Can I File a Faulty Equipment Lawsuit for a Home Injury?

If you were hurt by a dangerous or defective product, you may be entitled to file a faulty equipment lawsuit for a home injury. Injuries from faulty equipment are extremely common. While manufacturers and retailers are supposed to ensure that the products they sell are safe for their intended use, many fail to do so.  

While many faulty equipment accidents happen on the job, faulty equipment accidents can also happen at home. If you or a member of your family is dealing with a home injury that was caused (or that you suspect may have been caused) by an equipment failure or malfunction, you should speak with a lawyer about your legal rights right away.

You only have a limited time to file a claim in Illinois (see 735 ILCS 5/13-202). If you delay taking action, you could miss your chance to recover damages for your physical, financial, and emotional losses. The attorneys at Coplan + Crane understand the complexities of these difficult cases and can ensure that your case is handled correctly and that your best interests are represented.

Common Types of Faulty Equipment in the Home

A piece of equipment can be considered “faulty” under various circumstances. If a piece of equipment causes an injury when you expect it not to, there is a good chance that a fault (i.e., a failure or malfunction) is to blame. 

Equipment can either be faulty due to a poor design (a “design defect”) or due to a flaw created during the manufacturing process (a “manufacturing defect”). Design defects and manufacturing defects are risks with all types of equipment used in the home—including:

• Cooking equipment (i.e., deep fryers, instant pots, slicers, and other kitchen tools and appliances) 
• Garage equipment (i.e., power tools, lifts, and light machinery)
• Home gym equipment (i.e., universal machines, benches, weights, treadmills, and stationary bikes)
• Yard equipment (i.e., push mowers, riding mowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, and snow blowers)
• Other types of home equipment (i.e., sewing machines, curling irons, specialty tools and appliances, and other items you use in your home, garage, or yard)

These are just examples. If you have questions about filing a home injury claim after an accident involving any type of equipment that you suspect may have been faulty, you will want to discuss your legal rights with a lawyer as soon as possible. 

Do You Have a Lawsuit for a Home Injury from Faulty Equipment?

Lawsuits involving faulty equipment are governed by Illinois’s product liability laws. These laws allow victims, parents, and others to file claims under a wide range of circumstances. Here are some of the key questions that will determine if you have a claim for fair compensation:

• Were You or a Member of Your Family Injured By a Piece of Home Equipment? Filing a product liability lawsuit requires proof of injury. If a piece of equipment at your home failed but didn’t injure anyone, you may have a warranty claim, but you don’t have a product liability lawsuit.
• Do You Have Reason to Suspect that the Equipment Was Faulty? Filing a product liability lawsuit also requires proof that the equipment that injured you or your loved one was faulty. If the accident wasn’t the result of an equipment failure or malfunction, it most likely doesn’t justify a claim for financial compensation. 
• Did You Seek Treatment for Your (or Your Family Member’s) Injuries Promptly? When filing a lawsuit for a home injury from faulty equipment, your (or your family member’s) medical records will be key evidence in your case. As a result, it is important that you seek treatment as soon after the accident as possible. 
• Do You Still Have the Equipment, Packaging, Proof of Purchase, or Other Evidence of Use? In order to file a claim, you will need evidence that your (or your family member’s) injuries are the result of an equipment-related accident. This means that you will need some form of proof that you had the equipment at your home. This could be the equipment itself, the equipment’s packaging, a receipt or credit card statement, or photos or videos of the equipment at your home.
• Do You Still Have Time to File a Faulty Equipment Lawsuit? In Illinois, product liability claims are subject to a statute of limitations. This means that you can run out of time to file your claim—and, if you wait too long, it will be too late. In most cases, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a faulty equipment lawsuit in court.  

While it is important to carefully consider these questions, it is also important not to make any assumptions when it comes to your legal rights. To find out if you have a faulty equipment lawsuit for a home injury, you should speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. 

Talk to a Chicago Home Injury Lawyer at Coplan + Crane for FREE

Do you have a faulty equipment lawsuit for a home injury? Contact us to find out. 

To arrange a FREE, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Illinois home injury lawyer at Coplan + Crane, call us at 708-358-8080 or request an appointment online today. We proudly serve clients throughout Illinois, including Chicago, Oak Park, Rockford, and other areas.