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Fort Lauderdale Product Liability Lawyer
An e-bike battery that caught fire while charging. Brakes that failed. A recalled airbag, a pressure cooker that burst, a medical device that broke inside the body. When a product is defective, Florida law can hold the manufacturer, distributor, and seller responsible even without proof of carelessness. Shiner Law Group helps injured people across Broward County pursue those claims, with no fee unless we win.
On This Page — Fort Lauderdale Product Liability Lawyer Guide
Fort Lauderdale Defective Product Injury Lawyers
Last reviewed: October 2026
- Under Florida strict liability, you must show the product was defective and caused your injury, not that the company was careless.
- Everyone in the chain of distribution can be responsible: the manufacturer, parts maker, importer, distributor, and retailer.
- Keep the product. Do not repair, return, or throw it away, and save the packaging, receipt, and manual.
- Most product claims are barred 12 years after the first sale (Fla. Stat. § 95.031), and shorter filing deadlines apply. Act early.
A product liability claim asks one central question: was the product unreasonably dangerous when it left the company’s hands? Florida adopted strict liability for defective products in West v. Caterpillar Tractor Co. (Fla. 1976), so an injured person does not have to prove exactly how a factory or designer got it wrong. The case is built on the product itself, its design history, its warnings, and the way it failed.
Broward County is a crossroads for consumer goods. More than 1.9 million people live here, Port Everglades moves imported products into stores and warehouses every day, and many of the items involved in serious injuries, from lithium-ion batteries to auto parts, are made overseas. That makes identifying every responsible company, including U.S. importers and retailers, an important part of the case.
Shiner Law Group has represented injured Floridians since 2002 and has recovered more than $500 million for our clients. We work with engineers and other qualified specialists to examine the product, research recalls and complaint histories, and pursue the companies that put it in your hands. When a defective product causes a crash, a fall, or a fire, we may also pursue claims against drivers or property owners through our car accident and e-bike accident teams.
Product Injuries by the Numbers
Figures from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Florida Statutes. CPSC counts injuries associated with products; association alone does not mean a product was defective.
Estimated emergency department visits associated with consumer products nationwide in 2024, out of 38.8 million medically attended product-related injuries.
Estimated U.S. deaths associated with consumer products in 2023. Falls accounted for more than 70% and fires for about 3,150.
Estimated emergency department visits involving e-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards in 2024, including 59,200 tied to e-bikes.
Deaths associated with micromobility products from 2017 through 2024 reported to CPSC, including 45 deaths from fire hazards such as lithium-ion battery fires.
General statute of repose: most product claims cannot be brought more than 12 years after the product was delivered to its first buyer, with exceptions.
Florida lists four years for injury claims founded on the design, manufacture, distribution, or sale of a product, and two years for negligence claims.
Three Ways a Product Can Be Defective
Most claims involve one or more of these theories.
Design defects
The product is dangerous as designed, so every unit shares the flaw. These cases often turn on whether a safer, practical alternative design was available, such as a better battery management system or a guard that would have prevented the injury.
Manufacturing defects
The design was sound, but your unit came off the line wrong: a bad weld, a contaminated batch, a missing part, or a component that did not meet the company’s own specifications.
Failure to warn
The company knew or should have known about a risk that was not obvious and did not give adequate warnings or instructions. Missing, buried, or unclear warnings can make an otherwise useful product unreasonably dangerous.
Products Behind Many Injury Claims
Any product can be defective. These categories come up often in Broward County.
E-bikes, scooters & batteries
Lithium-ion battery fires, frame and fork failures, brake and throttle defects, and chargers that overheat, often in products imported through online sellers.
Vehicles & auto parts
Defective airbags, seat belts, tires, brakes, and steering components. Check open recalls at NHTSA.gov using your vehicle identification number.
Boats & marine equipment
Broward is one of Florida’s busiest boating counties. Defective steering, fuel systems, propeller guards, and life jackets can turn a day on the water into a serious injury.
Medical devices & drugs
Implants, hernia mesh, hip replacements, and medications with undisclosed risks. Some of these claims are handled alongside national mass tort litigation.
Home products & appliances
Pressure cookers, space heaters, power tools, ladders, and furniture that tips over. Children’s products such as cribs, car seats, and toys are held to strict federal safety standards.
Industrial & workplace equipment
Machines without proper guards, defective scaffolding, and power equipment. An injured worker can often bring a product claim against the manufacturer in addition to workers’ compensation.
Florida Product Liability Law
The rules that decide who pays and how long you have.
Strict liability
Manufacturers and sellers can be liable for injuries caused by a product that was unreasonably dangerous because of a defect, without proof of negligence. Negligence and breach of warranty claims may also apply.
