If you’ve been injured because of a dangerous product in Crestview, Florida, call Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers at (850) 407-7726 for a free consultation. The manufacturer may be liable for your injuries, costs, and struggles if the product is defective. Our experienced Crestview product liability lawyers can provide the experienced, skilled legal representation you’ll need to make the most of your fight for compensation.
Since our opening, our team has fought to provide a level playing field between injured consumers and powerful corporations in high-stakes product liability actions. Backed by 75+ years of combined experience, we’ve helped our clients recover well over $200 million in monetary awards. Now, we’re ready to help you demand financial accountability from a manufacturer that sold you an unsafe product, too.
Why Choose Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers To Help With a Product Liability Claim in Crestview, FL
A manufacturer won’t readily admit that its product isn’t safe, and proving otherwise can be challenging. Consumers in Crestview, FL, trust Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers with defective product cases because we understand the state’s complex product liability laws, know how to address critical evidentiary issues, and work tirelessly to protect our clients’ best interests.
We focus on providing customized legal strategies, personalized and compassionate client service, and representation that genuinely makes a difference in the lives of each and every client. It’s why we’re highly rated on Google by hundreds of former clients and have been recognized as:
- Avvo Client Choice Award recipients
- Members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Board Certified Civil Trial Attorneys by the Florida Bar Association
- Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated litigators
We know you’re struggling right now and that you need time to rest and recover. Focus on yourself and count on our award-winning Florida trial attorneys to go toe-to-toe with the manufacturer and its insurance company in pursuit of maximum compensation on your behalf.
We offer a free consultation with a Crestview personal injury attorney, so contact our office for help today.
Understanding Florida Product Liability Law
When a company sells a product in Florida, it’s up to them to make sure that it’s safe for consumers to use. Companies generally don’t do this out of the goodness of their hearts – they can face serious legal consequences for putting a defective product in consumer hands. Florida law provides that the company responsible for designing, manufacturing, and/or selling a product can be strictly liable for consumer injuries or deaths if the product was defective.
Strict liability means that companies have to work hard to make sure their products are safe. If there’s a defect and that defect causes harm, the company is on the hook for damages, even in the absence of negligence.
Types of Product Defects in Florida
Not every defective product is dangerous for the same reason. Under Florida law, product defects generally fall into one of three categories:
- Design defects exist when a product isn’t safe because of a problem with its design. Often, this means that an ingredient or component is unsafe, or that subpar components are chosen for construction. Companies can be liable for design defects if there’s an alternative design that’s safer and not cost-prohibitive.
- Manufacturing defects exist when a product is unsafe because something went wrong when it was put together. These defects can affect an entire batch of products or one singular product. Often, the wrong ingredient or part is used, or a company fails to notice foundational problems on the manufacturing line.
- Marketing defects, also known as failure to warn, exist when a product causes harm because of concealed or unknown risks to the consumer. Companies have a legal responsibility to warn consumers about threats or hazards that might not be open and obvious during normal use. If a company does its due diligence and thoroughly tests a product, risks should become clear.
The facts of your case will determine which type of defect applies.
What Do I Have To Prove To Win a Product Liability Lawsuit?
When you’ve been injured because a product wasn’t safe, you can pursue compensation from the manufacturer or retailer through a product liability lawsuit.
When your claim is based on strict liability, you have the burden of proving:
- The company designed/sold/manufactured the product
- The product suffered from a defect
- The defect caused you to suffer an avoidable injury or the wrongful death of a loved one
- You used the product as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable way, and
- You suffered damages.
You don’t have to establish that the company was negligent in any way, though some product liability claims can also be based on the tort of negligence.
We Represent Clients in Cases Involving All Types of Defective Products
More than 15 million Americans visited emergency rooms for injuries caused by consumer products in 2024. That roughly translates to 41,000+ consumer injuries every day. Many of these injuries are caused by products that are unreasonably unsafe because of defects in their design, related to their manufacturer, or in how they were marketed.
At Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers, we have extensive experience representing consumers who’ve been catastrophically injured because of:
- Household appliances
- Lithium-ion batteries
- Personal electronics
- Lawn equipment
- Power tools
- Construction equipment
- Vehicles
- Vehicle components
- Personal care products
- Furniture
- Toys
- Clothing
- Sports equipment
- Medical devices
- Medications
Our Crestview personal injury lawyers know how important it is to show that a product is defective and prove that the defect caused identifiable harm. We use tried-and-true investigative strategies to understand what happened, obtain and preserve valuable evidence, and build claims that can positively impact our clients’ lives.
How Much Could My Product Liability Claim Be Worth?
Everyone who suffers injuries because of a defective product faces unique challenges and struggles. So, your claim’s value is going to depend on the injuries you’ve suffered, how long you’ll need to recover, how your injury affects your ability to work, and other factors specific to your case.
These include:
- Whether your injuries are permanent, disfiguring, or disabling
- Changes in your day-to-day quality of life
- Claims that you misused the product and share responsibility for your injuries
- Your age and life expectancy
- Your income and earning potential before you got hurt
- How long it took for you to seek medical care after you’d been hurt
- Whether the manufacturer intentionally concealed potential risks or hazards associated with the product
- Available insurance coverage and policy limits
- The strength of your liability evidence
As a general rule, more serious injuries lead to higher medical bills, more time away from work, and greater overall life changes. In turn, product liability claims with severe injuries tend to be worth the most. However, minor injuries can still be disruptive and costly, and, by extension, lead to claims that are also worth a lot.
The ultimate goal is to ensure that you’re compensated for the full value of your claim so that you’re not under any added financial stress or pressure because of your avoidable injury.
What Damages Can Be Recovered by Injured Consumers in Crestview?
When you file a product liability lawsuit in Florida, you’ll have the opportunity to recover economic damages and non-economic damages for things like:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- PTSD
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of consortium
Punitive damages can sometimes be awarded in product liability cases, but generally only when there’s clear and convincing evidence of mal intent or gross negligence.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Product Liability Attorney in Crestview?
Our product liability attorneys in Crestview represent injured consumers on a contingency fee basis. Pay nothing to hire our law firm until we’ve won compensation for you. When we win, our fees don’t come out of your pocket. Instead, they’re deducted as a percentage of your gross recovery.
If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.
Does Florida Have Time Limits for Product Liability Lawsuits?
Florida has a two-year statute of limitations that applies to most product liability lawsuits. However, thanks to a discovery rule, the statute of limitations doesn’t begin to run until an injury is discovered with reasonable diligence.
This won’t give an unlimited time to seek damages. A statute of repose caps the right to sue for a defective product at 12 years from the date the product was first sold.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Crestview Product Liability Lawyer
Call Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers for help if you or someone you love has been injured because of a defective product in Crestview, Florida. You can hold the manufacturer accountable, and our Crestview product liability attorneys can help.
We bring experienced, passionate legal representation to every client’s case, and we don’t rest until powerful corporations acknowledge harm and make things right. We’ve helped clients recover more than $200 million in financial awards, and now we’re here to fight for your future, too.
Your first consultation is free, so contact our law office to discuss the details of your product liability case today.