Some of the most common product liability cases involve yard equipment and lawnmower injury. So many power tools are used when it comes to taking care of your lawn. Even some of the non-power type of tools can injure you. Lots of people are hurt every year using things like hedge clippers and pruners. If you’re taking care of your own lawn and yard, you know how difficult it can be.
If you live in Houston, you know how hot and humid the summers can be. When you’re working on your lawn, you get tired and sweaty. The odds of you mishandling a piece of equipment goes up and longer you use it. Your arm will get heavy and your hands will be sweaty.
These tools are dangerous enough when being used by professionals. When non-professionals use these tools, the odds of them getting injured go way up. If this happens to someone in your family, you may have a possible claim against the manufacturer of the tool.
Your Houston personal injury lawyer can help decide if you have a valid claim. They’ll also prepare your claim to get you as much compensation as possible.
What is a Product Liability Claim?
Some of the most common types of personal injury cases involve dangerous products. Whether your car wasn’t designed safely or your lawnmower didn’t have the necessary safeguards, you may have a claim for damages.
There are three (3) main types of product liability cases:
- Manufacturing defect
- Design defect
- Insufficient warnings
Manufacturing Defect:
Some products are dangerous because they weren’t made properly. The design is perfectly safe. However, there were mistakes made during production that made the product unsafe. An example of this would be contaminated food.
Personal injury lawyers in Houston handle lots of these types of cases. They know how to prove that a manufacturing defect exists. And, when need be, they’ll hire experts to testify about the product’s dangers.
Design Defect:
There are some products that wouldn’t be safe no matter how well they were made. In the past, a lot of cars suffered from these defects. Certain cars had design defects that made them explode upon impact. When drivers got into accidents, they would suffer burns and serious injured due to the design defect.
A lot of manufacturers would rather risk getting sued than changing their design. They figure, if they make enough money selling the dangerous product, it’ll more than cover the cost of any lawsuits.
Ineffective Warnings:
Some products are naturally dangerous. For example, a lawnmower, by its very nature, can be very dangerous. The manufacturer is required to put sufficient warnings on their products so consumers can protect themselves.
You have probably seen a lot of these warnings on power tools and children’s tools. The companies only do this because they’ve been sued in the past. As long as they put a warning label on their product, they are more than likely safe from liability.
Who Will You Pursue for Your Lawnmower Injury Claim?
Your Houston injury lawyer will help prepare your claim against whoever may be responsible for your injuries. Who you pursue really depends on the particulars of your case.
If you’ve suffered a power tool or lawnmower injury this summer, you’ll have a potential claim against one or more of the following:
- The manufacturer – The manufacturer will be the party primarily responsible for your injuries. They made the product and probably designed it as well. They should be the ones held liable for your damages.
- The distributor or retailer – Depending on the type of product, you may have a claim against the retailer or distributor. It depends on the relationship between the company who made the product and the stores that sell it.
- Servicer – If you have your lawnmower serviced or calibrated at some point, the company who did that could be held liable for your injuries.
Your Houston personal injury lawyer is going to fight to make sure you get the compensation you deserve. They’ll name all possible parties at the start since you want to optimize your recovery. You also won’t be able to add them later so it’s better to name them in your initial claim.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Houston
If you’ve suffered a lawnmower injury this summer, you need to call a personal injury lawyer at McDonald Worley. They can review your case and let you know what it may be worth. They can also answer any questions you may have.
Call today and schedule your free initial consultation.