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Rhode Island Defective Product Lawyers

Product Liability Lawyers Serving Clients in Rhode Island

When you buy a product, you expect that it will work for its intended purpose. Some products, however, malfunction or become defective much faster than expected. In many scenarios, failure of a product may result in serious injury or death.

Defective products often present a threat to public safety. If you were injured or a member of your family was seriously harmed or killed due to a defective product, the product liability attorneys at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd can help.

Product liability is a complex area of law. It takes experience and expertise to handle these claims effectively. Our law firm has been serving clients all over Rhode Island for over 40 years, and we have achieved multiple million-dollar and multi-million-dollar results in defective product claims.

For a free case review, please call (401) 273-8330 today. Our Providence product liability lawyers serve clients throughout Rhode Island.

potential damages in a product liability claim | Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd.

What Are Common Product Defects?

The defects that make a product unsafe can take on a variety of different forms. Three common forms of product defects include:

  • Design defects: Flaws in the design of the product. Design errors may result in the production of multiple products with the same defect. If the company fails to issue a recall, many consumers may suffer harm.
  • Manufacturing defects: Errors in the construction and assembly of products can also result in dangerous defects. Multiple companies may be involved in the manufacture of a product, and our attorneys will scrutinize the chain of distribution to determine which parties may be liable for the defect.
  • Failure to warn: Companies that sell products have a duty to warn consumers about known or foreseeable hazards. If they fail to include warning labels or instructions for the safe use of the product, an injured consumer may be able to pursue compensation.

Product liability claims are often based on the legal theory of strict liability. In strict liability claims, you need to prove that the product was defective and that your injuries occurred as a result of the defect. You do not have to prove that the at-fault party or parties were negligent in the design, manufacturing, and/or distribution of the product. 

Alternatively, you can pursue a claim for negligence. Negligence-based product liability claims must prove that one or more parties involved in the design, manufacturing, and/or distribution failed to uphold the standard of care for bringing a safe product to market. You must also show that your injuries were caused by the defect resulting from the negligence of the company (or companies) at fault.

Our attorneys will review your case for free and advise you of your options for filing a claim against the manufacturer and other parties.

Manufacturing Defects in Product Liability Claims

Product Liability Claims Our Attorneys Handle

At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd, we represent people from across Rhode Island who have been seriously injured by unsafe and defective products. Our lawyers investigate, prepare, and litigate cases in state and federal court related to:

  • Appliances
  • Cars and other motor vehicles, including:
    • Airbags
    • Crashworthiness
    • Tire blowout
    • SUV rollover
  • Dangerous drugs
  • Children’s equipment
  • Heavy equipment
  • Industrial machinery
  • Ladders
  • Scaffolding
  • Medical equipment and devices
  • Sports equipment, including:
    • Scuba/skydiving equipment
    • Football helmets
    • Bicycles
    • Baseball bats

This list is not comprehensive. If you or a loved one suffered injury due to a product you suspect was defective, contact our lawyers today for a free case review.

Injuries Caused by Defective Products

The injuries you sustain from a defective product will depend on the exact nature of the defect and how it harmed you. Our firm focuses on cases of serious and catastrophic injury arising from product defects, including:

Some defective products result in immediate, significant trauma. In other cases, however, the defect may take months, years, or even decades to result in serious injury.

Types of Product Defects

Who Is Liable for Defective Product Injuries?

In order to recover maximum compensation in your product liability claim, it is important to identify all of the parties responsible for the defective product. To build your case, our lawyers will investigate the following:

  • Manufacturers: One or more companies involved in the manufacturing process may work from a faulty design, deviate from the technical specifications for the product, fail to maintain consistent standards for building and assembling the product, and more.
  • Wholesalers: Most mass-produced consumer products are sold by wholesalers to individual stores and large chains. In claims based on strict liability, a wholesaler can be held liable for selling a defective product to retailers.
  • Sellers and retailers: As with wholesalers, retailers (from big-box stores to independently owned shops) may be liable for selling a defective product.

Whether you are taking action against a small local business or a multinational corporation, it is in your best interest to have an experienced product liability attorney on your side. Qualified legal representation is key for overcoming the potential challenges in your defective product claim and recovering the compensation you deserve.

How Long Do I Have to File a Defective Product Claim?

The statute of limitations in Rhode Island for product liability claims is three years (the same as it is for other types of personal injury and wrongful death claims). If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to a defective product, you must bring a claim or file a lawsuit within this three-year time limit.

You should consult a defective product lawyer as soon as possible if you believe that a product defect harmed you or a member of your family. Product liability claims are time-consuming and complicated. They take significant time and effort to investigate. The sooner you seek legal counsel, the sooner your lawyer can take action on your behalf.

Defective Product Claim in Providence, Rhode Island

Damages in a Product Liability Claim

Depending on the seriousness of your injuries, you may be entitled to significant compensation in a product liability claim. Our attorneys work with your doctors and other experts to determine all of the ways your life has been impacted by the defective product. Based on the evidence in your case, our team calculates the full value of damages.

Our product liability lawyers will pursue the compensation you deserve for losses including:

  • Medical bills: You may be entitled to compensation both for the present costs of medical care you have incurred as well as anticipated expenses for future medical care.
  • Lost wages: You may also be entitled to compensation for the income you lose if your injuries prevent you from working.
  • Loss of earning capacity: If you suffer a catastrophic injury that renders you permanently unable to work, our product liability attorneys can pursue compensation for the loss of future income and associated benefits.
  • Out-of-pocket expenses: If you and your family incur additional costs in coping with injuries from a defective product (such as travel to and from doctor appointments and physical therapy sessions, hiring a home healthcare worker, and/or modifying your home and vehicle), our lawyers can pursue compensation for these losses as well.
  • Pain and suffering: Serious and catastrophic injuries are frequently accompanied by pain and emotional distress. You deserve to be compensated for these losses to your physical and mental well-being.
  • Disability: Long-term and permanent disability is accompanied by a number of practical and psychological challenges. Our defective product attorneys can pursue compensation from the manufacturer and other liable parties for inconvenience, embarrassment, and other issues related to disability caused by your injuries.
  • Scarring and disfigurement: If the injuries you suffer from a product defect leave you with scars and/or disfigure you in some other way, you may be entitled to compensation for the adverse effect on your appearance and self-esteem.
  • Loss of consortium: These damages compensate you and your loved ones for the adverse effects on your familial relationships due to a serious injury. Loss of consortium encompasses loss of spousal services (including physical intimacy, household contributions, etc.), loss of parental guidance, and loss of society and companionship.
  • Punitive damages: In addition to compensating you for economic and non-economic losses, punitive damages are awarded to plaintiffs in product liability claims as a means of punishing or deterring the defendant for their extreme recklessness or intentional misconduct.

Our attorneys can also help if your loved one was killed by a defective product. We can pursue compensation for medical bills and end-of-life expenses, the cost of a funeral and burial or cremation, loss of wages and benefits, and other losses through a wrongful death claim.

Contact Our Providence Product Liability Attorneys Today

If you or a loved one has been harmed by a defective product, you may be unsure where to turn. The prospect of taking on a corporation of any size is daunting. When you hire an experienced defective product lawyer, however, you are not alone.

Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd has decades of experience handling complex product liability claims. Our attorneys have acted on behalf of clients in litigation against major corporations, including drug companies, automakers, and other large, moneyed parties, and we have recovered millions in trial results.

Please call (401) 273-8330 today for a free case review. Our defective product lawyers serve clients in Providence and throughout Rhode Island.