A retired Navy MP purchased a ladder online. His intent was to install it in his home. When using the ladder, it failed and the man fell onto a concrete floor. This products liability case was resolved and settled very quickly.
Injuries
The man (plaintiff) suffered several injuries as a result of the fall:
- Fractures of multiple ribs
- Fractures of multiple vertebrae
- Nerve damage to a lower extremity
- Broken hip
The plaintiff had pre-existing conditions of the leg and back. Tests results from before and after the fall showed that the numbness and dysfunction in the patient’s leg was worse. After the fall, a surgical procedure was required to address harm to the man’s sciatic nerve.
Inspection of the Ladder
After the event, the manufacturer and the installer were notified of the accident. A site inspection was conducted. The expert hired by the plaintiff’s counsel confirmed that the ladder was designed defectively and made (defectively) of chipboard. It was, thus, a products liability case.
Due to the manufacturing defect, the ladder could not have held the amount of weight that was claimed to be rated. It was also determined that the ladder likely violated the industry standards for testing and performance.
Resolution of the Case
The facts of the products liability case were presented to the manufacturer’s attorney prior to filing suit. The amount of insurance available was limited to $1,000,000. In an effort to resolve the case immediately, the amount of the settlement was reduced to $925,000. The amount of the deduction was probably less than the costs of litigation would have been. By the time of this settlement, the manufacturer and the seller of the ladder had gone out of business.
This kind of resolution of a personal injury case demonstrates how even complex litigation can be resolved efficiently and effectively when the attorneys work together to find a solution. Not only did this case not reach the courts, it was resolved without arbitration or mediation.
If you or a loved one is injured due to defective products, and through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to seek a financial settlement for product liability damages. Call Altizer Law, P. C., to discuss your incident and to assess your hurts and harms. If you have a claim, Bettina Altizer and her experienced team of specialists will go to work building your case and either negotiating or litigating an appropriate defective products financial settlement.
