Product Liability Strength in Your Time of Need

Product Liability Attorney in Hartford, CT

Two Attorneys on Your Case Against the Manufacturer

When a defective product causes serious harm, the manufacturer and its legal team are rarely caught off guard. They have resources, defense counsel, and time on their side. Hartford residents hurt by faulty products deserve an equally committed response. At Carlson & Dumeer, LLC, both partners work every product liability case, meaning you go into that fight with two Connecticut-licensed attorneys on your file rather than one. We’re available 24/7, offer a free initial consultation, and provide Spanish language services for clients who prefer to speak in Spanish.

Product liability claims in Hartford are governed by the Connecticut Product Liability Act, which allows injured consumers to pursue compensation from anyone in the chain of commerce who sold a defective product. Depending on the facts of your situation, that can include the original manufacturer, a distributor, or the retailer where you bought the item. If you or a loved one was seriously hurt by a product that should have been safe, call us to discuss your options at no cost.

Injured by a defective product in Hartford? Call (877) 795-5594 now for a free case evaluation. We’re available 24/7.

Three Types of Product Defects Under Connecticut Law

Not all product liability claims are the same. Connecticut law recognizes three distinct categories of product defects, and identifying which type applies to your situation shapes how the case is built and who can be held responsible.

Manufacturing Defects: The product’s design was sound, but an error during production or assembly made a specific unit dangerous. A single batch of contaminated medication or a component welded incorrectly on the assembly line are examples.
Design Defects: The fundamental design itself is unsafe, meaning every unit of that product poses the same risk regardless of how carefully it was made.
Failure-to-Warn Defects: Also called marketing defects, these arise when a product lacks adequate warnings, instructions, or labeling about known risks. A product that is otherwise properly made can still give rise to a valid claim if users weren’t adequately informed of its hazards.

Common product categories in Hartford product liability claims include consumer electronics, vehicles and vehicle parts, children’s toys, medical devices, and household appliances. It’s also worth noting that a product recall doesn’t eliminate a manufacturer’s liability to those already harmed. If you were injured before a recall was issued, you may still have a valid claim.

Why Hartford Clients Choose Carlson & Dumeer, LLC for Product Liability Cases

Scott Carlson and Brian Dumeer both work every case, which means product liability clients benefit from two perspectives and two attorneys building their legal strategy. Claims against large manufacturers require thorough investigation and preparation, and our firm maintains a broad network of professionals we bring in to assist in building and analyzing these cases.

Credentials & Recognition

Brian Dumeer was named a Rising Stars honoree from 2017 through 2024. Both attorneys were recognized in the Hartford Advocate’s Best Law Firm recognition in 2014. The firm is also recognized by the National Top 100 Trial Lawyers and the Top 25 Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers. Scott Carlson has been a member of the Connecticut Bar Association since 2010 and is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Availability & Access

We respond promptly to calls, texts, and emails at any hour. For clients who prefer to communicate in Spanish, we provide full Spanish language services. We serve clients throughout the Hartford and Middletown communities and continue working to pursue a favorable outcome or settlement when appropriate.

If a defective product has seriously hurt you or taken the life of someone you love, contact Carlson & Dumeer, LLC today. Our initial consultation for product liability cases is free, and we’re available around the clock. Contact us online or call (877) 795-5594 to get started.

Connecticut’s Product Liability Act & Strict Liability

Connecticut enacted the Product Liability Act in 1979, establishing a unified legal framework for defective product claims. Before this statute, injured consumers had to navigate negligence, breach of warranty, and strict liability as separate causes of action. The Act consolidates these into a single claim and sets out who can be held liable and on what basis.

The most significant feature of the Act is strict liability. Under this standard, an injured consumer doesn’t need to prove the seller was careless or negligent. The injured person generally needs to show that the product was defective and unreasonably dangerous when it left the seller’s control, that it wasn’t substantially altered before the injury occurred, and that the defect directly caused the harm. Proof of fault isn’t required.

Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-572m(a) defines “product seller” broadly to include any manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or retailer engaged in the business of selling products for resale, use, or consumption. Liability can therefore reach multiple parties in the supply chain, not just the original manufacturer. A person also doesn’t need to have purchased the defective product themselves. Those who borrowed it or received it as a gift may still have a valid claim if they were injured by it.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Hartford Product Liability Case

One of the most important questions in any product liability claim is identifying every party that may share responsibility for the harm. Connecticut law allows injured consumers to pursue claims against any party in the chain of commerce whose conduct contributed to placing a defective product into the market.

Potentially liable parties can include:

Original Manufacturers: The company that designed and produced the product
Component Part Manufacturers: Companies that made individual parts incorporated into a larger product
Distributors and Wholesalers: Parties who moved the product through the supply chain
Retailers: The seller who placed the product directly in the hands of the consumer

In practice, more than one party often bears responsibility for a defective product. Identifying every liable party matters because it can affect the compensation sought and the full scope of accountability pursued. Large manufacturers frequently have substantial legal resources, which is one reason having qualified legal representation from the start matters in these cases.

Compensation Available in Connecticut Product Liability Cases

The damages available in a product liability case depend on the nature and severity of the injury, the facts surrounding the defect, and how liability is allocated among the responsible parties. No outcome is guaranteed, but Connecticut law allows injured consumers to seek compensation for a range of losses.

Recoverable damages may include:

Medical Expenses: Both current treatment costs and projected future medical care related to the injury
Lost Wages: Income lost during recovery as well as reduced earning capacity if the injury affects the ability to work long term
Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury
Wrongful Death Damages: When a defective product causes a fatality, surviving family members may have a wrongful death claim under Connecticut law

One important caution: accepting a settlement offer from a manufacturer or its insurer before consulting an attorney may result in recovering less than the full value of your claim. Manufacturers and their insurers routinely make early offers that may not account for the full extent of an injury or its long-term consequences. Speaking with an attorney before responding to any offer can help protect your ability to pursue the compensation you may be entitled to seek.

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