Every day, hundreds of people in this country are injured while using everyday products. Some of these injuries can be attributed to the victim’s own misuse of the products. However, many of these injuries were caused by a defect on the part of the designer or manufacturer of the item.
Our product liability lawyers in Macon meet with clients all the time who have been hurt as a result of a dangerous product. If this is the case with you or your loved one, you should contact one of our Macon injury lawyers right away.
Johnson and Johnson Has Had Its Hands Full This Past Year
Johnson and Johnson has been hit with a slew of product liability lawsuits over the last few years. First, they were sued by thousands of people who claimed to have developed cancer after using J and J’s baby powder. Many of the class action lawsuits filed against Johnson and Johnson have already been decided. However, in an effort to avoid liability, the company transferred all the legal liability to one of its subsidiaries.
Not surprisingly, this subsidiary just happened to have filed for bankruptcy in 2022. The courts even allowed their bankruptcy to be filed in the State of New Jersey where most of the lawsuits were filed. The fact that the courts have allowed this to take place is disappointing, to say the least. They may end up walking away without paying a penny in damages.
In addition to having issues with their baby powder, Johnson and Johnson was also one of the first defendants named in the recent opioid lawsuits. J & J. along with numerous other drug manufacturers were sued in 2022 over their distribution and manufacture of dangerous, addictive drugs.
While most of the cases filed against J and J have already been settled, there are still over 3,000 cases pending. Many of these lawsuits were filed by government bodies so it will be interesting to see how they play out in 2023.
There Are Still Thousands of Roundup Weedkiller Lawsuits Pending
When it was first announced that Roundup may cause cancer, people who regularly used the product became afraid. The fact that homeowners and employees were faced with the prospect that Roundup could kill them did not help the brand’s reputation.
Over the first couple of years, there were historical judgments handed down against Bayer, the company that purchased Monsanto, the company that had manufactured the weedkiller. Throughout the first half of 2022, thousands of Roundup cases were settled. However, there are still more than 25,000 cases left unresolved.
Some of the product liability lawyers in Macon, along with lawyers in other states, refused to accept the terms of the settlement offered by Bayer. It is expected that the majority of the pending cases will be resolved at some point in 2023. At some point, something has to give.
If the attorneys aren’t willing to accept the settlement and the defendant isn’t willing to offer better terms, the cases will go to trial. Given the fact that Bayer has been on the receiving end of unfavorable decisions this past year, it will be surprising if the company allows the remaining cases to go before a judge.
Defective Design Cases Were on the Rise as Well
In 2022, there were an awful lot of defective design cases filed against a variety of manufacturers. One of the more common issues involved pressure cookers. For the longest time, people had stopped using pressure cookers. One of the major reasons for this is that it was very easy to get burned while using this appliance.
However, over the last couple of years, new pressure cookers were introduced to the market. What our Macon injury lawyers have found is that these new pressure cookers are just as dangerous as the old ones. Many people have burned themselves or even lost a hand or arm as a result of dangerous pressure cookers.
Some of the other products that were the subject of product liability cases in Georgia this past year included lawnmowers, snowblowers, and other outdoor power tools. These products are dangerous no matter how careful a person is when they use them. However, there have been several brands that proved especially dangerous.
When the companies who manufacture these items make a mistake during production, consumers get hurt. It’s obvious how easy it would be for someone to cut themselves while using a hedge trimmer or weed whacker. If these tools don’t have the necessary protective guards and automatic shutoff mechanisms, they are liable to maim or even kill a consumer.
Our Product Liability Lawyers in Macon Handle All Types of Cases
There are three main types of product liability cases: defective design issues, manufacturing defects, and failure to warn cases. Defective design cases involve products that are inherently dangerous. It wouldn’t matter how perfectly they were made because they are, by their very nature, dangerous for consumers. A defective design case could involve a lawn mower, snowblower, or pressure cooker.
The second type of product liability case involves a product that, had it been made safely, would have been fine. However, due to some manufacturing issues, the product was marketed with defects. Sometimes these defects are obvious. Other times, the defects are hidden. For example, several people were killed last year after using a pool heater. The heater was emitting toxic and deadly carbon monoxide and nobody knew it.
The final type of product liability case is a failure to warn case. Some of the simplest examples of this type of case involve children’s toys.
If a toy is dangerous or unsafe for kids under a certain age, the manufacturer is required to put a warning on the box. For example, you may find that certain block companies put an age limit on their packaging. They worry that small children could choke on the small blocks and interchangeable parts.
Contact Our Office and Speak to a Macon Injury Lawyer Today
If you or your family have been injured by any dangerous product, drug, or medical device, call our office immediately. You may have a claim for damages. The only way to know for sure is to talk to one of our Macon injury lawyers one-on-one. We offer all new clients a free, initial consultation. This is why we recommend that you call as soon as possible and set up a date and time to come into the office.
