A defective product can cause serious injuries even when you use it as intended. A Seattle product defect attorney at Stritmatter Law can investigate what went wrong, identify the companies responsible, and pursue compensation for the harm you suffered. We represent people injured by dangerous vehicles and components, power tools, appliances, batteries, machinery, medical devices, and other consumer products. Early investigation can help determine why the product failed, preserve important evidence, and identify the companies that may be responsible.
Why Injured Consumers Turn to Stritmatter Law
Stritmatter Law has represented injured people since 1945. We have taken on major manufacturers and other powerful companies in cases involving serious injuries, wrongful death, and unsafe products.
Clients choose our firm because of our:
- Trial-first approach. We build cases as though a jury will decide them and are prepared to go to trial when necessary.
- Major product liability results. Our product liability work includes the $123 million Ride the Ducks/Aurora Bridge verdict and a $67.5 million class action settlement against Behr Process Corporation involving defective wood sealant.
- History of significant recoveries. Stritmatter Law has secured more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for injured clients.
- Statewide representation. With offices in Seattle, Hoquiam, and Spokane, we represent people throughout Washington.
Past results do not guarantee the outcome of any individual case.
What Makes a Product Defective Under Washington Law?
The Washington Product Liability Act governs these claims. A manufacturer may be held liable when a product is not reasonably safe because of its design, manufacture, or warnings.
Common claims involve:
- Design defects: The danger comes from the way the product was designed.
- Manufacturing defects: A production or assembly error caused the product to depart from its intended design.
- Inadequate warnings or instructions: The manufacturer failed to provide adequate information about a product’s risks or safe use.
A claim may also arise when a product does not conform to an express warranty made by the manufacturer.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective Product?
Manufacturers are often the primary defendants, but other businesses may also be responsible. Component manufacturers and companies that brand a product as their own can face liability.
Retailers and other sellers may be liable in more limited circumstances, including when their own negligence or warranty contributed to the harm or statutory exceptions apply. We investigate how the product reached you to determine which companies may bear responsibility.
How Long Do You Have to File a Product Liability Claim in Washington?
Washington product liability claims generally must be filed within three years from when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the harm and its cause.
Washington also has a “useful safe life” rule. If an injury occurs more than 12 years after the product was first delivered, the law generally creates a rebuttable presumption that its useful safe life had expired. Evidence may overcome that presumption depending on the circumstances.
Because the discovery date and age of the product can affect your rights, having the timeline reviewed early can help avoid a filing problem.
Do You Need a Recall to File a Product Liability Claim?
No. A product does not need to be recalled before you can bring a claim. A recall may provide useful evidence, but the central question is whether the product was defective and caused your injury. Some dangerous products are never formally recalled.
What Should You Do After a Defective Product Injury?
Evidence can disappear quickly after a product-related injury. Steps that can help protect a potential claim include:
- Get appropriate medical treatment and keep records related to your injuries.
- Preserve the product and related materials, including packaging, instructions, and receipts. Do not repair, alter, discard, or return the product because its condition may be important evidence.
- Take photographs of the product, the area where the incident occurred, and any visible injuries.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to the manufacturer or its insurer before getting legal advice.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a Product Defect Case?
A product liability claim may seek compensation for medical expenses, future care, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, disability, and other losses caused by the injury.
If a defective product causes a death, eligible family members or the estate may also have grounds to bring a wrongful death claim.
Talk With a Seattle Product Defect Attorney
You should be able to trust that a product will work safely when used as intended. When it does not, Stritmatter Law can investigate what went wrong and pursue accountability from the companies responsible.
Contact Stritmatter Law for a free consultation about a defective product injury in Seattle or elsewhere in Washington. We can review what happened and explain your options for pursuing compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Product Defect Claims
Can I bring a claim if I bought the product secondhand?
Potentially. You do not necessarily need to be the original purchaser. The product’s age, condition, prior use, and any modifications can affect the case.
What if I was partly responsible for the injury?
Washington follows comparative fault rules. If you are partly responsible, your compensation may be reduced according to your percentage of fault rather than automatically barring your claim.
Can I file a product liability claim if I was using the product at work?
If a defective product injured you on the job, you may have a product liability claim against a manufacturer or other responsible third party in addition to any workers’ compensation benefits available to you. The claims involve different legal issues and sources of compensation.