Portland Product Liability Lawyers
Holding companies liable for putting profit before the safety of consumers in Washington and Oregon
The companies that manufacture household and business products make large profits when they sell their products throughout Portland, Oregon, and the United States. These companies have a duty to prioritize the safety of anyone who might use their products. At Philbrook Law Office, PS, we hold manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable when their products explode, cause fires, or fail to work when you need them to. We work with product safety professionals to show that the product caused your injuries or the death of a loved one. Call our Portland product liability lawyers today when your car, truck, appliance, child’s toy, or any defective product causes harm.
How can we help?
- What types of defective product claims do you handle in Portland, OR?
- What makes a product “defective”?
- What does strict liability mean?
- Who is liable for defective products that cause personal injuries in Portland, OR?
- Do you have a Portland product liability lawyer near me?
What types of defective product claims do you handle in Portland, OR?
At Philbrook Law Office, we work with personal injury lawyers who file class action lawsuits when defective products hurt someone.
Some products like brakes and airbags are inherently dangerous if they don’t work. Many products are known to be dangerous because they’ve been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Sometimes, a manufacturer will recall its own products.
Our Portland, Oregon product liability lawyers handle the following types of claims:
- Defective vehicle parts. Defective vehicle parts include defective tires, brakes, windshield wipers, steering columns, fuel lines, and electrical systems. Defective vehicle parts also include seatbelts and airbags that fail to protect the people who use those safety devices.
- Household products. These products include electrical and gas appliances, stoves, heaters, and many other household appliances.
- Children’s products. These products include flammable clothing, toys and products that can cause choking, dangerous cribs and beds, and children’s products that may cause electric shocks.
- Other products. Other defective products include foods and drinks, lithium batteries, and various cleaning products.
What makes a product “defective”?
Our Portland product liability lawyers are skilled at showing that the product that caused your injuries or the death of a loved one was defective due to one of the following reasons:
- Faulty design. The manufacturers of car parts, machines, and any other product that is sold nationwide and/or in Oregon should be designed with the safety of the users in mind. The products' designers include software specialists, engineers, mechanical experts, chemical professionals, and many other experts. There are many ways to test products including hands-on uses, automation, and computer testing.
- Defective manufacturing/construction. Even if the design works, products may be defective because the manufacturers failed to follow the design, used substandard parts, or failed to follow standard construction standards.
- Faulty instructions. Products such as power tools, tires, and other products should come with instructions on how to properly use the products (such as what electrical sources can be used and the proper tire pressure for the tires). If there are dangers in using the product in a certain way or if the product isn’t used in a certain way, the manufacturer should provide clear instructions on usage – and should warn the product owners about these dangers.
Our Portland product liability lawyers generally work with product safety experts and class action lawyers who can show that the products that caused harm were defective when used. Recall notices from the CPSC or the manufacturer also help show that a product is defective.
What does strict liability mean?
In personal injury cases in Portland, it’s normally necessary for the victim to show that the defendant acted irresponsibly. Fortunately, in product liability cases, you don’t have to show the manufacturer was negligent. The core requirements of a Portland, OR product liability claim are:
- The product was defective when it was used
- The defective produce either caused the accident or railed to protect you when an accident occurred
- The accident caused your injuries or the death of a close relative
The core idea of a product liability lawsuit is that the burden is on the manufacturer to make sure their products are safe. The burden is not on the consumer. The victims of defective products do NOT need to show the designers were negligent or that they failed to act in a certain way.
Generally, you can file a claim if you used the product with the owner's permission. For example, if your spouse uses your car and gets into an accident because the brakes are defective, your spouse can file a product liability claim against the car manufacturer.
Normally, when our Portland product liability lawyers file a strict liability claim against the manufacturer, we also file a negligence claim and a breach of warranty claim.
Who is liable for defective products that cause personal injuries in Portland, OR?
In many product liability cases, we file your claim against multiple defendants. The companies who are liable if products are defective include every business in the supply chain. This means that our Portland product liability lawyers often file claims against:
- The manufacturers
- The distributors
- Retailers
At Philbrook Law Office, we may also file a claim against any company that made faulty repairs to the product such as a car mechanic who failed to properly install new windshield wipers when the old wipers were defective.
Do you have a Portland product liability lawyer near me?
Philbrook Law Office meets product liability accident victims and families at our Portland, Oregon office located at 107 SE Washington St. Suite 520. If your injuries prevent you from coming to our office, our lawyers will make arrangements to meet you at your home or a healthcare facility to discuss your claim. Other consultation options include phone calls and online video conferences.
We’re glad to answer all your questions. We’ll guide you calmly and clearly through each step of the product liability accident claims process.
Talk with our respected product liability lawyers now
Manufacturers know the rules. They know how to make safe products. They know when there are complaints about their products they need to investigate. They know if their product is recalled, they need to notify the consumers. At Philbrook Law Office, we’ve earned the respect of clients and adversaries for our preparation, advocacy, and record of results. We’ll fight to obtain all the compensation you deserve for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and all other damages.
To schedule a free consultation at one of our offices in Portland, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; or Battle Ground, Washington; please call us or complete our contact form. We handle product liability clients on a contingency fee basis.