When you’ve been injured after the use of a defective product, you may be eligible for compensation from some involved parties to cover your damages and injuries. However, that doesn’t mean you can sue all parties involved in the chain of distribution and manufacturing process.
According to California law, certain parties are not susceptible to strict product liability. Our California defective product lawyer at Licata & Yeremenko, A Professional Law Corporation explains who these parties are and why they aren’t considered liable for injuries caused by dangerous and defective products.
Non-Defective Components Manufacturers
You cannot sue manufacturers of non-defective component parts because they were not negligent. They supplied the manufacturer with properly made parts, so any manufacturing defects, failure to warn, or defective design of the finished product is not their fault. However, you may have a legitimate case against the main manufacturer if they failed to deliver a safe product.
Component Parts Installers
The people who installed defective component parts are not liable for your injuries if they were not involved with testing or manufacturing those parts. As long as they had no prior knowledge that the parts were unsafe or defective and performed their duties according to standards and regulations, they are in the clear.
Banks and Lenders
The bank or lender that handled your financial transaction for a defective product cannot be held responsible for any injuries that are caused by that product. It was not their obligation to check the product for safety or ensure you were safe while using it.
Sellers of Used Goods
One-time sellers of used products and dealers of used goods are nearly impossible to subject to a strict liability standard under California law. If you believe your situation was expressly caused by a used product seller, talk to your California defective product attorney to see if it’s worth pursuing.
Auctioneers
When purchasing a product at an auction, the auctioneer is not liable if that product is defective. They’re simply the middleman who accepts your bid. They’re not responsible for your injuries.
Successor Corporations Which Purchase Goods and Assets
When your injuries are caused by a defective product that entered the market before a new corporation took over, the successor corporation is not subject to product liability. The responsible party is still the original company.
Pharmacies and Professional Service Sellers
Pharmacies in California aren’t typically liable for defective medical products or drugs because they were manufactured by another company. The pharmacy only provides a service to the customer. Other professional service businesses like hair salons are also normally not responsible for injuries caused by defective products during styling, though there are always exceptions to the general rule depending on your specific situation.
Commercial and Residential Landlords
Unless your landlord installed or manufactured a product that injured you, they are not responsible for those injuries just because it happened in their apartment building. For example, you could sue the landlord if they installed an oven improperly which caused the injury through a kitchen fire. However, if the oven was installed by the business that sold it to you, your landlord is not liable.
If you want to recover damages after being injured by a defective product, the first step is to contact a California defective product attorney at Licata & Yeremenko, A Professional Law Corporation. We’ll help you determine who’s at fault and fight to get you the compensation you need to cover your medical bills and move forward. Call us today at 818-783-5757 for a free consultation.