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Product Liability Lawsuits Continuing to Rise in the United States

Published on Jul 23, 2020 at 3:31 pm in Product Liability.

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When a manufacturer creates a product, they are liable for any damage that their product causes. Legally, this is referred to as product liability. Consumers who experience injuries and other complications from medication, vehicles, and other products have the right to file a product liability lawsuit to recover compensation for the damages they incurred. Unfortunately, sometimes these products even cause death.

In the past couple of years, product liability lawsuits have been on the rise in the United States. If a product has caused you harm that wasn’t disclosed on the packaging or didn’t warn you about beforehand, then you could have a claim against the manufacturer. A product liability lawyer from Thomas Law Offices in Louisville can support you through the legal process.

Recent Product Liability Lawsuits

Since 2015, product liability cases in the U.S. federal court system have been trending upward; and last year, they reached a high point. The U.S. federal courts reported that cases dealing with personal injury from product liability went up by 36% in 2019. Let’s take a look at some of the larger cases that contributed to that rise.

One of the product liability cases that has occurred over the past couple of years is against Johnson & Johnson for their talc-based baby powder and blood-thinning drug, Xarelto. These products are considered dangerous and cause side effects that were not properly investigated or warned about before they were distributed to the public. It has been found that talc-based baby powder can be linked to ovarian cancer in women who used the powder. Xarelto has been found to cause serious internal bleeding. In 2018, Johnson & Johnson had over 100,000 lawsuits filed against them for various defective and harmful products.

Roundup Weed Killer, made by Monsanto, which is a division of Bayer, was found to have serious side effects after prolonged exposure. While exposure can cause side effects like skin rash, nausea, and headaches, this weed killer has also been linked to cancers like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia when used for a long period of time. There have been nearly 800 cases against Monsanto filed across the United States for their negligence.

Ford faced hundreds of class action lawsuits after their trucks were found to have the “death wobble.” Since many truck owners use their vehicles for hauling equipment, the death wobble was even more dangerous because when they could not control their vehicle, it wasn’t just the weight of the truck that would be involved in the accident—the weight of what they were hauling could cause even more damage and injury. When a consumer buys a product that is marketed as safe but turns out to be deadly, they can seek recovery for their experiences.

More recently in the news, Zantac has been pulled from the shelves because its use has been linked to gastrointestinal damage as well as different types of cancer. Most manufacturers of Zantac and its generic forms stopped distributing the drugs, but the manufacturer Sanofi has not. Zantac cancer lawsuits can still be filed if you were diagnosed with cancer after taking the drug.

Thomas Law Offices in Louisville Can Handle Your Product Liability Lawsuit

When you’ve been harmed by a defective product that was marketed as safe, you can hold the manufacturer responsible for their negligence. A Louisville product liability lawsuit may seem like a daunting task, as the product manufacturer is likely a large company, but you deserve justice. At Thomas Law Offices, we understand what it takes to potentially go up against a large entity and how complex your case might be.

Our Louisville personal injury lawyer is well-versed in Kentucky law and will know exactly how to handle your case. The negligent product manufacturer should be held responsible for your injury and the associated damages. Reach out to our office today so we can discuss what happened, how the product is connected to your injuries, and what damages we will be able to recover for you.

Free Case Evaluation

At Thomas Law Offices, our personal injury attorneys recognize that our potential clients are likely going through some of the most difficult times of their lives. We don't want you to have to worry about paying out of pocket for legal advice when you're just starting to learn your legal rights and options. That's why we provide free case evaluations. We'll offer our expert advice about your potential case and walk you through how we can help you.

Call us or fill out the form below to tell us about your potential case and a personal injury lawyer will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Meet Our Founder

Tad Thomas - Trial Lawyer

Tad Thomas

Managing Partner

Tad Thomas has dedicated his practice to representing plaintiffs in various types of civil litigation, including personal injury, business litigation, class actions, and multi-district litigation.

After graduating with his law degree in 2000 from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, Mr. Thomas immediately opened his own private practice and began representing injury victims.

In 2011, Thomas Law Offices was established in Louisville, Kentucky. Over the past decade, Mr. Thomas has expanded his firm and now has offices in three additional locations: Cincinnati, Ohio, Columbia, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois. He is also a frequent lecturer on topics like trial skills and ethics and technology.

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