Products liability defines any purchased consumer product that causes severe injury or death during the normal use of the product. Manufacturers are responsible for alerting and warning consumers about hazards related to their products, and also ensuring that before making an item available for sale, the item is produced to prevent injury-causing failures or breakdowns during normal use of the product. If it fails to do this and an injury or death occurs as a result, then the manufacturer is liable.

One highly publicized example of a products liability case occurred in 2000 with the Ford Explorer/ Firestone Tire rollover accidents. In that case, it was found that Firestone tire equipped Ford Explorers contributed to a grossly disproportionate case of tire blow outs and rollover incidents versus other compact SUVs. Hearings were held before the U.S. Senate, which concluded that both Ford and Firestone had prior knowledge of the problems associated with the SUV and delayed issuing massive recalls on Explorer at the risk of allowing more deaths and injuries to occur.

When it comes to defective products, deception and delay is not the exclusive domain of large car and tire manufacturers. Companies and manufacturers of a large variety of products produce items that carry hidden dangers and harm, resulting in injury and death to thousands of uninformed consumers every year. The Nichols-Zauzig Litigation Group has a long history of aggressively representing clients who have been injured or killed not only by the makers of faulty automobiles, but also makers of boating and aviation vessels, consumer products, industrial products; construction vehicles; yard and farm equipment; medical devices and pharmaceutical and health products.

The Nichols-Zauzig Litigation Group is a vigilant watch dog for consumer advocacy. We believe strongly in the concept of the free market enterprise, and provided consumers get what they pay for and can use a product without undue risk to their safety, we respect the right of manufacturers to make a profit from their wares. However, when a product is released on the market without sufficient testing and risk assessment, or without fully disclosing the findings of their tests, all bets are off. At that point, the manufacturer has broken a solemn pact between seller and consumer, and owes an explanation to its consumers in the form of a settlement or award.

If you or a family member has suffered an injury, severe illness or wrongful death due to the failure or malfunction of a vehicle, adverse reaction to a pharmaceutical or health product, or the failure or malfunction of construction, yard or farm equipment, be sure to contact a personal injury attorney that specializes in product liability. By contacting Nichols-Zauzig, you can rest assured that we stay apprised of the latest developments in products liability and defective product law. We know the questions to ask and who to ask those questions in determining if you have a products liability case. If we determine that you have a case, we'll work hard to obtain justice against all negligent parties.