One of the less well-known but very important aspects of personal injury law deals with product liability claims. Product liability claims refer to instances in which a consumer was injured by a defective or dangerous product, especially in instances in which the danger or defect is caused by negligence on the part of the manufacturer, designer or distributor. However, even if you are injured by a defective product, you will need to act relatively quickly if you hope to be compensated.
New York law is very clear about dangerous products in that it prohibits producers from even putting such products on the market. Unfortunately, the defects are not always known until it is too late, so many New Yorkers may still find themselves injured by a defective product. In this instance, the statute of limitations for filing a claim becomes very important, because it can be very difficult to bring a lawsuit against a manufacturer once the statute of limitations has expired.
In New York, the statute of limitations for any kind of personal injury in three years. The statute of limitations usually begins to count down as soon as the victim realizes that they have been injured by the product, but there are exceptions depending on the circumstances.
If you believe that you have been injured by a defective product in New York, it is highly recommended that you meet with an attorney as soon as possible. Even if the injury does not seem that bad, it could lead to complications later on that may require expensive medical assistance, and the compensation recovered from a claim could be the difference between a simple recovery and possible financial ruin. It is extremely important to take action before the statute of limitations expires.