Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer Discusses the Role of a Products Liability Trial Lawyer

By Richard Jurewicz, Esq.

For most of the general public the mention of the word “lawyer” or “attorney” evokes a negative reaction.  Some of the more popular derogatory terms include shyster, sleaze and ambulance chaser.

There are certainly many attorneys, although a very small minority, that have earned those descriptive names.  I, on the other hand, am very proud to be called a trial lawyer.  While not to sound too self-righteous, I feel very honored to represent a client injured by an unsafe machine or piece of equipment who contacts me for representation.

Over my thirty year career I have helped countless clients that have suffered amputation and other serious injuries while working with dangerous and defectively designed products.

The challenge I face in litigation of my clients’ cases is not only to obtain them just compensation for their injuries but also hold manufacturers accountable for the safety of their products.

I have in case after case found manufacturers putting their profits over safety when it comes to the design of their equipment.  For some manufacturers safety is an afterthought.  Safety of the user of the product should not be an afterthought.  It should be one of the most important initial considerations in the design of a product.

My role as a trial lawyer is not only to hold manufacturers of products accountable for their product design but also to convince them proving in court that there were reasonable safety design alternatives when the product was manufactured that would either eliminate the hazardous condition or greatly minimize a user’s exposure to it.  I take great pride when I am able to convince a jury that a manufacturer’s design of a product was unsafe and dangerous and the cause of my client’s accident and injuries.

Almost as equally satisfying is knowing that the role I play as a trial lawyer also contributes to product reform and product safety improvements.  In many cases manufacturers become aware of a design alternative that I was able to prove that will not impair the functionality or utility of the product but at the same time enhance its safety.  When I learn that manufacturers that I have sued have made new design changes I have suggested to improve the safety of their products both my client and I can take comfort in knowing that another person will not suffer an amputation or serious bodily injury because a piece of equipment was improperly or inadequately safeguarded.

Our judicial system truly balances the scales of justice to make sure that all people are on equal footing and have the same playing field when it comes to justice in a courtroom.  I truly believe that in the back of most jurors’ minds they truly respect a trial lawyer that represents the “little guy” and takes on a “big corporations.”  As a trial lawyer, I will continue my calling of representing the “Davids” of work place accidents in their fight against the “Goliaths” of the world, which are the manufacturers of the equipment by which they have been injured.

If you or someone you love has incurred an injury as a result of an unsafe or defective product, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.  Philadelphia Products Liability lawyer, Richard Jurewicz, of Galfand Berger LLP successfully pursues all entitled compensation for injured victims under products liability law. Call our offices at 1-800-222-8792 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.