Have you been injured while using a defective or dangerous consumer product in Illinois? Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys can help when you call (312) 726-1616. We offer a free consultation with an Illinois product liability lawyer who can help you fight for the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Between us, our attorneys have decades of experience in personal injury law. We’ve already recovered over $100 million in settlements and verdicts. Today, we’re here to provide the comprehensive legal support you deserve.
Why Call Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys To Handle My Illinois Product Liability Claim?
Product manufacturers are represented by teams of defense attorneys and insurance adjusters. From the start, it may seem like they hold all the cards. You don’t have to let them dictate the process. By hiring Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, you’re telling the defense that you’re serious about protecting your legal rights.
Members of our team have been recognized for our success by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and the Million Dollar Advocates’ Forum. We’re not afraid to go head-to-head with powerful corporations and their defense teams–and we’re known for winning big when it matters most for our clients in Illinois.
You can learn more about the benefits of working with our award-winning legal team by calling for a free consultation with an Illinois personal injury attorney today.
Overview of the Laws on Product Liability in Illinois
While many products are regulated, there’s no way for the government to ensure that all consumer products are safe. Similarly, consumers often lack the information to know whether a product is safe. That’s why the law places the burden of evaluating product safety on the companies responsible for putting those products on the market.
Product liability laws apply when defective products cause injuries. The system is based on strict liability. Strict liability means that the victim is not required to prove that a manufacturer was somehow careless to recover damages. Manufacturers are responsible for defective products regardless of their actions.
Understanding the Three Primary Types of Product Defects
While there are many potential grounds for a product liability lawsuit, most cases are based on one of three types of product defect:
- Design defects: Design defects are flaws in the product’s design that make the product unreasonably dangerous, even when no errors exist in the manufacturing process
- Manufacturing defects: Manufacturing defects only exist because the manufacturer made an error during the process, and the product becomes dangerous because of the deviation from the intended design
- Marketing defects: Marketing defect cases are based on the product manufacturer’s failure to warn consumers about known dangers and risks, or failure to provide adequate instructions about how to safely use the product
A product can also suffer from multiple types of defects. As the injured party, you have the burden of proving that the product was defective.
Common Injuries in Illinois Product Liability Cases
Depending on the product, the nature of the defect, and who was using the product, any number of injuries are possible.
Our team at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys handles all types of personal injury claims, including cases where a victim has suffered:
- Burns
- Amputations
- Eye and facial injuries
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Cancer and other diseases
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Hearing loss
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a family member
Our attorneys have decades of experience fighting on behalf of injury victims. Regardless of the nature of your injuries, you can count on us to fight for every dollar you deserve. Contact us today to get started.
Our Attorneys in Illinois Handle All Types of Product Liability Cases
Any consumer product has the potential to become dangerous when it suffers from a defect. Examples of products that might suffer from defects include:
- Children’s products and toys
- Furniture and mattresses
- Household appliances
- Lawn equipment
- Pesticides and chemicals
- Batteries
- Electronics
- Vehicles and vehicle components
- Prescription medications
- Over-the-counter medications
- Medical devices
- Personal care products
- Heavy machinery and work equipment
- Tools and power equipment
- Sports and exercise equipment
- Clothing
- Food and beverages
Proving that a product was defective is challenging. Even if a class action settlement fund already exists, proving the value of your damages is rarely a simple process.
Our Illinois product liability attorneys have the tools to handle any challenges that arise. When you hire us, you’ll have the time to focus on your recovery–knowing that the legal issues are handled.
What Is My Illinois Product Liability Case Worth?
The value of your personal injury case will depend on facts that are unique to your case. The most relevant issues are:
- The severity of your injuries
- Your current financial costs
- Impacts on your income and earning abilities
- Anticipated future medical and rehabilitative needs
- Damage to your lifestyle
- Available insurance
Even once liability has been established, the victim has the burden of proving the value of their damages.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims in a Successful Illinois Product Liability Claim?
When you file a product liability claim, you’re asking the product manufacturer to take financial responsibility for two types of losses: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Your economic damages might include:
- Current medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning potential
- Reasonably expected future medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Any out-of-pocket expenses associated with the injury
Non-economic damages are much more personal and may include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Lost ability to enjoy life
- Loss of consortium and other damages for wrongful death
Punitive damages are rare in Illinois, but not entirely impossible. The defendant’s actions are important when demanding punitive damages. Courts only allow punitive damages in cases where the defendant’s actions were intentional or so shocking as to deserve punishment.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Lawyer To Handle a Product Liability Claim in Illinois?
Our team at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys works on a contingency fee basis, meaning:
- You pay nothing up front to hire us
- Once your case is resolved, we receive a percentage of your settlement or verdict
- There are absolutely no attorneys’ fees if we fail to secure compensation
In other words, you can seek justice without worrying about the legal bills. We’ll discuss this fee structure in detail during your free case review.
Can Illinois Comparative Fault Laws Have Any Impact on the Value of My Product Liability Claim?
Victim-blaming is a common tactic in personal injury cases. Defendants often try to minimize their own financial liability by claiming the victim caused their own injuries. When they succeed, the victim’s compensation is reduced to account for their own blame.
Under Illinois’ modified comparative negligence laws, you can even lose your right to compensation entirely if you are more than 50% at fault. If you are assigned 50% or less of the fault, you can still recover, but your compensation will be reduced proportionately.
In product liability cases, manufacturers might claim that the victim was using the product incorrectly. You don’t automatically lose your right to damages even if you were. Manufacturers can also be responsible when misuse was reasonably foreseeable.
What Do I Have To Prove To Win a Product Liability Case in Illinois?
Because product liability cases are governed by strict liability laws, you aren’t required to prove the defendant was negligent to recover compensation.
Instead, you must prove:
- The defendant was somehow responsible for putting the product into consumer hands
- The product was defective
- The defect made the product unreasonably dangerous
- The defect was not obvious, and you were not adequately warned about the danger
- You were injured while using the product as intended, or in a reasonably foreseeable way
- You suffered damages
In some respects, establishing liability based on product liability can be even more complex than an ordinary accident case.
Often, our attorneys will bring in expert witnesses to testify about complex elements of a case. We’ll also conduct a careful investigation–in some cases, working to determine whether others have suffered similar harm.
How Long Do I Have To File a Product Liability Lawsuit if I Was Injured Due to a Defective Product in Illinois?
The statute of limitations in Illinois personal injury cases is two years. You have two years from the date of an injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois.
Exceptions and nuances do exist–but they’re rare. For example, if your injuries occurred over time, a discovery rule may apply. Then, the clock begins running only when you discover, or reasonably should have discovered, the injury.
Contact a Seasoned Illinois Product Liability Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Don’t wait to seek legal advice if you were injured while using a dangerous consumer product in Illinois. Reach out to Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys to get the ball rolling today. An experienced Illinois product liability lawyer can evaluate your options for free–so there’s never any risk.
