product liability

BlueCruise Car Accidents

Published on: March 3, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Self-driving vehicles are often marketed as the future of road transportation, but today’s regulators have serious concerns about this emerging technology’s all-around safety and general risks.

Since 2021, Ford alone has reported at least 32 collisions involving its BlueCruise driver-assistance feature. BlueCruise, like Tesla’s Autopilot, offers features like automatic lane centering and hands-free steering. According to Ford, BlueCruise is safe and works exactly as intended, provided that drivers remain constantly alert, ready to take the wheel at a moment’s notice. Nevertheless, Ford has long sought to limit liability in self-driving car accident claims by arguing that most, if not all, of these crashes come down to driver distraction and inattention.

A recent report issued by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration calls some of Ford’s claims into question. In a summary of its preliminary investigation into BlueCruise, the agency found the drivers in two fatal accidents failed to apply their brakes or take any evasive action. At the same time, BlueCruise not only failed to respond, but its cameras and radar system failed to recognize rapidly approaching obstacles, up to and including disabled vehicles on the side of the highway.

Tabletop Fire Pit Lawsuit

Published on: February 24, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Safety regulators have issued a nationwide warning against tabletop fire pits.

Unlike conventional fire pits and fireplaces, most tabletop fire pits use liquid fuels like isopropyl alcohol. Liquid-based fuels are cleaner than burning coal or wood, but defective fire pits can present serious risks.

“Igniting a pool of alcohol or other liquid fuel in a fire pit’s open container creates an uncontrollable pool fire, which can suddenly produce larger, hotter flames that can spread beyond the fire pit product,” the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission wrote in a 2024 warning. “A small flame in the fire pit can be hard to see and can ignite alcohol or other liquid fuel as it is poured, causing an explosion that propels flames and burning liquid onto the consumer or bystanders.”

Silicosis and Personal Injury Lawsuit

Published on: January 27, 2026 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Stone kitchen countertops are fashionable, but their widespread popularity could conceal a serious risk for contractors and construction workers.

In Massachusetts, health officials recently confirmed the state’s first recorded case of silicosis in a stone countertop worker. Investigators believe that the 40-year-old man, who spent more than a decade in the industry, developed silicosis after working with quartz-based countertops.

“The confirmation of this case in Massachusetts is a tragic reminder that silicosis is not just a distant threat,” the state Department of Health said. “It is here, and it is seriously impacting the health of workers in Massachusetts.”

How to Get Compensation for Wrongful Death After a Product Liability Accident

Published on: December 30, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Few people are ever fully prepared to file a lawsuit, let alone a wrongful death claim.

Losing a loved one, after all, entails much more than grief. Grief alone is often enough to make everyday life unrecognizable. Beyond emotional hardship, losing a loved one also means losing a critical pillar of support. Funerals can cost substantial amounts of money, and reconfiguring your finances to account for a loss of income could make an unwelcome change seem inevitable.

However, no amount of money can ever compensate for the loss of a parent, spouse, or child; however, filing a product liability lawsuit may serve a greater purpose. Negotiating a settlement could provide a means to guarantee your financial stability or present an opportunity to ensure that a negligent company is compelled to reform, thereby protecting others from enduring the unthinkable.

How to Get Compensation for Emotional Distress After a Product Liability Accident

Published on: December 23, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Product manufacturers and retailers have responsibilities beyond the market.

If you buy a new product, you have a legal right to expect that it will work safely and as advertised. However, it is no secret that manufacturers cut corners, sometimes because they had no reason to believe that a particular component was defective, and sometimes because they prioritize cost-cutting and profitability over consumers’ well-being. In either case, you should never have to feel like you are on the line for a corporation’s mistake.

Under New York law, you could be entitled to file a product liability lawsuit against the person or party who caused your injuries. Aside from recovering damages for your economic losses, you could also obtain compensation for emotional pain, suffering, and hardship.

How to Get Compensation for Pain and Suffering After a Product Liability Accident

Published on: December 18, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Few people would ever buy a product they knew was dangerous.

In New York, a state with some of the strongest consumer-protection laws in the country, you have every right to expect that the products you buy are safe. However, companies make mistakes, and sometimes they deliberately cut corners, too. Even minor omissions during a product’s design phase or manufacturing process can have serious later repercussions, though they are not always apparent until it is too late.

Defective products can cause lasting harm, but not all injuries are visible. A broken bone, for instance, is an inherently serious and painful injury. In the first stages of recovery, your priority might be regaining your mobility or managing medical debt. But recovery, whether it lasts for weeks or months, can take a toll on the body and mind, making everyday life extraordinarily unpleasant.

Product Liability Lost Wages

Published on: December 9, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Defective products can look safe and modern but fail when they are most needed.

If you have been injured by a defective or poorly-designed product, you could be entitled to significant compensation. However, no two cases are exactly the same. Proving that your brakes malfunctioned, for instance, requires a different type and range of evidence than establishing that a retailer misrepresented a warranty. No matter the circumstances, though, serious accidents can have serious consequences, often leaving victims short on savings and unable to work.

You do not have to pay the price for an accident that was not your fault.

Compensation for Medical Bills

Published on: December 2, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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Do Your Due Diligence

You could be entitled to file a product liability lawsuit if you have been injured by a product that was in some way defective. However, your rights come with certain stipulations. In New York, the state statute of limitations dictates how long you have to lodge a legal claim against the person or party who caused your accident. If you wait too long to contact an attorney and begin putting your case together, the statute of limitations could lapse, and once it does, you may not be able to file a lawsuit at all.

Save Your Medical Records

Cost of Hiring a Product Liability Lawyer

Published on: November 25, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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A product liability lawsuit is a legal claim filed against the maker, manufacturer, or retailer of a defective product. Even compared to other types of personal injury actions, product liability lawsuits tend to be complex. They are, for instance, often reliant on technical evidence and expert insight that is not always available for free, and which sometimes costs massive amounts of money to obtain and interpret.

In short, litigating a product liability lawsuit can be as expensive, time-consuming and complex. However, this does not mean that hiring an attorney is unaffordable. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent decades fighting for the rights of accident victims in Buffalo and throughout Upstate New York. We know that, after an accident, your physical health and financial well-being take priority, which is why we do not ask our clients to pay upfront for our services.

Here is what you need to know about:

Hiring a Product Liability Lawyer

Published on: November 18, 2025 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

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5 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Product Liability Lawyer

Many personal injury lawyers accept product liability claims, but not all attorneys have the same experience. Product liability lawsuits almost always involve high stakes, not just for you, but for the defendant, too. Afraid of setting a precedent that could come at a cost, companies will often pour resources into a strong defense, doing everything in their power to ensure that your case does not open the floodgate for more settlements and court-ordered awards.

You should never try to cut corners with a product liability claim, but your chances of success could come down to your choice of lawyer. Choosing the right attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you will make, and it must often be done even before filing a lawsuit.