No one expects to be harmed by a product they spent good money on. It’s widely assumed that the products you buy in stores are completely safe and have gone through a rigorous testing phase to discover all possible dangers to the consumer. Sadly, this is not always the case. Products can and do harm people, and some of that harm is the result of negligence on the part of the manufacturer. If a product ever harms you or a loved one, here’s what you should do.
Get Medical Attention
The first thing you should always do after a product harms you is to get medical attention. Above all else, your life and health should be most important to you. Call for an ambulance if needed. Whatever the case, make sure you see a doctor and receive treatment for your injuries. You may not know the extent of an injury right away. Internal injuries, for example, can be hard to detect and may not fully manifest right away. Getting medical help in that case can save your life.
Produce Records of Your Injuries
After receiving an injury from a product, you should make sure you have a record of that physical harm. This should include medical records from your doctor, the hospital or any other medical professional or clinic that treats you. Make copies. You should also take photos and even videos to create a permanent record of the extent of your injuries.
Contact an Attorney
If you were harmed by a product that should have been safe for you to use, you may have a case to make in a personal injury lawsuit. Contact a personal injury lawyer right away. The faster you move on your case, the more likely you are to be successful in court. You could end up receiving a settlement or judgment for a substantial amount of money. However, that won’t happen without an attorney with experience in the relevant field of law.
Preserve the Dangerous Product
Don’t throw the product away after it harmed you. It’s important evidence and crucial to proving your injury occurred the way you said it did in court. Work with your attorney to preserve the product in a way that it won’t present harm to anyone else that comes into contact with it.
We trust companies to create safe products. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. If you believe a product has caused you significant injury, contact a personal injury attorney. You may have grounds to file a lawsuit.
Author information: Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University and now writes articles about health, business, family, and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
