When we purchase products, we don’t expect to get harmed when we use them, but this isn’t always the case when products don’t work as advertised. If you are harmed by a defective product, you may suffer injuries such as burns, cuts, rashes, illness, and more. To find out if you are owed compensation for your personal injury, you should speak to an attorney who can review your case. If the product is defective, the manufacturer or distributor can be held responsible for your injuries. This is what you should do if you’ve been injured due to a defective product.

Get Medical Attention

You should get medical care as soon as possible after you’ve been injured. If you delay healthcare treatment, not only may injuries worsen, but it will be harder to prove that the defective product caused your wounds. The medical records are useful for supporting your settlement claim for your personal injury. Also, the other party could argue that you postponed seeing a doctor because your injuries weren’t that severe. Another benefit includes knowing the full extent of your injuries. This way, you can accurately claim the total amount of damages you deserve. 

Document And Preserve The Evidence

Another way to build your case is to preserve the evidence by keeping the defective product. Physical evidence helps show what the defect was and how it caused your injury. You should also take pictures of the item from all angles to show the state it was in after you were injured. If the item caused property damage to your home in any way, take pictures of any damaged items as well. Make sure that you take pictures of your injuries to show their severity.  

Keep Receipts

You should also keep documents associated with the product, such as receipts and warranty information. Even though you may have the record of your purchase on your debit or credit card, your receipts are undeniable proof that you purchased the object. 

Get Legal Advice

Your next step will be to consult with a personal injury attorney who can help you learn how to move forward. They will review your case and investigate your accident to find out whether or not you are eligible for compensation. Lawyers can find out which party is responsible for the product defect that caused your injuries and hold them accountable. Every product liability case is different, and based upon the type of defective product that you have and the injuries you sustained, your settlement can vary vastly from other personal injury cases. Your attorney will teach you about your case, how you should proceed, how to respond to unfair settlement offers by the other party, and let you know what type of damages you may be owed based upon the circumstances of your accident. 

Calculate Damages

After you receive some direction on who is at fault, your attorney will accurately calculate all of your damages for you. Your settlement can include economic and non-economic damages, such as property damage, medical bills, income loss, and pain and suffering. If there was a wrongful death, this may be estimated differently from non-fatal personal injuries and can include additional economic damages such as funeral bills and other expenses. 

With the help of a personal injury lawyer, you can receive advice on what to do if you are asked to settle for less than you deserve. To avoid receiving a settlement that is far less than you deserve, you should always ask your lawyer for guidance before accepting a settlement offer. 

What Are My Next Steps After Experiencing A Defective Product?

After you’ve received legal advice, you should be patient. The settlement negotiation process can take a long time, especially if a big corporation is involved. They might be reluctant to settle because a defective product could hurt their reputation. However, you can trust that personal injury attorneys will do their best to help you obtain fair compensation. If the other party continues to deny you compensation, your attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf and represent you in court. Call a personal injury lawyer today to get started on your case to find out if you are eligible for settlement compensation.