When we go to our favorite grocery, drug, or department store, we trust that the foods, products, devices, and drugs available for sale will be safe and not harm us or our loved ones. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) helps ensure this is true by requiring all food and drug manufacturers to thoroughly test products before making them available to the public. For the most part, the FDA does a decent job of protecting us, but sometimes, unsafe products slip through the cracks.
Sometimes, unfortunately, these slips happen due to corporate greed. Drug and product manufacturers tend to prioritize their profit margins as much as possible, so there are occasional cases where clinical trial data is misinterpreted or wrongfully interpreted. There are also cases where products don’t receive the right type of testing or are placed on the shelves before adequate testing can be completed.
These cases all share one common point, and that’s the fact that someone—whether it be the product’s manufacturer, assembler, advertiser, or retailer—is liable and responsible for any injuries or serious negative side effects that occur. In the legal world, we refer to cases like these as product liability cases. If you or someone you love was injured or has suffered as a result of using or consuming a drug, food, or product that was advertised as being safe, legal action can and should be taken.
Holding Major Corporations Accountable
If you watch cable television, you’re aware that when new drugs are released, there are always multitudes of side effects to every new drug. Sometimes these side effects are minor inconveniences. Other times, they can cause long-lasting, serious complications or even death. These side effects are made obvious in commercials due to the fact that pharmaceutical companies are often under heavy scrutiny by both the FDA and legal professionals who keep an eye out for dangerous drugs.
Major pharmaceutical companies are notorious for downplaying the serious side effects of a drug in order to place it on the market. These corporations hold a great deal of power and have teams of lawyers who try and do whatever they can to continually rake in profit—even sometimes at the expense of the health and safety of the American population.
One such example is the corporation called Ethicon who is currently under heavy legal scrutiny due to its Physiomesh hernia mesh patches that have been known to cause patients to have painful adhesions after surgery. One of the few ways to fight back against these corporations is with expert legal help. Mass torts lawsuits pair together multiple individual claims to send a powerful message that simply cannot be ignored.
The same can be said for major product manufacturers who place defective toys, tools, healthcare products, electronic devices, or other goods on the market. When products are defective and have a chance to harm consumers, the manufacturer has a duty to pull those products off the shelves and issue a recall. Oftentimes, however, these recalls come too late or not at all.
Just For Men Hair Dye Lawsuits
One recent example of a product liability case making public news headlines is related to Just For Men hair dye. There have been multiple reports of users experiencing serious chemical burns and other painful allergic reactions after using the product. Reports of these burns went largely unnoticed by Combe Incorporated, the manufacturer of Just For Men hair products, who claimed that the company couldn’t be held responsible for the fact that “body chemistry can change at any one given time”. The dye is still available for sale nationwide despite articles in major news publications.
Tide Laundry Detergent Pod Lawsuits
Laundry detergent packet or “pod” lawsuits are another type of product liability claim making headlines in Wisconsin. These small packets of highly-concentrated laundry detergent are extremely convenient, but due to their small size and their aesthetic appearance of being bright and colorful, they often resemble candies to small children.
Thousands of children every year are harmed or even die after ingesting the liquid inside these laundry pods. P&G, the manufacturer of Tide laundry pods, and other manufacturers need to change the packets so they are designed differently and do not appeal to kids. Multiple lawsuits are currently ongoing.
In cases like the above, one of the only options we have as a nation largely comprised of consumers is to take legal action and send a message that’s impossible to ignore. That message implies that product, food, and drug manufacturers need to prioritize the health and safety of those who use their products. Anything else isn’t acceptable. When we file personal injury lawsuits against the corporations who create these products, that message comes through loud and clear.
Get Help from a Milwaukee Product Liability Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love has been injured or harmed by a product that’s still on the market today—whether it be a type of food, drink, drug, healthcare product, medical device, vehicle, electronic device, toy, or anything else that isn’t listed, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Urban & Taylor, S.C. today. Our practice is dedicated to helping Wisconsin residents who need assistance in recovering from accidents and incidents they were an unfortunate victim of.
Product liability lawsuits can be incredibly difficult to fight in court, but our firm is up to the task and ready to do whatever we can to help. By connecting with a Milwaukee, WI product liability lawyer from our office, you can get the financial help your family needs to get back to the business of living a healthy, happy life. In doing so, we can also succeed in sending a message to product manufacturers they can’t ignore. Our nation’s safety must come first.
