When a defective product causes you injury in Fayetteville or Northwest Arkansas, the manufacturer bears responsibility. At Odom Law Firm, our product liability attorneys serve the Fayetteville community and surrounding areas, helping injured clients recover the compensation they deserve. With over 100 years of combined legal experience, our team has recovered millions for clients harmed by unsafe products. We work on a contingency basis—you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Call 479-442-7575 for your free consultation today. We’re located in Fayetteville, AR, and serve clients throughout Northwest Arkansas.
Why Choose Odom Law Firm for Your Product Liability Case?
Since 1982, Odom Law Firm has represented injured Arkansans harmed by dangerous and defective products. Located in Fayetteville, we focus exclusively on personal injury litigation and never represent manufacturers or corporations. Our deep experience allows us to build strong product liability cases and counter the tactics used by large companies and insurance carriers.
Clients rely on us for product liability cases because:
- We conduct thorough investigations and collaborate with product safety experts to prove liability and damages.
- Our team maintains a national co-counsel network to handle multi-state or complex cases involving powerful defendants.
- We represent all clients on a contingency fee basis, advancing costs and charging nothing unless we recover compensation.
- Every case receives attentive guidance, regular attorney updates, and tireless advocacy from consultation to resolution.
We are committed to helping injured consumers hold manufacturers accountable and achieve the financial recovery they deserve after a dangerous product causes harm.
What Is Product Liability?
Product liability law holds manufacturers, distributors, and sellers accountable when their products cause injury or damage. Companies have a legal duty to design, manufacture, and market products safely. When they fail to meet this duty, injured consumers can pursue legal action to recover damages.
Product liability differs from other personal injury claims because it focuses on the product itself rather than the actions of a specific person. Under Arkansas law, manufacturers can be held liable even without proving negligence—a legal standard called “strict liability.” This means if a product is defective and causes injury, the manufacturer bears responsibility regardless of how careful they were during production.
Defective products can cause serious injuries ranging from minor cuts and burns to permanent disabilities, disfigurement, and death. Our Fayetteville product liability attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these injuries create for families in our community. If you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury from a defective product, we’re here to help.
Types of defects we handle:
- Design defects (product is inherently unsafe)
- Manufacturing defects (errors during production)
- Marketing defects (failure to warn or inadequate instructions)
Types of Product Defects We Handle
Product defects fall into three primary categories. Understanding which type applies to your situation helps determine liability and strengthens your claim.
Design Defects occur when a product’s design is inherently unsafe, even when manufactured correctly. The product poses an unreasonable risk to consumers despite proper assembly. For example, a vehicle with a fuel tank positioned where it ruptures easily in rear-end collisions contains a design defect. Our Fayetteville attorneys work with engineering experts to demonstrate how a safer alternative design existed and was feasible. Design defect claims require proving that a reasonable alternative design would have prevented the injury.
Manufacturing Defects arise when a product deviates from its intended design during production. A single defective unit can cause serious injury even though the design itself is safe. Examples include a firearm with a faulty safety mechanism, a medical device with contamination, or an appliance with improper wiring. Manufacturing defects often result from inadequate quality control, worker error, or equipment failure. These cases frequently involve workplace accidents or injuries requiring workers’ compensation claims.
Marketing Defects involve failure to warn consumers about known dangers or provide adequate instructions for safe use. Manufacturers must warn about risks that aren’t obvious to consumers. A pharmaceutical product lacking warnings about serious side effects, or machinery without proper safety instructions, exemplifies marketing defects. Even products with inherent risks can be sold safely if consumers receive clear, conspicuous warnings. Failure to warn is a critical component of product liability law.
Common Defective Products We Represent Clients For
Our Fayetteville product liability attorneys have handled claims involving numerous product categories. We understand the specific dangers associated with different products and know how to build strong cases against manufacturers.
Defective vehicles and auto parts cause thousands of injuries annually. Faulty brakes, steering systems, airbags, and fuel systems create dangerous conditions. We’ve recovered substantial settlements for clients injured by vehicle defects. If you’ve been harmed in a drunk driving accident or hit-and-run incident, we can help determine if a defective vehicle component contributed to your injuries. Rideshare accidents involving defective vehicles also fall within our expertise.
Medical devices and pharmaceutical products should improve health, not cause harm. Defective pacemakers, hip implants, surgical mesh, and dangerous medications have injured countless patients. We hold manufacturers accountable for inadequate testing and failure to warn. Our medical malpractice team also handles cases where healthcare providers failed to warn about dangerous products. These cases often involve catastrophic injuries requiring extensive medical care.
Household appliances and consumer goods, including defective heaters, electrical products, furniture, and children’s items, can cause burns, electrocution, and other serious injuries. These incidents may also constitute premises liability claims if they occur on someone else’s property. Slip and fall accidents involving defective flooring or fixtures are common claims we handle.
Machinery and industrial equipment used in construction, manufacturing, and agriculture frequently cause catastrophic injuries when defectively designed or manufactured. Workplace accidents involving defective equipment may also qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Burn injuries from defective machinery are particularly serious.
