Consumers in Greenville, SC have rights. The experienced legal team at Upstate Personal Injury Lawyers is here to protect them.
If you’ve suffered injuries or losses due to a faulty product, contact us. A dedicated product liability lawyer will fight to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Manufactured products are everywhere we look. From the auto you drive to the microwave in your kitchen, we use manufactured goods all day. Sometimes these products are faulty and can injure you or your family members.
Personal injury cases, especially involving product liability in South Carolina, can be highly complicated. Connect with a product liability attorney at Upstate Personal Injury Lawyers for guidance today.
South Carolina’s Product Liability Law
Here in South Carolina, a product designer, manufacturer, or seller may be liable β that is, financially responsible β for injuries or death caused by a product if that product is found to be defective and unreasonably dangerous.
Defective and Unreasonably Dangerous Defined
In SC, terms like “defective” and “unreasonably dangerous” are determinations that must ultimately be made in court by a judge or jury.
- A product may be found defective and unreasonably dangerous if it poses a foreseeable risk of serious injury or death that could have been eliminated or minimized using a reasonable engineering design alternative.
- A reasonable design alternative is a design that is technologically and economically feasible. It does not interfere with the functionality of the product. It will not cause further unintended harm. Here in SC, the burden of the plaintiff βthe person bringing the claim β is to identify a reasonable engineering alternative.
Ultimately, a product may be deemed defective and unreasonably dangerous if it fails to incorporate an effective safety device that should have been added at the time of manufacture at a reasonable cost.
Types of Dangerous Products
When you purchase a product, you expect it to be reasonably safe if you use it the way the designer intended. But sometimes, the design or manufacturing of a product is executed so poorly that people get hurt. They may experience personal injuries, even hospitalization or death. They might also endure financial losses.
If a product has injured you, whether those injuries are physical, financial, or emotional (or all of those), the Upstate Personal Injury Law team can help.
Some dangerous items in South Carolina lawsuits include:
- Medical devices, like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and pelvic mesh products, which malfunction or harm a patient
- Children’s toys, which may break, combust, cause electrocution or cause choking
- Infant care products, like cribs, high chairs, and strollers which aren’t built well
- Firearms and ammunition
- Vehicle parts with flaws that contribute to accidents, like electric vehicles that catch fire
Types of Product Defects per SC Law
Product liability lawyers in Greenville, SC, know South Carolina courts recognize three types of product defects. These are:
- Defective by design: when a product is poorly designed, nearly all of the products on the market will be dangerous
- Manufacturing defects: errors occurred while a product was built. These errors cause malfunctions or other issues
- Failure to warn: when a designer, manufacturer or seller fails to warn a consumer about the inherent dangers of a product
Don’t Settle Right Away. We Can Help
When a faulty product injures a consumer, it can be a very confusing and frightening experience. You may be missing work, watching medical bills pile up, or paying for extra child care or other help around the house.
An insurance company representative might visit you. They’ll offer you a tiny check, but it’s only worth a fraction of your losses. Some consumers mistakenly take that first offer because they’re worried about paying their medical bills or surviving without a paycheck. They aren’t thinking about future costs and their ongoing pain and suffering.
Speak With a Greenville Product Liability Lawyer
If you think you might have a product liability claim, contact Upstate Personal Injury Lawyers in Greenville right away. Put an experienced South Carolina personal injury attorney in your corner.
Call (864) 732-4241 or use our online contact form to send us a message. We are standing by, ready to represent you.
Product Liability FAQs
Is there a statute of limitations on product liability lawsuits?
In South Carolina, you have three years to file a product liability lawsuit. If you, or your family member, has experienced injuries because of defective products, don’t hesitate to call a product liability lawyer. These cases require a lot of evidence and reporting, so it’s best to get started immediately.
Should I accept a check from an insurance company?
Understand that insurance companies are looking to finish the claim quickly. They’re not eager to pay for expensive attorneys or compensate the injured party. They will try to “settle” with you by offering a check. If you accept this check, you will agree not to sue in the future.
How much is my product liability claim worth in South Carolina?
There is no easy answer to this question. It depends on the injuries you endure, the immediate pain and ongoing emotional suffering, the total costs of medical care, and more. A lawyer can provide you with a more accurate answer.