicles and automotive parts. Car accidents are not the only reason for vehicle fatalities. Sometimes defective products are at fault for injury, such as child restraints, seat belts, air bags, or the placement of the gas tank in the car’s design. Sometimes poorly-designed parts even cause auto accidents, including faulty wiring in a car’s signals, or an ATV with defective brakes.
• Industrial products. These include chainsaws, extension ladders, heavy-duty presses, and electrical compressors and drills. Such machinery must undergo rigorous testing before released into public use, and a company cutting corners on safety can be liable for any violation.
• Children’s products. Cribs, trampolines, playpens, bicycles-even everyday plastic and plush toys can cause harm to our little ones. Even if these products have been stamped and approved for safety, many are often later recalled for causing unforeseen damage.

How does this type of case differ from a typical injury case? In a wrongful death case, another party (such as a driver or company) is responsible for an accidental or untimely death. In the case of a defective product, a Jupiter wrongful death attorney will determine who is at fault: the designer, the manufacturer, or the wholesaler selling the product to consumers:

• A design defect means that the product was unsafe even in its earliest stages, but the product was constructed anyway.
• If the design was sound, a malfunction could have occurred during the manufacturing or assembly of the product.
• Marketing defects range from improper packaging, badly-worded instructions or a failure to warn of potential dangers the product could cause.

If someone you love was taken away as a result of a defective product, we can stop those responsible from harming anyone else. An experienced Jupiter wrongful death lawyer can ascertain the scale of the oversight, the potential harm to others, and get the greatest possible reparation you can receive for your loss. Call Fetterman & Associates at (888) 819-4770 today for a free consultation in Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Martin counties.