We use products every day which are manufactured and placed into commerce by large companies to assist in our daily lives. Typically, these products are safe and benefit our life, work, and recreation activities. From industrial machinery to home appliances, to sporting and exercise equipment, the products that we use on a daily basis allow us to complete tasks more efficiently, easily, and enjoyably. However, when a manufactured product is defective and not reasonably fit for its intended purpose injuries can and do happen. Product manufacturers and sellers have a responsibility to make sure that their products are safe for their intended use and are not otherwise defective. When injuries occur because a product is defective those companies may be liable to the end user.
Who is Liable for Injuries in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, injuries caused by a defective product are governed by a specific statute known as the Products Liability Act. Under the Act, a product manufacturer or seller may be liable for injuries caused by a defective product if the product was not reasonably fit, suitable, or safe because the product:
- Deviated from the design specifications, formula, or performance standards of the manufacturer, or
- Failed to contain adequate warnings or instructions, or
- Was designed in a defective manner.
Manufacturers and sellers may be liable to an end-user who is injured by a defective product and in some instances may be strictly liable for violating the Act.
Often injuries caused by a defective product occur when someone is acting in the course and scope of his or her employment or in an industrial setting. In such cases an injured employee will have a claim for workers’ compensation which is typically the exclusive remedy against the employer. However, the injured party may also have a separate claim against the manufacturer or seller of the defective product under the Products Liability Act for his or her injuries.
Why Hire a New Jersey Products Liability & Industrial Accidents Lawyer?
Products liability claims are typically complex and often involve a number of entities which took part in the design, manufacturing, and sale of the defective product. It is not unusual for the finished product to contain a number of different components which were manufactured, assembled, sold, or otherwise placed into the stream of commerce by different companies, some of which may be located in foreign jurisdictions. The attorneys at Petro Cohen, P.C., are skilled at determining what claims may fall under the Products Liability Act, investigating why a certain product may be defective, discovering the root causes of our clients’ injuries and identifying those companies which are responsible.
Our experienced attorneys handle other types of cases as well, including:
- Automobile Accidents
- Trucking Accidents
- Bicycle & Motorcycle Accidents
- Bus Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Slip & Fall / Trip & Fall
- Dog Bite & Animal Attacks
- Dangerous Property Conditions
- Construction Accidents
- Product Liability & Industrial Accidents
- Claims Against Public Entities
- Wrongful Death Claims
The attorneys at Petro Cohen, P.C., also handle:
