Products Liability

When a defective product causes harm to you or a loved one, manufacturers, designers, and even the sellers can be held liable.


Schedule a Consultation
bracken-areas

Products Liability



At Bracken Law Firm, we are experienced and well-versed in all laws that protect and safeguard you against harm caused by defective products. When the usage of a defective product causes injury or harm to you or a loved one, several parties can potentially be held liable for the manufacturing and sale of that product. Manufacturers, designers, and even the sellers have an obligation to be aware of any known or suspected risk that might harm a user.

Where the product liability case is filed is important. That location and jurisdiction will determine who within the chain of commerce is liable for the harm done. A company or individual person can be liable for any product that causes you harm, from poorly designed medical equipment to food and beverages that cause food poisoning.

If you, your spouse, or loved one have been injured or harmed by a defective product, you may be entitled to compensation. At Bracken Law Firm, we have a successful history and ample experience litigating product liability cases and recovering compensation for our clients. We would be happy to listen to your story, provide our legal opinion and, when possible, provide legal assistance to get you the justice and compensation that you deserve.

Understanding Product Defects

If you, your spouse, or a loved one are injured or harmed by a defective product, there could be grounds to file a lawsuit against several parties, including the product designer, manufacturer, distributor, and wholesaler. Much depends on the specific type of defect and when it occurred in the chain of commerce.

There are two key types of product defects recognized under federal law:

Manufacturing Defects

Manufacturing defects are the result of an error that occurred during the assembly of the product. The error was unintended, and this type of defect generally is only found in a small percentage of products manufactured. The party that manufactured the product is liable for all manufacturing defects that occur, even when they took precautions, and the errors occurred accidentally.

Design Defects

A design defect occurs in the early stages of the chain of commerce, and it is an error in the blueprint for the product. This error is considered unreasonably dangerous, and it is a hazard for users. A design defect is usually found in all of the products that are manufactured using that original blueprint.

Categories of Product Liability Lawsuits

There are typically three different categories of product liability cases.

Negligence

In a negligence product liability lawsuit, you will need to prove that there was some type of carelessness in the manufacturing or design of the product that directly led to your harm and injury. The lawsuit must first establish that the defendant was required to sell a safe product. Then the lawsuit must establish that the defendant breached or failed at that duty and harm or injury to you resulted from that breach.

Strict Liability

In strict liability cases, you must only prove that the product’s defect exists and that you or a loved one were harmed and/or injured as a result. If there is such a defect, the manufacture can be held strictly liable for harm that resulted no matter if they took care and were extremely cautious during the manufacturing process. Strick liability only applies when the product is purchased within the chain of distribution. It does not apply when a product is purchased second-hand.

Breach of Warranty

When you purchase a product, two types of warranties apply. Those warranties are an:

Contact


Contact Information

Bracken Law Firm, LLC
101 Smithfield Street
Suite 100
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
contact@thebrackenlawfirm.com
Tel. 412.533.9281
Fax 412.533.7030

DISCLAIMER: Everything displayed on this site shall be regarded as general information and in no way should it be interpreted as legal advice. You should contact an attorney directly regarding your own situation.


© Bracken Law Firm 2025 - Website created by Frank Vieira