Defective Lawn & Garden Equipment

Cincinnati Defective Lawn and Garden Equipment lawyers

We Fight for People Injured by Defective Lawn or Garden Equipment in Ohio

For some homeowners in Cincinnati gardening and lawn care are legitimate hobbies they enjoy doing on their free time. For others, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds is a chore they deal with occasionally to keep their home’s exterior looking presentable. Regardless of your approach to lawn care or gardening, you simply can’t do these tasks without some tools. From hedge trimmers and weed whackers to lawnmowers and trowels, there is a diverse array of electric or gas-powered tools and a variety of sharp implements involved.

Injuries can and do happen when sharp implements and motorized tools are involved. In many of these cases, user error does turn out to be the culprit, especially when homeowners didn’t read the instructions or aren’t paying close attention to what they’re doing. However, there are also cases where the tools are defective, improperly designed or don’t come with adequate safety warnings or instructions. In those instances, the manufacturer, designer or retailer share some or all of the blame for the injuries suffered.

The team at the Buckeye Law Group are committed to fighting for people injured in all types of accidents caused by another person or business. In this case, we represent injured Cincinnati residents in claims against the manufacturers of dangerous or defective lawn and garden equipment.

Common Defective Lawn and Garden Equipment Injuries

Cuts and lacerations: These injuries can result when sharp tools such as pruners, shears or lawn mowers fail due to low-quality materials or design mistakes. Handles can break, resulting in serious lacerations or safety covers might be missing or fail to properly lock in place. Whatever the cause, we can thoroughly investigate the situation and clearly demonstrate you weren’t at fault.

Puncture wounds: There are a variety of garden and lawn care tools that can cause puncture wounds when they fail. No amount of safety guidelines can protect homeowners from a defective product that fails even when properly and safely used.

Eye injuries: Certain types of equipment kicks up large amounts of dust and debris. Many of these tools are supposed to have effective guards in place to block operators from being struck in the eyes or face by this type of detritus. In some cases, those pieces break or are improperly designed, leaving users open to potential injury.

Falls: Uneven ground, slippery surfaces or tripping over objects can lead to falls and related injuries generally aren’t the fault of a lawn or garden equipment manufacturer. However, if you’re on a ladder or some other device that breaks or fails, resulting in a fall and injury, the manufacturer may be responsible.

Poisoning: Weed and grass killing chemicals are an important tool in gardening and lawn care. These chemicals are in fact poisons designed to kill off plants, meaning they do pose a risk. Manufacturers know people will be spraying these chemicals by hand, and they therefore must take adequate precautions with their formulations to make them safe (within reason). When they fail to release products safe for people to use, they open themselves up to liability for the resulting illnesses they cause.

What You Should Do After Suffering an Injury Caused by Defective or Dangerous Lawn-Care Equipment

Immediately seek medical care. Personal injury claims are intended to make the injured person whole – physically, financially and emotionally. Getting medical care is the central part of that equation. Failure to seek out care can make it difficult or impossible to file a successful claim in the future. Your doctor’s diagnostic testing and prescribed treatment will help both establish the cause of your injury and justify the damages you seek.

Preserve the equipment that injured you. It is extremely important that you do not destroy, repair, attempt to alter or throw away the equipment that caused your injury. It and its unaltered defects are vital evidence for your claim.

Follow through on all prescribed treatments. Following your doctor’s guidance is the best way to recover and will increase the likelihood of your claim’s success. The manufacturer may have a better chance of challenging your claim if they believe your lack of care signifies your injuries actually weren’t that serious or that your injuries would have been less serious had you followed your doctor’s recommendations.

Report the incident as soon as possible. Attributing your injuries to the defective device is vital, and questions may arise about the true source of your injuries if you wait too long to report it.

Speak with an attorney. A Cincinnati injury lawyer can help you with every aspect of your case, from reporting the injury to the manufacturer and the necessary regulatory authorities (like the Consumer Product Safety Commission) to helping document the injury and clearly demonstrating how the equipment’s defects led to your damages.