Georgetown Defective Product Lawyer
Most people have at least one defective product somewhere in their households. When these products cause injury, the Georgetown defective product lawyer at the Stanley Law Group obtains the compensation these victims and their families deserve. The compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages are usually available as well.
As outlined below, these cases are very complex, both legally and logistically. Big cases don’t intimidate our crack legal team. Furthermore, big cases don’t alter our approach. We adhere to the same core values of hard work, dedication to clients, and open communication. Hard work simply means giving our best effort every day. Our dedication means we never accept any outcome except the best possible results under the circumstances. Finally, we firmly believe in regular, two-way communication.
Georgetown Defective Products Lawyers and Legal Issues
Usually, manufacturers are strictly liable for the injuries their defective products cause. Metal-on-Metal (MoM) hip implants illustrate the two major kinds of product defect claims in South Carolina:
- Design: On paper, the MoM hip implant was a vast improvement over the older PoM (plastic-on-metal) models. The hip is a socket-and-cup joint. Metal sockets quickly eroded plastic cups. Zimemrman and other hip implant manufacturers predicted that all-metal parts would never wear out. But, the friction released tiny metal shavings into the bloodstream, causing metal poisoning (metallosis) and premature device failure.
- Manufacturing: Biomet and other device manufacturers care almost nothing about patient health and safety. But they care deeply about their own profits. As a result, they frequently used cheap, imported parts that had high levels of chromium, cadmium, mercury, and other dangerous heavy metals. Manufacturers are legally responsible for their products until these products hit retail store shelves.
Manufacturers cannot dispute liability (legal responsibility), at least in most cases. But in almost all cases, they can dispute cause.
Causation disputes are especially common in pollution-related illness cases, like toxic exposure lung cancer. Company lawyers argue that cigarette smoking and genetic predisposition are much higher risk factors than toxic exposure. Furthermore, they call “expert” witnesses who testify, with a straight face, that extremely hazardous products are as safe as mother’s milk.
One such expert famously stated that a person could drink an entire quart of Roundup and suffer no ill effects. The expert then refused to drink a glass of Roundup. “I’m not stupid” and “I’m not an idiot,” he said.
Logistical Issues in Defective Product Cases
A few final words about the logistical issues in these cases. Most defective product claims, like most other personal injury claims, settle out of court. The road to a settlement is often long and winding.
The pretrial process in these cases is usually quite extensive. Frequently, manufacturers file procedural motions, seeking to throw these cases out of court. Then, they quibble and drag their feet during discovery, an information exchange process, hoping to keep smoking gun emails and memos out of the hands of a Georgetown defective products lawyer.
Most defective product claims are mass torts (class action or Multidistrict Litigation claims). The sheer size of these claims adds a very thick layer to an already complex matter.
Work With a Diligent Georgetown County Lawyer
Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced Georgetown defective product lawyer, contact the Stanley Law Group. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.