Firearms and sporting equipment with safety defects have caused permanent injuries, including loss of vision and limb damage. Our firm recovered a $2.1 million settlement for a client who lost an eye due to a defective firearm. This case demonstrates our ability to handle complex product liability claims and recover substantial compensation for Fayetteville residents and others throughout Arkansas. Spinal cord injuries and brain injuries from defective equipment require specialized legal representation.
How Odom Law Firm Handles Product Liability Cases
Our approach to product liability cases combines thorough investigation, expert analysis, and aggressive representation. We understand manufacturer tactics and know how to overcome their defenses. Our experienced attorneys bring decades of combined experience to every case.
Investigation and Evidence Gathering form the foundation of every case. We obtain and preserve the defective product, document the injury circumstances, and gather medical records. We request manufacturer records, including design documents, testing results, quality control reports, and prior complaints about similar defects. This evidence often reveals that manufacturers knew about dangers but failed to warn consumers or fix problems.
Expert Analysis strengthens product liability claims. We work with engineers, medical professionals, and industry experts who can testify about design flaws, manufacturing failures, and causation. Experts explain complex technical issues in terms that juries understand. Product liability litigation requires sophisticated expert testimony.
Establishing Liability requires proving the product was defective and caused your injury. We demonstrate how the defect created an unreasonable risk. We show how the defect existed when the product left the manufacturer’s control. We prove how the defect directly caused your injuries. Under strict liability principles, we don’t need to prove negligence.
Calculating Damages ensures you recover full compensation. We document medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other losses. In cases involving gross negligence, we pursue punitive damages to punish manufacturers and deter future misconduct.
We represent clients on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, and we only collect a fee if we win your case through settlement or verdict.
Our process includes:
- Free initial consultation
- Thorough case investigation
- Expert retention and analysis
- Demand letter and negotiation
- Trial preparation if settlement fails
- Aggressive courtroom representation
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Product liability claims can result in substantial compensation covering both economic and non-economic damages.
Medical Expenses include emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medications, therapy, and ongoing medical care. For serious injuries, lifetime medical costs can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. We ensure your settlement accounts for future treatment needs. Catastrophic injuries often require lifetime medical management.
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity compensate for income lost during recovery and reduced earning potential if injury causes permanent disability. If you cannot return to your previous job, we calculate the difference between your former and current earning capacity over your remaining work life.
Pain and Suffering Damages recognize the physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life caused by your injury. These non-economic damages often exceed medical expenses in serious injury cases.
Property Damage may apply if the defective product damaged your vehicle, home, or other property.
Punitive Damages punish manufacturers for gross negligence or reckless conduct and deter similar behavior. Arkansas law allows punitive damages when a manufacturer’s actions demonstrate deliberate disregard for consumer safety.
Our Fayetteville product liability attorneys have recovered millions for injured clients. We pursue every available avenue of compensation to ensure you receive full recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a product liability claim in Arkansas?
Arkansas law generally provides a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including product liability cases. However, the deadline can vary depending on when you discovered the injury or when you reasonably should have discovered it. Some cases involving latent injuries have different timelines. Time is critical—contact our Fayetteville office immediately to protect your rights.
Do I need to prove the manufacturer was negligent?
No. Arkansas recognizes strict liability for defective products. Under strict liability, you don’t need to prove the manufacturer was careless or negligent. You only need to prove the product was defective and caused your injury. This legal standard makes product liability claims more favorable to injured consumers than negligence claims.
What if I was partially at fault for my injury?
Arkansas follows comparative negligence law. Even if you were partially responsible for your injury, you can still recover damages, though they are reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are 20% at fault, you would recover 80% of your total damages. Our Fayetteville attorneys work to minimize any comparative fault findings and maximize your recovery.
How much does it cost to hire a product liability attorney?
Odom Law Firm represents product liability clients on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront fees, no hourly rates, and no costs unless we recover compensation for you. If we don’t win your case, you owe us nothing. This arrangement allows injured Fayetteville residents to pursue justice regardless of their financial situation.
What evidence do I need for a product liability case?
Preserve the defective product itself—this is critical evidence. Gather medical records documenting your injuries, photographs of the product and your injuries, receipts showing purchase, and written accounts of how the injury occurred. Witness statements strengthen your case. Our Fayetteville attorneys will guide you through evidence preservation and gathering during your consultation.
Can I sue if the product has a warning label?
Yes. A warning label doesn’t automatically shield manufacturers from liability. The warning must be adequate, clearly visible, and convey the specific danger. If a manufacturer knew about a serious danger but provided only a vague or inadequate warning, you may still have a valid claim. Additionally, some dangers are so serious that no warning can make a defective product safe.
Ready to Pursue Your Product Liability Claim?
Call 479-442-7575 or contact our personal injury lawyers in Fayetteville today. We offer free consultations and work on contingency. Let our experienced Fayetteville product liability attorneys fight for the compensation you deserve.
