Each day, dozens of people around the country are injured by a defective consumer product in their home. In the event of this tragedy, what should you after such an accident occurs, both to protect your rights and to prevent such accidents from happening again?

What Should You Do If You Are Injured By A Defective Product?

You may be cleaning your house. You may be driving your car. You may simply be taking medicine prescribed to you by your doctor. Suddenly, during a regular daily activity, you or someone you or your love is injured by a defective product.

It happens every day in Pennsylvania. In fact, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues dozens of recalls each month - recalls that often only take place after a number of people are injured or killed due to the product. These products could be as simple as a children's toy, as complex as scuba diving equipment, as big as the brakes on your car, or as small as the blood pressure pill you take each morning.

Once you find that you have a defective product in your house, what do you do? Here are some simple steps that you can follow:

First and foremost, see a doctor if you need medical attention. Nothing is more important than your health, and seeing medical attention at a nearby hospital may speed your recover, prevent complications, or even save your life. Seeing a doctor will also document the severity and extent of your injury.
Save the defective product, in the most intact form possible. It may be tempting to immediately throw out a product that has hurt you or a family member, and it may seem strange to keep a fried toaster or a choking hazard in your house. However, it will be very important to have this evidence later.
Take pictures of the accident scene and of any injuries you incurred - again, the more evidence you have, the better your case will hold together. For example, if your coffee maker caught fire and caused property damage, take pictures before you begin to clean up the mess.
Save any paperwork related to the defective product, whether you can locate manuals, the box, receipts, or the cancelled check. Again, the more information you have about the product and how you bought it, the better.
If there are witnesses, make sure you have their names and contact information so that they can be interviewed at a later date if necessary.
Report the injury to the CPSC and the company in question.
Persue your case soon after the event - most states have statutes of limitations.
Contact an experienced, knowledgeable attorney who has experience with defective product cases of your nature.