Product Liability Lawyer

At RK&L, we understand the devastating impact that defective and dangerous products can have on individuals and families throughout Western New York. Our Buffalo product liability lawyers have dedicated their practice to holding manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable when their products cause serious injuries to consumers.

Financial Compensation You May Be Entitled To Do After A Defective Product Injury

At RK&L, our Buffalo product liability lawyers understand that defective product injuries can create significant financial burdens. Here's a comprehensive overview of the compensation you may be entitled to receive:

• Medical Expenses - Past and Present: Compensation can cover all medical treatments, surgeries, hospital stays, medications, and rehabilitation services directly related to your product-related injury.
• Future Medical Costs: A Buffalo product liability lawyer can help secure compensation for anticipated medical expenses, including ongoing treatments, future surgeries, and long-term care requirements.
• Lost Income and Wages: If your injury has prevented you from working, you may receive compensation for lost salary, wages, bonuses, and other employment benefits you've missed during recovery.
• Diminished Earning Capacity: When a product-related injury affects your ability to work in the future, compensation can cover the difference between what you could have earned versus what you can earn post-injury.
• Property Damage: If the defective product damaged your home, vehicle, or other property, you may receive compensation for repair or replacement costs.
• Pain and Suffering: Our product liability attorneys can help quantify and seek compensation for physical pain and discomfort resulting from your injury.
• Emotional Distress: Compensation may cover psychological impacts like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health challenges stemming from the incident.
• Loss of Life Quality: When injuries impact your ability to enjoy hobbies, activities, or family relationships, you may receive compensation for diminished quality of life.
• Home Modifications: If your injury requires changes to your living space, such as wheelchair ramps or bathroom modifications, these costs can be included in your claim.
• Medical Equipment: Compensation can cover necessary medical devices, prosthetics, mobility aids, or other equipment needed for your recovery.
• Caregiver Costs: If you require in-home care or assistance with daily activities, these expenses may be compensated.
• Transportation Expenses: Costs related to medical appointments, including specialized transportation needs, can be included in your compensation.
• Punitive Damages: In cases involving extreme negligence or intentional misconduct, additional compensation may be awarded to punish the manufacturer and deter similar behavior.

Let our experienced Buffalo product liability lawyers help you pursue the full compensation you deserve. Each case is unique, and the specific damages available depend on various factors, including the severity of your injury and its impact on your life. Contact RK&L today for a free consultation to discuss your potential compensation and how we can help protect your rights against negligent manufacturers.

Note: The amount of compensation varies based on individual circumstances. A product liability attorney from our firm can evaluate your case and provide a more detailed assessment of potential compensation during your consultation.

How a Buffalo Defective Product Injury Lawyer Can Help

At RK&L, our Buffalo product liability lawyers provide comprehensive legal support for individuals injured by defective products. Here's how our product liability attorneys can assist with your case:

• Evidence Preservation: Our personal injury lawyer team acts quickly to secure and document the defective product, preventing crucial evidence from being lost or altered that could impact your claim.
• Investigation Services: A Buffalo product liability lawyer thoroughly investigates your case, including reviewing product safety records, identifying similar incidents, and documenting the full extent of your injuries.
• Medical Documentation: We work with your healthcare providers to obtain detailed medical records and expert opinions that establish the connection between the defective product and your injuries.
• Manufacturer Identification: Our product liability attorneys trace the supply chain to identify all potentially liable parties, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and component suppliers.
• Legal Research: We research similar cases, applicable regulations, and industry standards to build strong legal arguments supporting your right to compensation.
• Insurance Navigation: A Buffalo product liability lawyer handles all communications with insurance companies, protecting you from tactics designed to minimize your compensation.
• Settlement Negotiations: Our team leverages extensive negotiation experience to pursue fair settlement offers that reflect the true value of your injuries and damages.
• Trial Preparation: If settlement negotiations don't yield appropriate compensation, our product liability attorneys prepare a compelling case for trial presentation.
• Expert Coordination: We work with technical, medical, and economic experts who can testify about product defects, injury causation, and the long-term impact of your injuries.
• Deadline Management: Our team ensures all legal documents are filed within New York's strict time limits, protecting your right to pursue compensation.
• Cost Advancement: We advance all case-related expenses, including expert fees and investigation costs, so you can focus on recovery without financial strain.
• Client Communication: Your Buffalo product liability lawyer provides regular case updates and promptly responds to your questions and concerns throughout the legal process.
• Damages Calculation: We carefully calculate all current and future damages to ensure your compensation request reflects the full impact of your injuries.

Don't face a defective product injury case alone. RK&L's experienced Buffalo product liability lawyers are ready to help protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about how our product liability attorneys can support your case.

