Florida Makes Product Liability Cases Tougher

The Florida state legislature recently approved a bill, now on its way to that state's governor for approval, that would make it harder for some product liability cases to win. The bill makes it more difficult by allowing evidence to be introduced in cases against automakers that may implicate the driver as the primary cause of the injuries or losses. The state court had formerly ruled that product liability lawsuits, specifically one against Ford, could not include information about whether the driver was drunk or otherwise impaired at the time of the accident, a move which industry spokespeople decried.

Auto Manufacturers and Lawsuits

Auto manufacturers have frequently been the targets of product liability claims. Ford was famously once the target of product liability lawsuits related to their Pinto series of vehicles, which were put on the market despite the manufacturer knowing that they had a dangerous, sometimes deadly, flaw in their design.

Other product liability lawsuits against automakers have included everything from faulty ignitions that caused fires to problems with cars that led to rollovers and other disasters. Because vehicles are inherently dangerous things, there is some risk that is assumed by the driver when they take to the road in them. There are definitely cases, however, when the manufacturer is at fault and where they end out having to pay out large claims for damages.

How Does this Affect Lawsuits?

Obviously, the Florida law will make it harder for people to claim that an auto manufacturer is at fault if they're drunk or otherwise impaired when they're operating a vehicle. One of the downsides to this law is that simply because someone was impaired when they were injured by a car doesn't necessarily mean that their impairment caused that injury, a fact that forces that lobbied against the bill are quick to point out.

Talking to a Lawyer

In Texas, the law is different and it's always worth it to discuss any claim you think you may have against an auto manufacturer or any other company that you believe has injured you with a faulty product. There are cases where the blame will likely fall upon the consumer but there are also cases where the manufacturer is also to blame and where the consumer may stand to win substantial amounts in the form of a settlement or a jury award. Talking to a product liability lawyer is always the first step in exploring one of these cases.