I came to a complete stop because of construction and an 18-wheeler on the highway couldn't stop and he rear ended me. If I knew someone who was injured in an 18-wheeler accident, I would tell you to definitely get a lawyer, preferably Mike Grossman and he'll take care of everything. My health was the number one issue in the whole process and he took care of everything for me.
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D. Woodard
Commercial Vehicle Accident Case
Fatal Seat-Belt Malfunctions
Attorney Michael Grossman Discusses Your Legal Options After Losing a Family Member due to a Defective Seat Belt
If you had a loved one killed due to a faulty seat belt, then you may have the right to seek compensation through a product liability lawsuit.
However, it is very difficult to seek compensation from a large and wealthy car manufacturer unless you have the assistance of skilled and seasoned product liability lawyer. You will be taking on experienced defense attorneys who do nothing but deflect blame from their employers for a living. To win, you simply must fight fire with fire.
At Grossman Law Offices, our attorneys have 20 years of experience dealing with product liability issues, and we’ve enabled hundreds of grieving families to obtain many millions of dollars after they were unjustly robbed of their loved ones.
When it comes to any product, manufacturers are required by federal law to make their goods safe for use by the public. Thus, manufacturers have the duty to provide safe products. When this duty is neglected, resulting in harm to an individual, then that individual has the right to seek compensation through a product liability lawsuit. In other words, if a seat belt malfunctions, causing the death of the person who was relying upon it, then that person’s loved ones can file a product liability lawsuit.
Generally speaking, product liability lawsuits can be divided into two separate but distinct categories:
- Negligence
- Strict liability
Negligence Product Liability Claims
Within negligence product liability claims, there are two more subcategories: negligent design and negligent manufacturing. When the maker of the seat belt failed to properly take into account the safety needs of the seat belt when planning its production or just designed a poor product, then that is negligent design, making the manufacturer liable for any injuries or fatalities that happen as a result. Furthermore, if the manufacturer cuts corners to save money and uses unsafe materials or just doesn’t assemble the seat belt adequately, then that is negligent manufacture, for which the manufacturer can also be held liable. In addition, if the product is dangerous for any reason, which would be fairly rare among products like seat belts that are designed to protect, then the manufacturer must warn the consumer.
Strict Liability Claims
When a product is dangerous by its very nature, leading to deaths, then this is strict liability, for which the manufacturer or designer is also liable. For instance, air bags used in the passenger seat can kill small children, so if the manufacturer does not adequately warn the consumer of this danger, then the car maker could be held accountable.
What Damages Can You Purse in a Wrongful Death Product Liability Lawsuit?
Over the years, our lawyers at Grossman Law Offices have dealt with many wrongful death lawsuits. We know that you’re in severe grief, and that is doesn’t even seem right to be thinking about money and a lawsuit when your loved one is gone forever. We can’t bring your family member back to life, and we can’t take away the immense pain you’re feeling. However, we also know that it’s often impossible to begin recovering mentally from such a trauma while your family is still reeling economically. You’ve got huge medical and funeral bills to be pay, and that can be impossible to do if the deceased was the head of your household and its main wage earner. You do have options.
In both Texas and Arkansas, family members have the right to seek both wrongful death and survival damages after losing a loved one. However, in Arkansas, the family must name a personal representative of the estate to even begin these legal proceedings. Wrongful death damages are intended to allow spouses, children, and parents of the deceased to seek alleviation from their financial and emotional woes resulting from their loved one’s untimely death. Examples of wrongful death damages compensation are:
- Lost financial support the victim used to provide the family.
- Funeral expenses.
- Mental and emotional distress for the loved ones.
- Lost familial love and companionship.
Survival damages, conversely, may only be sought by the closest living relative of the deceased, who has the opportunity through these damages of pursuing the damages the victim should be due for his or her own economic losses and suffering. Examples of survival damages are:
- Property damage.
- Medical bills.
- Pain and suffering of the victim.