Product Liability Cases We Take

As experienced Buffalo product liability lawyers, RK&L represents clients injured by a wide range of defective products. Our product liability attorneys have successfully handled cases involving both consumer and industrial products. Here are the main categories of cases we handle:

• Automotive Defects: Our Buffalo product liability lawyers handle cases involving defective airbags, faulty brakes, unstable vehicle designs, malfunctioning seatbelts, and other car components that cause injuries during normal use.
• Medical Devices: We represent clients harmed by defective implants, surgical devices, mobility aids, monitoring equipment, and other medical products that have caused unexpected complications or injuries.
• Children's Products: Our product liability attorneys pursue cases involving dangerous toys, defective car seats, unsafe cribs, contaminated clothing, and other children's items that put young lives at risk.
• Household Appliances: We handle cases involving malfunctioning kitchen appliances, defective power tools, faulty electrical equipment, and other household products that cause fires, electrical injuries, or other harm.
• Industrial Equipment: Our Buffalo product liability lawyers represent workers injured by dangerous manufacturing equipment, defective safety devices, malfunctioning heavy machinery, and other industrial products.
• Construction Materials: We take cases involving toxic building materials, defective safety equipment, faulty scaffolding, and other construction products that compromise worker and occupant safety.
• Consumer Electronics: Our product liability attorneys handle cases of exploding batteries, overheating devices, electrical shock hazards, and other electronics that cause injuries during normal use.
• Pharmaceutical Products: We represent clients harmed by dangerous medications, incorrect labeling, contaminated drugs, and unexpected drug interactions not properly disclosed.
• Recreational Equipment: Our team handles cases involving defective exercise equipment, sporting goods, outdoor recreation gear, and other products that fail during intended use.
• Food Products: We pursue cases involving contaminated food items, undisclosed allergens, dangerous packaging, and other food product defects that cause illness or injury.
• Personal Care Items: Our Buffalo product liability lawyers represent clients injured by dangerous cosmetics, harmful personal care products, and defective grooming tools.
• Safety Equipment: We handle cases where protective gear, safety devices, or emergency equipment fails to provide intended protection, leading to preventable injuries.

If you've been injured by any type of defective product, contact RK&L's Buffalo product liability lawyers for a free consultation. Our product liability attorneys will evaluate your case and explain your legal options, regardless of the type of product involved. We have the resources and experience to handle complex product liability cases and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries.

Common Products That Lead to Injury Claims in Buffalo

At RK&L, our Buffalo product liability lawyers regularly handle cases involving defective products that cause serious injuries. Our product liability attorneys want you to be aware of these commonly dangerous items:

• Vehicle Components: Defective airbags, faulty brake systems, and malfunctioning steering mechanisms frequently lead to devastating accidents and injuries when these critical safety features fail during normal operation.
• Power Tools and Equipment: Electric saws, drills, nail guns, and other power tools can cause severe injuries when safety guards fail, electrical systems short-circuit, or components break during standard use.
• Kitchen Appliances: Pressure cookers with faulty seals, food processors with defective blades, and malfunctioning ovens commonly cause burns, lacerations, and other serious kitchen injuries.
• Children's Toys: Small parts that create choking hazards, toys containing toxic materials, and items with sharp edges or pinch points frequently cause injuries to young children despite safety regulations.
• Electronic Devices: Smartphones, laptops, and other devices with defective batteries can overheat, catch fire, or explode, causing severe burns and other injuries to unsuspecting users.
• Furniture Items: Unstable dressers, chairs with weak support structures, and collapsing bed frames often cause crushing injuries and falls, particularly affecting children and elderly users.
• Medical Implants: Hip replacements, knee implants, and surgical mesh products can fail prematurely or cause unexpected complications, leading to additional surgeries and prolonged recovery periods.
• Household Cleaners: Improperly labeled cleaning products, toxic chemical combinations, and dangerous packaging defects can result in chemical burns, poisoning, and respiratory injuries.
• Exercise Equipment: Treadmills with sudden acceleration issues, weight machines with failing cables, and exercise bikes with unstable frames frequently cause serious exercise-related injuries.
• Baby Products: Defective cribs, car seats, high chairs, and strollers can lead to falls, entrapment, and other injuries to infants and toddlers when safety features fail.
• Outdoor Power Equipment: Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and snow blowers with failing safety switches or inadequate guards regularly cause severe injuries during routine yard maintenance.
• Personal Care Devices: Hair dryers, curling irons, and electric razors with faulty wiring or overheating issues can cause electrical shocks and burns during normal grooming activities.

If you've been injured by any of these products or other defective items, contact RK&L's Buffalo product liability lawyers immediately. Our product liability attorneys will evaluate your case at no cost and explain how we can help pursue compensation for your injuries. Time limits apply to these cases, so don't delay in seeking legal representation to protect your rights.

