What Should I Do If I’m Injured by a Dangerous Product?
After an injury or illness from a dangerous product, your first step is to seek medical care. Injuries may not be immediate, so you should see a professional to discover the scope of damages. No one should suffer harm from a manufacturer’s negligence. If you have experienced an injury, here are the next steps you should take to establish your case and build an argument in court.
Steps to Take After a Dangerous Product Injury
Get Medical Care
The first and most important step to take in a product-related injury – as well as any significant personal injury – is to receive medical attention promptly and immediately. It matters for two reasons. The first – and most obvious – reason is that an injury can cause severe complications if you don’t treat it. Receiving prompt and immediate medical attention can resolve injuries and dangers that may prove more dangerous otherwise.
The second reason to receive quick medical care is that it will play a major role in any legal cases brought to court for an injury. If a judge sees that you have not sought prompt medical care, it is harder to justify your claim for compensation. A judge or jury will likely believe that if the injury were severe, then you would have sought medical attention. A doctor’s testimony also serves as expert witness of your health problems as a result of the product and can strengthen your case as well.
Examine Warnings on the Package
Your case’s strength depends heavily on the manufacturer’s warning labels and proactivity when it comes to warning customers of potential dangers of their product. One of the most common cases made against product manufacturers is that they failed to warn customers that their product could be dangerous under certain circumstances. Legislation exists that establishes requirements for warning labels and safety information, so failing to provide this information to customers represents a major legal oversight on the part of the manufacturer.
Warning labels do not mean that manufacturers are safe from litigation. As every injury case is unique, it is important to first consult a personal injury attorney to determine if your case has merit. If consumers can’t clearly see the labels, even if they are present, there is still a strong case to be made that the company failed to provide adequate warning.
Read the Instructions
If the product you purchased came with instructions, it is important to read the warning section after an injury. This serves the same purpose as checking warning labels on the packaging proper. Failure to provide sufficient safety information either on the instruction manual or packaging means that a personal injury case is stronger, but it is not necessarily invalidated by the presence of warnings.
Keep Everything
Personal injury cases rely on evidence, and that is why it is so important to save all packaging and labels. Make sure to keep the product itself as well, as this is vital to establishing the product’s dangers and the validity of your case against the manufacturer. Keep every part, product and label associated with your injury. Take note of when the accident occurred, as well as doctor visits. Even the receipts and credit card charges may be valuable to establish your case’s narrative.
When to Talk with a Birmingham Attorney
Not all injuries from dangerous products cause lasting or egregious harm, but, when they do, you need the help of an attorney who has experience and skill in Alabama product liability law. Product liability lawsuits have a firm statute of limitation in Alabama; discuss your case with a Birmingham product liability lawyer as soon as you suspect a product has caused you or a loved one serious injury.