Editorial disclosure: This website is owned and operated by Phillips Law Offices. The firms listed on this site are selected and described by the site’s editors, not by an independent third-party rating service. Phillips Law Offices is featured prominently as the site’s owner.
Every day, we trust that the products we use, from vehicles and medical devices to household appliances and children’s toys, are safe. When manufacturers cut corners, ignore safety standards, or rush defective products to market, consumers pay the price with serious injuries and even death. Product liability law holds manufacturers, distributors, and sellers accountable when their defective products cause harm.
Product liability cases are complex, often involving battles against large corporations with substantial legal resources. Victims need attorneys who understand product design, manufacturing processes, and regulatory standards. This guide highlights a product liability lawyer in Chicago.
Types of Product Defects
Design Defects
The product’s fundamental design is inherently dangerous, even when manufactured correctly:
- Vehicles prone to rollovers
- Medical devices that fail under normal use
- Children’s products with choking hazards
- Machinery lacking adequate safety guards
Manufacturing Defects
Errors during production that make specific units dangerous:
- Contaminated food or medications
- Improperly assembled products
- Substandard materials used
- Quality control failures
Marketing Defects (Failure to Warn)
Inadequate instructions or warnings about risks:
- Missing safety warnings
- Incomplete instructions
- Failure to warn about side effects
- Inadequate hazard labeling
Common Defective Products
- Motor vehicles – Defective airbags, brakes, tires, fuel systems
- Medical devices – Faulty implants, surgical tools, diagnostic equipment
- Pharmaceuticals – Dangerous drugs with undisclosed side effects
- Consumer electronics – Exploding batteries, electrical fires
- Household appliances – Fires, electrocution hazards
- Children’s products – Choking hazards, toxic materials
- Industrial equipment – Missing guards, defective components
- Food products – Contamination, allergen mislabeling
- Power tools – Blade guards, electrical defects
Illinois Product Liability Law
Strict Liability
Under Illinois law, manufacturers can be held strictly liable for defective products. Victims don’t need to prove negligence, only that the product was defective and caused their injuries.
Negligence
Victims can also pursue claims based on the manufacturer’s negligent design, manufacturing, or failure to warn.
Breach of Warranty
Products come with implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. Breach of these warranties can support claims.
Statute of Limitations
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, personal injury claims must be filed within two years.
How to Compare Firms
There is no objective ranking of the “best” injury lawyer in Chicago, and you should be sceptical of any list that claims otherwise — including lists published by law firms themselves. What does exist is a set of questions that reliably separate a firm that will do the work from one that will not. Ask each firm you speak to:
- Who will actually handle my file? The lawyer in the advertisement is often not the lawyer doing the work. Ask for the name of the person who will run your case and how often you will hear from them.
- How many cases like mine have you taken to trial? Settlement value is influenced by whether the other side believes you will try the case. A firm that never tries cases negotiates from a weaker position.
- What is your fee, and what happens to costs if we lose? Contingency fees are standard, usually around one third. Case costs — filing fees, expert witnesses, medical records — are a separate question, and you should get a clear written answer about who pays them if the case does not succeed.
- What is my deadline? A firm that cannot tell you which limitations period applies to your specific facts is not the right firm. Some Illinois deadlines are one year, not two.
- What is this case realistically worth, and why? Be wary of a number promised at the first meeting, before anyone has reviewed your medical records.
Where Phillips Law Offices Fits
A disclosure, because it matters when you are weighing this advice: this guide is published by Phillips Law Offices, and we are one of the firms you could hire. We have handled Illinois injury cases since 1945 and we work on contingency, so there is no fee unless we recover for you. You should still do exactly what this guide recommends and speak to more than one firm before signing anything. Most reputable firms, ours included, offer a free consultation precisely so you can compare.
If you want to talk it through, call (312) 346-4262 or request a free case review. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; every case depends on its own facts.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
- Medical expenses
- Future medical costs
- Lost wages and earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Disfigurement
- Wrongful death damages
- Punitive damages for egregious conduct
Official Resources
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
- NHTSA Vehicle Recalls
- FDA Recalls
- 735 ILCS 5/13-202 – Statute of Limitations
- Illinois Courts
Holding Manufacturers Accountable
When manufacturers prioritize profits over safety, consumers suffer. Product liability law ensures that companies are held accountable for the dangerous products they put on the market.
Firms like Phillips Law Offices have the experience to take on major corporations. Contact an experienced product liability lawyer today.
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This guide is part of our Product Liability and Mass Torts section, where you can find every related guide on this site.