Consumers have the right to expect that the products they use – from household appliances and vehicles to pharmaceuticals and children’s toys – are reasonably safe and won’t cause harm when used as intended. Product liability law is the area that lets injured consumers seek compensation when defective or dangerous products cause injury.
Arizona, like most states, follows strict product liability principles: a manufacturer or seller can be held strictly liable if a product they put on the market has a defect that causes injury. This is significant because you don’t have to prove the company was negligent; you focus on the product.
There are generally three types of defects recognized:
- Design defects, where a whole line of products is unreasonably dangerous by design (for example, a car model prone to fuel tank explosions because of placement).
- Manufacturing defects, where something went wrong in the manufacturing process making an individual item dangerous (for example, a crack in a ladder rung due to poor materials).
- Marketing defects (failure to warn), where the product is sold without adequate warnings or instructions about non-obvious dangers (for example, a medication without proper side effect warnings).
If any of these defects cause injury, the law allows you to hold the company liable for your damages. Arizona’s product liability laws allow claims based on strict liability or negligence, and also adhere to a two-year statute of limitations for filing suit in most cases (from the date of injury, or when you discovered the injury was caused by the product). One thing to note is Arizona is a pure comparative fault state, so if, say, a plaintiff misused the product in a not reasonably foreseeable way, a jury might reduce the award. But often, misuse that is foreseeable (like a user removing a safety guard because many users do) can itself be part of the design defect argument.
Product cases can be complex and often require expert testimony to explain what went wrong with the product. They also frequently involve going up against large corporations and their legal teams, which is why having a tenacious law firm is crucial.
Bellah Law is well-equipped to take on the toughest product liability cases and big manufacturers to get justice for our clients. Our trial-ready attorneys approach each defective product case with a combination of legal skill, technical understanding, and relentless determination. We collaborate with top-notch experts – engineers, safety experts, medical experts – to identify the product’s defect and prove how that defect directly led to your injury.
Over the years, we’ve handled cases involving automotive defects (like faulty airbags or tire blowouts), dangerous pharmaceuticals, defective medical devices, and unsafe consumer electronics, to name a few. We know the common tactics of defense: companies might claim there was no defect, or that you altered the product, or that it was used incorrectly. Rest assured, we will amass the evidence to counter these claims – whether it’s internal documents from the company showing prior problems, recall notices, or scientific tests on the product.
Our client-first philosophy means you’re not just a case number to us; you’re a person who was hurt by something that should have been safe. We take the time to understand how this injury has affected your life – physically, emotionally, and financially – so we can convey that impact compellingly in settlement talks or at trial. Throughout the case, expect open and honest communication from our team. Product liability lawsuits can take time, but we keep you informed at each stage and are always available to answer questions. Our bilingual staff ensures that if Spanish is your preferred language, you can discuss every detail of your case comfortably.
Bellah Law’s attorneys are not afraid to go to toe-to-toe with corporate lawyers in court; in fact, we thrive on holding negligent companies accountable because it not only helps our client but often leads to safer products in the market. If you or a loved one have been injured by a defective product, know that you have a powerful ally in Bellah Law – we’ll fight for the compensation you deserve and the accountability the public needs.