The Product Liability Claim Explained

A product liability claim is one in which a person contends that a particular product is defective in some way and that defect has caused injury. You may recall a famous product liability claim that was brought against Ford Motor Company many years ago relating to its Pinto automobiles. Ford made an engineering decision to place the gas tank on the Pinto in the rear of the vehicle, even though it knew, or should have known, that placing the gas tank in this location could result in serious injury to the occupants if the vehicle was involved in a rear end collision.

Documentation was produced during litigation that Ford knew, or should have known, of that risk, yet made a conscious decision to continue to keep those vehicles on the road because it felt the overall financial benefit would weigh in its favor, even if it had to pay several million dollars in claims as a result of injuries.

The jury in one of those cases returned a very substantial award against Ford Motor Company for compensatory damages for the injuries suffered by the plaintiff. The jury also awarded substantial punitive damages to punish Ford for its wrongful conduct in not taking the vehicles off the road or warning the public of the dangers associated with that vehicle.

We here at Mulvey Law are experienced personal injury lawyers and over the years we have successfully handled dozens of product liability claims. We understand how to present a winning claim. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a defective product, please contact us immediately to set up a no cost initial meeting to evaluate your claim.  We handle cases throughout New Hampshire and, if it more convenient, we will schedule the meeting where you live rather than have you travel to our offices.