Product identification
Manufacturer, model, serial information, date of purchase, seller, packaging, instructions, and other identifying evidence may be important.
Defective Product Injury Attorney
When a product causes a serious injury, preserving the product itself can become one of the most important steps in the investigation.
Product-related injuries can involve machinery, consumer goods, vehicle components, tools, equipment, medical products, household items, and other products. The investigation may examine the product’s design, manufacture, warnings, condition, history, use, and the circumstances of the failure.
Product preservationThe actual product and its components may contain evidence that photographs or descriptions cannot reproduce.
Failure investigationThe condition, design, components, warnings, maintenance, modifications, and circumstances of use may require examination.
Documentary evidenceInstructions, packaging, receipts, model information, communications, service records, and other documents may help identify the product and its history.
Injury evidenceMedical records should connect the incident to the injuries, treatment, restrictions, and resulting losses.
At a Glance
A product injury investigation should begin by preserving the product in its post-incident condition whenever possible.
Repairing, discarding, returning, dismantling, or altering a product can affect evidence. The investigation may require photographs, serial or model information, packaging, instructions, purchase records, maintenance history, related components, and examination of the physical product.
The practical question
What product was involved, what happened during the incident, what condition was the product in, and what evidence can explain why the failure or hazard occurred?
What Can Shape the Case
Six issues that can shape a defective product injury claim.
Physical condition
Damage, failed components, wear, assembly, modifications, repairs, and post-incident condition may require careful documentation.
Design and manufacture
The investigation may examine how the product was designed and produced in relation to the alleged hazard or failure.
Warnings and instructions
Labels, manuals, warnings, instructions, packaging, and representations may become relevant depending on the claim.
Product history
Maintenance, service, prior incidents, recalls, modifications, ownership, and usage history may require investigation.
Medical consequences
The claim should document the injuries, treatment, functional limitations, work effects, and supported future consequences caused by the event.
The Questions That Matter
The physical product can be central evidence, so its condition should be preserved before destructive changes occur.
Product cases can involve technical investigation and multiple entities in the manufacturing and distribution chain. Evidence preservation should account for both the product and its history.
Where is the product now?
Determine who possesses the product and take appropriate steps to preserve it and relevant components in their post-incident condition.
How is the product identified?
Record manufacturer, model, serial number, labels, packaging, purchase information, and other identifying details.
What happened immediately before the injury?
Document use, conditions, sounds, movement, failure sequence, witnesses, photographs, video, and other circumstances.
Was the product altered or serviced?
Preserve information concerning maintenance, repairs, modifications, replacement parts, prior problems, and service history.
What to Do Now
Do not discard, return, repair, or unnecessarily alter a product that may be important evidence.
Preserve the product
Maintain the product and relevant components in their post-incident condition whenever reasonably possible.
Keep related materials
Preserve packaging, instructions, manuals, receipts, photographs, labels, model information, service records, and communications.
Document the incident
Keep photographs, video, witness information, scene evidence, and a factual account of what occurred.
Maintain medical evidence
Preserve emergency, specialist, surgical, rehabilitation, restriction, and other injury-related records.
Our Process
A product injury claim requires preservation of physical evidence before the technical investigation can be fully developed.
Secure the evidence
Preserve the product, components, packaging, instructions, photographs, records, and other relevant materials.
Investigate the product
Examine identification, condition, history, design, manufacture, warnings, maintenance, modifications, and failure circumstances as appropriate.
Develop the injury record
Organize medical treatment, restrictions, rehabilitation, work effects, prognosis, and supported future consequences.
Pursue responsible parties
Develop appropriate claims against legally responsible entities based on the evidence and applicable law.
Strategy
The actual product may contain evidence that disappears if it is repaired, discarded, or returned.
A broken component, wear pattern, assembly condition, label, modification, or other physical feature may help explain what occurred.
Preserving the product before changes are made can therefore be critical to a later technical investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Defective product injury questions.
Should I keep a product that injured me?
If it can be preserved safely, the product and relevant components may be important evidence. Avoid unnecessary alteration, repair, disposal, or return before obtaining appropriate guidance.
What information should I keep with the product?
Packaging, manuals, instructions, warnings, receipts, model and serial information, photographs, service records, replacement parts, and related communications may be useful.
Can a product case involve more than the manufacturer?
Depending on the facts and applicable law, the investigation may examine multiple entities connected to the product’s manufacture, distribution, sale, service, or other relevant activity.
Why does the condition of the product matter?
Physical examination may reveal information about components, wear, failure, assembly, modifications, damage, labels, or other characteristics relevant to the incident.
What if the product has already been taken by someone else?
Document who has possession of it and any known changes to its condition. Appropriate preservation steps depend on the circumstances.
Defective Product Injury Consultation
Preserve the product before critical physical evidence is changed or lost.
The Piri Law Firm can preserve product evidence, investigate the incident and involved entities, develop the medical record, and pursue appropriate claims arising from a serious product-related injury.
Call833-FOR-PIRI
LanguagesEnglish · Español · Français
ServiceDefective Product Injury Claims
Request a Consultation
Every injury claim depends on its individual facts, evidence, applicable law, available insurance or other sources of recovery, and legally recoverable damages. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.