Product Liability

Protecting Tennessee Consumers from Dangerous Products

Tennessee families trust that the products they bring into their homes are safe and reliable. When manufacturers, distributors, or retailers release defective or dangerous products into the market, innocent people suffer serious injuries. From malfunctioning appliances and contaminated food to dangerous medications and defective auto parts, product defects cause thousands of preventable injuries across Tennessee each year.

Understanding Tennessee Product Liability Law

Tennessee’s product liability laws are designed to protect consumers by holding manufacturers and sellers accountable when their products cause harm. Under the Tennessee Products Liability Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-28-101 et seq.), companies can be held liable for defective products that cause injury during their intended use.

Tennessee follows a modified comparative fault system, which means you can still recover damages even if you were partially responsible for the accident, as long as your fault doesn’t exceed 49%. This provides strong protection for Tennessee consumers seeking compensation for injuries caused by dangerous products.

Types of Product Defects in Tennessee

Tennessee law recognizes three primary categories of product liability claims:

Design Defects: Products that are inherently dangerous due to flawed design, even when manufactured correctly. Examples include vehicles prone to rollover accidents, furniture that tips over easily, or tools with inadequate safety features.

Manufacturing Defects: Products that deviate from their intended design during the manufacturing process. This includes contaminated medications, improperly assembled machinery, or electronics with faulty components installed during production.

Failure to Warn: Products that lack adequate instructions or warnings about known risks and hazards. Manufacturers have a duty to warn consumers about dangers that aren’t immediately obvious, such as prescription drug side effects or proper safety procedures for power equipment.

Tennessee Product Liability Laws and Regulations

Several important provisions govern product liability cases in Tennessee:

Statute of Limitations: Tennessee generally provides one year from the date you discovered or should have discovered your injury to file a product liability lawsuit, with some exceptions for certain circumstances.

Statute of Repose: Tennessee has a statute of repose that generally bars claims more than six years after the product was first purchased for use or consumption, though there are exceptions for certain types of cases.

Damages Available: Tennessee allows recovery of both economic damages (medical expenses, lost wages) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering), though punitive damages are limited to specific circumstances involving clear and convincing evidence of intentional misconduct.

Joint and Several Liability: Tennessee’s comparative fault law affects how damages are allocated among multiple defendants based on their percentage of fault.

Common Defective Products in Tennessee

Tennessee residents face risks from various types of dangerous products:

Automotive Components: Defective airbags, brake system failures, tire blowouts, and recalled auto parts that contribute to serious accidents on Tennessee roads.

Consumer Electronics: Overheating devices, electrical fires, smartphones with exploding batteries, and appliances that malfunction and cause property damage or injury.

Children’s Products: Unsafe toys with choking hazards, defective cribs and high chairs, car seats that fail crash tests, and playground equipment with design flaws.

Home and Garden Products: Appliances that overheat or catch fire, power tools with safety defects, and lawn equipment that malfunctions during use.

Pharmaceutical Products: Dangerous drug side effects not properly disclosed, contaminated medications, and medical devices that fail or cause complications.

Building a Strong Tennessee Product Liability Case

Successful product liability claims require proving that a defect existed and caused your injury. Key elements include:

Preserving the defective product and all packaging as evidence, obtaining comprehensive medical records documenting your injuries, gathering purchase receipts and product documentation, identifying all parties in the distribution chain who may be liable, and working with qualified expert witnesses who can explain technical aspects of the defect.

Tennessee courts often require expert testimony to establish complex defects or explain industry standards. Having experienced legal representation ensures proper case investigation and presentation to maximize your chances of success.

Compensation Available in Tennessee

Tennessee product liability law allows injured consumers to recover various types of damages:

Economic Damages: Medical bills, hospital expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and other out-of-pocket expenses directly related to your injury.

Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other intangible harms that don’t have a specific dollar amount but significantly impact your quality of life.

Punitive Damages: In cases involving particularly reckless or intentional misconduct by manufacturers, Tennessee courts may award punitive damages to punish wrongdoers and deter similar dangerous behavior.

Tennessee’s Role in Consumer Protection

Product liability cases serve an important public safety function beyond compensating individual victims. When Tennessee consumers hold negligent companies accountable through the legal system, it creates powerful incentives for manufacturers to prioritize safety in their design and manufacturing processes.

Successful cases often lead to product recalls, design improvements, better warning labels, and enhanced quality control procedures that protect future consumers throughout Tennessee and across the nation.

Time Limits Are Critical in Tennessee

Tennessee’s shortened statute of limitations makes prompt action essential. With only one year from discovery of your injury to file a lawsuit, time is of the essence. Additionally, important evidence can disappear quickly, especially if products are recalled, discontinued, or destroyed.

Companies often work aggressively to minimize their liability and may dispose of crucial documents or evidence if not preserved through immediate legal action. The sooner you contact an attorney, the better positioned you’ll be to build a compelling case while evidence is fresh and witnesses are available.

Get Legal Help for Your Tennessee Product Liability Claim

If you or a loved one has been injured by a dangerous or defective product in Tennessee, don’t let negligent manufacturers escape accountability. The experienced attorneys in AskLitigation’s network understand Tennessee’s unique product liability laws and have the resources necessary to take on major corporations and their insurance companies.

Contact us today for a free consultation to learn about your rights and options under Tennessee law. We’ll help you understand the strength of your case and connect you with qualified attorneys who can fight for the compensation you deserve.

Types of Product Liability We Handle in Tennessee: