Did you sustain injuries after using a defective or dangerous product? Unfortunately, incidents like this can cause serious injuries that leave victims in a lot of pain.
While we cannot go back in time and undo what was done to you, you don’t have to face the aftermath all alone—instead, reach out to a Bridgeport product liability lawyer at Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers for legal representation, guidance, and advocacy.
As your Bridgeport, CT personal injury lawyers, you can trust us to protect your rights, negotiate settlements on your behalf, and work to obtain maximum compensation in your case. We have recovered over $500 million for our clients, and we’re here to help.
Connecticut Product Liability Laws
Connecticut follows strict product liability laws, primarily governed by the Connecticut Product Liability Act (CPLA). This law consolidates all product liability claims under a single cause of action.
Under the CPLA, a plaintiff must prove that a product was defective and that the defect caused their injury. There are three primary types of product defects recognized under Connecticut law:
Design Defects
A design defect exists when a product is inherently dangerous due to its design, even if it is manufactured correctly. In such cases, the entire product line poses a risk to consumers.
Connecticut courts consider whether a safer, feasible alternative design could have been used without significantly impacting the product’s functionality or cost.
Manufacturing Defects
Manufacturing defects occur when an error during production causes a product to deviate from its intended design. Unlike design defects, which affect all products in a line, manufacturing defects typically affect specific batches or units.
Even if a company follows proper safety procedures, it may still be held liable if a manufacturing flaw causes harm.
Marketing Defects
A marketing defect, also known as a failure to warn, happens when a product lacks proper instructions or warnings about potential risks.
Companies are required to provide clear warnings if their products pose dangers that are not immediately obvious to the average consumer. If a company fails to do so, it may be held liable for injuries that result from inadequate labeling or misleading advertising.
Common Types of Defective Products
Several types of products frequently lead to product liability claims in Bridgeport. Some of the more common types of defective products include the following:
- Defective vehicles: Cars, motorcycles, and trucks with faulty brakes, airbags, or ignition switches can cause serious accidents.
- Dangerous Pharmaceuticals: Prescription and over-the-counter medications with harmful side effects, contamination, or improper labeling can lead to severe health complications.
- Faulty Medical Devices: Pacemakers, joint implants, and surgical instruments that fail to function correctly can cause life-threatening injuries.
- Children’s Products and Toys: Poorly designed cribs, high chairs, or toys with choking hazards pose risks to young children.
- Household Appliances and Electronics: Electrical malfunctions, fire hazards, and design flaws in everyday household items can cause burns, electrocution, and other injuries.
- Industrial and Workplace Equipment: Defective machinery or safety equipment can result in serious workplace injuries.
Statute of Limitations for Product Liability Claims in Connecticut
According to Connecticut laws that dictate the state’s statute of limitations for product liability claims, people who are injured by defective products must file within three years of the date of injury.
That said, Connecticut also has a ten-year statute of repose. This means that claims cannot be filed more than ten years after the product was sold, even if the injury occurred after that 10-year timeframe.
Exceptions to the statute of limitations may apply in cases involving latent injuries, meaning the harm is not immediately apparent. In instances like these, the discovery rule may allow plaintiffs to file a claim within three years of discovering the injury associated with the defective product.
Recoverable Damages in Product Liability Cases
As your product liability attorney in Bridgeport will likely inform you, people who are injured in product liability cases can seek various forms of compensation. While the compensation you are eligible for depends on the details of your case, here are examples of recoverable damages:
- Coverage for hospital stays, surgeries, prescription medications, and rehabilitation
- Compensation for missed work and loss of future earning capacity.
- Damages for physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life
- Reimbursement for damage caused by the defective product
- Punitive damages if the manufacturer acted with reckless disregard for consumer safety
Call Our Product Liability Lawyer in Bridgeport Today to Learn More About What We Can Do For You
Defective products can cause serious harm. In many cases, they leave consumers facing physical injuries, grappling with financial losses, and trying to restructure their lives in a way that accommodates the long-term consequences of the damages they sustained.
Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers alike all have a responsibility to make sure the products they release are safe for public use. When negligence allows unsafe products to reach the market, victims have the right to seek compensation by filing a product liability claim.
If you are interested in seeking justice in your case, our Bridgeport product liability law firm is ready and willing to assist you. At Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, we’re here to assess your case, collect the necessary evidence, and advocate for the maximum compensation available.