Injuries Associated with Defective Products

At RK&L, our Buffalo product liability lawyers have helped numerous clients who suffered serious injuries from defective products. Our product liability attorneys want to help you understand the types of injuries that may warrant legal action:

• Burn Injuries: Defective electronics, household appliances, and battery-powered devices can cause severe thermal burns, chemical burns, or electrical burns that often require extensive medical treatment and leave permanent scarring.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries: Faulty protective equipment, defective vehicle components, or falling furniture can cause concussions, brain damage, and other severe neurological trauma that impacts cognitive function.
• Spinal Cord Damage: Malfunctioning recreational equipment, vehicle safety features, or industrial machinery can cause vertebrae fractures or nerve damage leading to partial or complete paralysis.
• Limb Amputations: Industrial equipment, power tools, or lawn care machinery with inadequate safety guards or sudden malfunctions can cause traumatic amputation of fingers, hands, or entire limbs.
• Internal Organ Damage: Defective medical devices, contaminated products, or toxic substances can cause severe damage to vital organs, often requiring emergency surgery and ongoing medical care.
• Respiratory Injuries: Toxic fumes from household chemicals, construction materials, or malfunctioning heating systems can cause immediate breathing difficulties or long-term respiratory conditions.
• Bone Fractures: Collapsing furniture, faulty exercise equipment, or defective mobility devices can cause complex fractures requiring surgical intervention and extended rehabilitation.
• Eye Injuries: Malfunctioning power tools, dangerous toys, or caustic chemicals without proper warnings can cause vision impairment or complete loss of sight.
• Chemical Poisoning: Improperly labeled products, contaminated food items, or leaking containers can lead to severe toxic exposure affecting multiple body systems.
• Nerve Damage: Defective medical implants, malfunctioning electronic devices, or unsafe power tools can cause permanent nerve damage resulting in chronic pain or loss of sensation.
• Crush Injuries: Unstable furniture, defective automotive lifts, or malfunctioning industrial equipment can cause severe tissue damage, broken bones, and internal injuries.
• Psychological Trauma: Beyond physical injuries, defective product incidents often cause significant emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

If you've suffered any of these injuries due to a defective product, our Buffalo product liability lawyers can help you pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. At RK&L, our product liability attorneys understand the devastating impact these injuries can have on your life and family.

Who Is Liable in a Product Liability Case?

At RK&L, our Buffalo product liability lawyers work diligently to identify all parties who may be responsible for product-related injuries. Our product liability attorneys carefully investigate each case to establish liability across the entire supply chain. Here are the key parties that may be held legally responsible:

• Product Manufacturers: Companies that design and produce the final product can be held liable for defects in design, manufacturing flaws, or inadequate safety warnings that lead to consumer injuries.
• Component Manufacturers: Makers of individual parts used in the final product may bear responsibility when their components fail or contain defects that contribute to the product's dangerous condition.
• Raw Material Suppliers: Companies that provide materials used in product manufacturing can be liable if they supply contaminated, substandard, or otherwise defective materials that contribute to injuries.
• Product Distributors: Wholesale distributors may share liability if they fail to properly store, handle, or transport products, leading to damage that creates safety hazards.
• Retail Sellers: Stores and other retailers can be held responsible when they sell damaged products, fail to remove recalled items from shelves, or neglect to warn customers about known dangers.
• Marketing Companies: Firms responsible for product advertising may face liability if they misrepresent product safety features or fail to disclose known risks in promotional materials.
• Quality Control Services: Third-party companies hired to test and verify product safety may be liable if they negligently approve unsafe products for distribution.
• Assembly Companies: Businesses that assemble products from multiple components can be responsible for errors in assembly that create dangerous conditions.
• Import Companies: Companies that import products from foreign manufacturers may be held liable as the legal manufacturer under U.S. law when foreign companies are beyond jurisdiction.
• Maintenance Providers: Companies responsible for product maintenance or repairs may be liable if improper service creates or fails to address dangerous conditions.
• Safety Certification Organizations: Entities that certify product safety may share responsibility if they negligently grant safety approvals to dangerous products.
• Product Design Firms: Independent designers or engineering firms may be liable for creating inherently unsafe product designs that lead to injuries.

Let our Buffalo product liability lawyers help determine which parties may be responsible for your injuries. At RK&L, our product liability attorneys conduct thorough investigations to identify all potentially liable parties, maximizing your opportunity for full compensation.