Statute of repose
Most claims are barred more than 12 years after delivery to the first buyer, with exceptions for longer warranted lives, certain aircraft, vessels, and railroad equipment, latent injuries, and concealed defects.
Filing deadlines
Florida lists four years for injury claims founded on the design, manufacture, distribution, or sale of a product (§ 95.11(3)(d)) and two years for negligence (§ 95.11(5)(a)). Wrongful death claims have their own two-year limit.
Comparative fault
Companies often argue misuse or carelessness. Under Florida’s modified comparative fault rule, an injured person found more than 50% at fault cannot recover; at 50% or less, damages are reduced by their share.
Government-standards defense
A product that met applicable federal or state safety standards is presumed not defective, but that presumption can be rebutted, and a recall or standards violation can work in your favor.
Punitive damages
When a company knew of a danger and acted with gross negligence or intentional misconduct, Florida law allows a claim for punitive damages, subject to pleading requirements and caps.
What to Do After a Product Injury
Get medical care
Call 911 for fires, burns, and serious injuries. Tell your doctor exactly how the product failed so the records reflect it.
Preserve the product
Keep the product and every broken piece exactly as they are. Do not repair it, return it, or hand it to the manufacturer or an insurer.
Save the paper trail
Keep the packaging, manual, receipt, order confirmation, serial or model number, and photos of any labels and warnings.
Document the scene
Photograph and video the product, the area, and your injuries. Write down what happened while it is fresh, and list any witnesses.
Check for recalls
Search CPSC.gov, NHTSA.gov for vehicles and equipment, and FDA.gov for drugs and devices. A recall is helpful evidence but is not required to bring a claim.
Talk to a lawyer before giving statements
Manufacturers and insurers may ask for the product or a recorded statement. Speak with an attorney first so evidence is preserved and tested properly.
Visit or Call Shiner Law Group
Serving people hurt by defective products throughout Fort Lauderdale and Broward County.
Shiner Law Group — Fort Lauderdale
6750 N Andrews Ave Suite 200 #2062
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(954) 999-9900 · Available 24/7
Can’t come to us? We offer home, hospital, and video consultations anywhere in Broward County.
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Fort Lauderdale Product Liability FAQ
How much does a Fort Lauderdale product liability lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Shiner Law Group handles defective product cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. Call (954) 999-9900 for a free, confidential case review, available 24/7.
What do I have to prove in a Florida product liability case?
Under strict liability, you generally must show that the product was defective when it left the company’s control, that the defect made it unreasonably dangerous, and that the defect caused your injuries. You do not have to prove the manufacturer was careless, although negligence and warranty claims may also be available.
How common are injuries from consumer products?
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates about 15.1 million emergency department visits associated with consumer products in 2024 and about 59,900 product-associated deaths in 2023. For e-bikes, e-scooters, and hoverboards, CPSC estimates 149,100 emergency visits in 2024 and has received reports of 533 deaths from 2017 through 2024. Association with a product does not by itself mean the product was defective.
How long do I have to file a defective product claim in Florida?
Florida lists four years for injury claims founded on the design, manufacture, distribution, or sale of a product (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(d)) and two years for negligence claims (§ 95.11(5)(a)). Most claims are also barred 12 years after the product was first sold under the statute of repose (§ 95.031), with exceptions. Because the right deadline depends on the facts, treat two years as your working deadline and talk to a lawyer early.
Who can be held responsible for a defective product?
Potentially everyone in the chain of distribution: the manufacturer, the maker of a defective component, the importer, the distributor or wholesaler, and the retailer that sold it. When a manufacturer is overseas, U.S. importers, sellers, and their insurers are often key to recovery.
Do I need the product to have been recalled?
No. Many dangerous products are never recalled. A recall, safety notice, or history of similar complaints can be strong evidence, but a claim can be built on the product itself, expert testing, and the company’s design and warning records.
What should I do with the product that hurt me?
Keep it, along with any broken pieces, packaging, manuals, and receipts, and store it somewhere safe. Do not repair it, send it back, or give it to the manufacturer or an insurance adjuster. Testing by qualified experts on both sides usually requires a written protocol.
Where is Shiner Law Group’s Fort Lauderdale office?
Our Fort Lauderdale office is at 6750 N Andrews Ave Suite 200 #2062, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. Call (954) 999-9900 any time, day or night.
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This page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. Statistics are cited to the public sources noted and may be preliminary or revised. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. Attorneys at Shiner Law Group are Members of The Florida Bar. Shiner Law Group — Accident & Injury Lawyers. Attorney Advertising.