What is a product liability claim?

A product liability claim is a legal claim made against a manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or supplier of a product for damages caused by a defective product. In the state of Washington, product liability claims are governed by a law known as the Washington Products Liability Act (WPLA). Under the WPLA, a person may make a product liability claim if they have been injured as a result of a product that is defectively designed, manufactured or labeled, or if they have been injured by a product that did not provide proper warnings or instructions on how to use it safely. In Washington, a person must prove that the product in question was defective, which means that the product caused their injury due to the design, manufacture, or lack of instructions. The person making the claim must also prove that the product was used in a way that was intended by the manufacturer, otherwise known as the “foreseeable use” of the product. They must also show that they suffered damages as a result of their injury. If successful in a product liability claim, the claimant is entitled to recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among other types of compensation. Product liability claims can be difficult to win, however, as the person making the claim must prove that the product was defective in some way and that is what caused the injury.

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What is a product liability claim?

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