Steps to Take After a Defective Product Injury

As experienced Buffalo product liability lawyers, RK&L wants to help protect your legal rights after a defective product injury. Our product liability attorneys recommend taking these important steps to strengthen your potential claim:

• Seek Medical Care: Get immediate medical attention for your injuries, even if they seem minor at first, and follow all treatment recommendations from your healthcare providers to document the injury's progression and impact.
• Preserve the Product: Keep the defective product in its current condition without attempting repairs or modifications, as this physical evidence is crucial for your Buffalo product liability lawyer to establish how the defect caused your injury.
• Document Everything: Take detailed photographs of the product, your injuries, and any property damage, while also keeping a daily journal about your pain levels, limitations, and recovery process.
• Gather Product Information: Collect and save all product packaging, instructions, warranties, receipts, and proof of purchase that can help your product liability attorneys trace the item's history.
• Record Witness Details: Write down names and contact information for anyone who saw the incident or was aware of the product's defective condition before your injury occurred.
• Report the Incident: File reports with the product manufacturer, retailer, and relevant consumer safety agencies to create an official record of the incident and your injuries.
• Save Medical Records: Keep all medical bills, treatment records, prescription receipts, and documentation of time missed from work due to your injuries.
• Avoid Social Media: Refrain from posting about your injury or the product on social media, as these posts could potentially impact your legal claim.
• Decline Manufacturer Contact: Direct any communication attempts from the manufacturer or their insurance company to your Buffalo product liability lawyer to protect your interests.
• Track Related Expenses: Save receipts for all expenses related to your injury, including medical supplies, transportation to appointments, and necessary home modifications.
• Research Similar Incidents: Look for news reports or consumer complaints about similar problems with the product, but let your product liability attorneys handle direct contact with other victims.
• Contact Legal Help: Reach out to RK&L's product liability lawyers as soon as possible to ensure critical evidence is preserved and legal deadlines are met.

Don't face a defective product injury alone. Contact our Buffalo product liability lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your case and understand your legal options. Our product liability attorneys will guide you through the entire legal process while you focus on recovery. Remember, there are strict time limits for filing product liability claims in New York, so don't delay in seeking legal representation to protect your rights.

Contact Our Buffalo Product Liability Lawyers Today

When defective products cause serious injuries, you need dedicated legal representation to protect your rights. At RK&L, our Buffalo product liability lawyers have helped countless injury victims secure the compensation they deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case and learn how our product liability attorneys can help you pursue justice against negligent manufacturers. Your recovery is our priority.

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Product Liability Lawyer FAQs

How long do I have to file a product liability claim in New York?

Under New York law, you generally have three years from the date of injury to file a product liability lawsuit. However, certain circumstances may extend or shorten this timeframe. It's crucial to contact a Buffalo product liability lawyer promptly to ensure you don't miss critical legal deadlines.

Do I need the original receipt or packaging to file a claim?

While having the original receipt and packaging can strengthen your case, they are not always required to pursue a product liability claim. Our product liability attorneys can often establish proof of purchase through credit card records, warranty registrations, or other documentation.

What if I no longer have the defective product?

While having the product is valuable evidence, you may still have a viable claim without it. Our Buffalo product liability lawyers can use other forms of evidence, including medical records, witness statements, and similar reported incidents to build your case.

Will I have to testify in court for my product liability case?

Most product liability cases settle before reaching trial. However, if your case does go to court, our product liability attorneys will thoroughly prepare you for any testimony and support you throughout the process.

What if I was using the product incorrectly when I got injured?

Even if you weren't using the product exactly as intended, you may still have a valid claim if the product lacked adequate warnings or if the misuse was reasonably foreseeable. Our Buffalo product liability lawyers can evaluate how your product use affects your case.

Can I pursue a claim if the product was secondhand?

Yes, you can potentially pursue a product liability claim even if you purchased the item used. The key factor is proving the defect existed when the product left the manufacturer's control, not whether you were the original purchaser.

What if the manufacturer is located in another country?

Our product liability attorneys can often pursue claims against foreign manufacturers through their U.S. subsidiaries, distributors, or retailers. We have experience navigating international product liability cases and identifying liable parties within U.S. jurisdiction.

How much is my product liability case worth?

Each case value depends on factors including injury severity, long-term impacts, medical expenses, lost wages, and available insurance coverage. Our Buffalo product liability lawyers can provide a more specific estimate after reviewing your case details.

What if the product has been recalled?

A recall can actually strengthen your case by demonstrating the manufacturer's acknowledgment of a defect. However, you must still prove the defect caused your specific injuries. Our product liability attorneys can explain how a recall might impact your claim.

How do you prove a product was defective?

We establish product defects through various means, including engineering analysis, industry standards compliance review, expert testimony, and examination of similar incidents. Our Buffalo product liability lawyers work with qualified professionals to demonstrate how the defect caused your injuries.