How a Carmel Product Liability Lawyer Can Help You Understand If You Have a Valid Case

Product liability claims require proving two key elements: that the product was unreasonably dangerous and that the injury occurred during normal use. At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, our personal injury attorneys begin by identifying the root of the defect – whether it’s a design flaw, manufacturing error, or failure to warn.

We’ll also determine whether your case falls under Indiana’s doctrine of strict liability, where proving negligence isn’t necessary if the product itself posed an unreasonable risk. For example, if an appliance exploded during normal use or if a medication lacked adequate side effect warnings, that may be grounds for a strict liability case.

Our attorneys will help evaluate whether your situation qualifies for legal action in a free initial consultation. We’ll consider:

  • Direct causation: The defective product must be the direct cause of your injury or damages.
  • Proper product use: You must have been using the product as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable way.
  • Product identification: The specific product that caused your injury must be clearly identifiable.
  • Documented injuries: Your injuries must be verifiable through medical records and other documentation.
  • Timely filing: Your claim must be filed within Indiana’s statute of limitations for product liability cases.

If your case meets these criteria, we can help you build a strong claim for compensation. We’ll gather the necessary evidence and documentation to support each element of your case.

Common Defective Products That Lead to Injury

From defective car parts and recalled toys to contaminated food and toxic cosmetics, dangerous products are hiding in plain sight. Some of the most common consumer goods that cause injury include:

  • Automotive parts: Faulty brakes, exploding airbags, or defective seatbelt latches causing car accidents.
  • Pharmaceuticals and medical devices: Improper labeling, unsafe drug interactions, or implants that degrade over time.
  • Electronics and household appliances: Battery malfunctions, fire hazards, or inadequate insulation.
  • Children’s products: Toys with choking hazards, cribs with structural defects, or products with lead-based paint.

Our job as your lawyers is to be proactive: identifying similar incidents of people injured by consumer products, obtaining internal testing records or recall information, and showing that the manufacturer either knew or should have known the risk.

What Compensation Can You Recover in a Product Liability Case?

If you’ve been injured by a defective product, compensation isn’t limited to your hospital bill. Indiana law allows victims to pursue a range of damages that reflect both economic and non-economic losses. Our product liability lawyers in Carmel help clients recover:

  • Medical expenses: Including emergency room visits, surgeries, rehab, future medical care, and prescription costs.
  • Lost wages and diminished earning capacity**: If your injury caused you to miss work or left you unable to return to your previous profession.
  • Pain and suffering: This includes physical pain and the emotional toll—like anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
  • Punitive damages: In rare but egregious cases, where a manufacturer knew their product was dangerous and sold it anyway, Indiana law permits juries to award additional damages as punishment.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Product Liability Claim?

Product liability cases often involve more than just the company that sold the product. At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we dig deeper to identify every party in the supply chain that may bear responsibility. This multi-party liability approach increases your chances of full compensation and helps us build leverage in negotiations.

Depending on your case, we may hold one or more of the following parties accountable:

  • The manufacturer: Whether it’s a pharmaceutical company, auto parts producer, or electronics maker, the primary manufacturer is usually the first target in these cases.
  • A component manufacturer: Sometimes the faulty part wasn’t made by the brand on the label, but by a third-party supplier.
  • The distributor or wholesaler: Entities responsible for shipping or storing the product can be liable if poor handling led to contamination or damage.
  • The retailer: While they didn’t design or make the item, stores that sell defective products without warning customers or pulling them after a recall can be partially liable under Indiana law.

Your product liability attorney will work with engineers, industry experts, and safety analysts to trace the defect’s origin and demonstrate how it violated reasonable safety standards.

What to Expect During the Legal Process

Most clients ask us two things right away: how long will my case take, and how much is it worth? The answer depends on several variables including the severity of your injuries, how many parties are involved, and whether insurers are willing to negotiate in good faith.

From the start, we walk you through each phase of the legal process, including:

  • Initial investigation: Gathering incident reports, medical records, purchase receipts, and any relevant recall notices or safety alerts.
  • Expert evaluations: Consulting with professionals who can explain why the product was unreasonably dangerous.
  • Filing the claim: Ensuring all paperwork is submitted within Indiana’s deadlines, including the two-year statute of limitations under Indiana Code § 34-20-3-1.
  • Negotiations and potential settlement: We don’t back down when facing corporate legal teams or insurers. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we prepare for trial with confidence.
  • Court proceedings: If your case goes to trial, you’ll have an experienced trial attorney from Christie Farrell Lee & Bell advocating on your behalf.

To see examples of how our trial-tested strategy has resulted in substantial verdicts and settlements, we invite you to view our case results.

Contact a Carmel Product Liability Lawyer for a Free Consultation

We’ve been fighting for the injured across Indiana for over 40 years, and our Carmel product liability attorneys have the resources and knowledge to pursue complex claims involving dangerous consumer goods, faulty medical devices, and mislabeled pharmaceuticals.

There’s no cost to speak with us. Contact our team today to schedule your free consultation and take the first step toward justice.