- Mental and emotional distress for the victim.
Proving these damages to the court isn’t always as easy as showing up with a medical bill. In order to come up with an accurate estimate of the financial value of mental and emotional distress, you need experience with similar cases. A non-lawyer risks short-changing him or herself and minimizing the ability to secure just compensation.
Grossman Law Offices is Here to Help You
At Grossman Law Offices, we’ve spent two decades handling product liability and other wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits. Thus, we know how to get you what you deserve after losing a loved one as a result a defective seat belt. We’ve spent many years investigating accident scenes, so we know how to find the proof to establish a malfunctioning seat belt caused your loved one’s death. Moreover, we have developed working relationships with accident scene re-creationists and other experts who can analyze the evidence we find and use it to convince a jury of your right to compensation. As we’ve told you, we’ve delivered many millions of dollars to our clients in the past, and we’ve done that by defeating big manufacturers, their defense lawyers, and their insurance agents over and over again. As a result, big business often offers our clients fair settlement packages rather than take on the prospect beating our firm in court. This enables our clients to get back to rebuilding their lives without their loved ones as soon as they can.
If you’d like to find out more about what we can do for you or just discuss the details of your case, then call us now for a free consultation at 1-855-589-5645 (toll free). We’re happy to answer your questions and explain your options because we want to do whatever we can to help your family recover.
(policy limits) Recovery for wrongful death/ nursing home negligence which resulted in bed sores which became infected.
$100,000.00
$33,133.00
$400.00
Recovery for family of victim who died after receiving the wrong medication.
$625,000.00
$206,250.00
$5,000.00
Recovery for the father of a young man who was killed in a car accident.
$95,035.00
$31,678.00
$25.00
A young woman suffered a back injury that required corrective surgery following a boating accident. The boat in question sped out of control and crashed into a landmass, throwing our client from the boat, as the result of a stuck throttle. Upon inspection of the boat, it was determined that a poor design led to the malfunction and a product liability lawsuit was brought against the manufacturer. The defendants argued that the boat was inappropriately piloted, however, the physical evidence depicted the cause of the accident quite clearly and the case was successfully resolved.
$350,000.00
$100,000.00
$100.00
Our attorneys were hired to represent the family of a middle aged woman who was killed in a car accident. The incident occurred as another vehicle struck the car that the decedent was a passenger in, head-on on the passenger side. The impact resulted in catastrophic injuries which claimed the life of the decedent.
Our attorneys were hired soon after the accident and we launched a full investigation. Through the course of our investigation, it was soon determined that the head-on collision was caused a failed component in the defendant's vehicle (the particulars of which cannot be elaborated upon per the resolution agreement). Suit was filed against the manufacturer of said component and litigation commenced. The case was successfully resolved through litigation.
$3,200,000.00
$1,280,000.00
$50,000.00
A young handicapped woman lost her life when a long-term care facility failed to provide her with treatment for obvious symptoms of severe illness. The defendants maintained that there were no outwardly visible signs of illness. The medical evidence showed otherwise. The case was successfully resolved through litigation, though damages caps imposed by tort reform were a factor.
$400,000.00
$132,000.00
$25,000.00
Major freight train company sued as the result of an incident which claimed the life of an employee. Our attorneys settled the case outside of court for a confidential amount.
Confidential
Confidential
Confidential
Facility sued for negligent contribution to the death of an innocent bystander. A fatal shooting occurred on the property after the facility failed to appropriately respond to outbursts of violence & gang activity. Following the young man's death, his parents hired our firm to pursue the facility for their negligent actions including failure to provide adequate security. The case was successfully resolved through litigation.
Confidential
Confidential
Confidential
(policy limits) Recovery of a disputed life insurance policy for the family of a contractor who died on the job.
$150,000.00
$50,000.00
$341.00
Recovered for client who suffered minor burns due to an electrical transformer malfunction.
$70,000.00
$28,000.00
$313.00