Every day, we rely on hundreds of products without thinking: seatbelts in our vehicles, prescription drugs in our cabinets, heaters for extra chilly nights, and toys our children play with. Most products work exactly as they should. But when a product is poorly designed, defectively made, or sold without proper warnings, it can cause serious harm and even death.
At Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers, our Kansas City product liability lawyers hold companies accountable when unsafe products end up in homes, workplaces, and hospitals. If you or a family member has been seriously injured by a dangerous or defective product, call us today at (816) 931-4611 to learn how we may be able to help you.
Becoming seriously injured or sickened by a product may have consequences that affect every part of your life, from your physical and emotional well-being to your job, finances, family, and future. When the stakes are that high, turn to a firm that’s nationally recognized for handling tough, high-stakes cases involving personal injury and wrongful death and has a track record of securing life-changing settlements and verdicts for clients.
Key Takeaways
- Dangerous products can include anything from car parts and medical devices to household items and children’s toys.
- Missouri law allows product liability claims based on design defects, manufacturing defects, or failure to warn.
- Injured consumers can seek compensation for medical bills, lost income, long-term care, and pain and suffering.
- Large corporations and insurers often aggressively defend these cases; strong legal representation can make a difference.
- Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers has recovered hundreds of millions for injury victims in Missouri, Kansas, and across the U.S.
- Our team can investigate what happened, determine who’s responsible, and pursue the maximum compensation available.
Why Hire Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers for a Product Liability Case?
Product liability claims are rarely straightforward. In many cases, the evidence you need is buried behind corporate walls. Working with a seasoned, resourceful legal team makes a difference. At Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers, we’ve spent decades going up against large manufacturers, retailers, and insurers—and winning high-stakes cases with millions on the line.
Compassionate, client-centered legal care
After representing countless clients with catastrophic injuries, we understand how hard this moment can be. Our attorneys take time to listen, explain, and support you at every step—not as a case file, but as an individual with unique needs and concerns. Your case isn’t one file among hundreds. It’s a commitment we handle personally and a responsibility we take to heart.
Results that speak for themselves
Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers has secured some of the largest verdicts and settlements in Missouri product liability and injury cases, including a recent $30 million carbon monoxide poisoning settlement and several multi-million dollar bad faith insurance cases. We are committed to helping clients recover financially while driving change that protects others from future harm.
Strategic litigation with insider insight
We’ve spent years uncovering how insurance companies operate and how corporations hide risk. That gives us an advantage when building cases. From understanding engineering defects to exposing internal safety memos, we bring an investigative edge to every case we handle.
Kansas City roots with a national reach
With offices in Kansas City and clients across Missouri and Kansas, we’re deeply familiar with regional courts, juries, and hospitals such as Research Medical Center, Saint Luke’s, and the University of Kansas Medical Center. Whether your injury occurred in the metro, Springfield, St. Louis, or elsewhere, we can help.
No fee unless we win
You don’t pay us out of pocket. We handle product liability cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning our fee comes only from what we recover for you. If we don’t win your case, you owe us nothing.
What Counts as a Defective Product Under Missouri Law?
Missouri’s product liability laws are consumer-focused. Under Section 537.760 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, you may have a legal claim if a product:
- Was sold in the regular course of business
- Was used as intended or reasonably expected
- Turned out to be defective or “unreasonably dangerous” without adequate warnings
Unlike other personal injury cases, you don’t have to prove that the company intended harm. Instead, Missouri’s strict liability standard allows you to hold companies accountable simply for putting a defective product into the marketplace.
There are three main types of product defects:
Design defects
These are flaws in how the product was conceived or engineered. A space heater that can overheat and cause fires—even when used correctly—would be an example of a defective design.
Manufacturing defects
These occur when a product is improperly built or assembled. For instance, a car’s braking system may have a solid design but fail due to faulty parts or quality control during manufacturing.
Failure to warn (marketing defects)
If a product carries risks that aren’t obvious and the company fails to give adequate warnings or instructions, this may qualify as a failure to warn. Dangerous medications without proper side effect disclosures are a common example.
Common Defective Products That Cause Serious Injuries in Kansas City
You may be surprised how many everyday items can cause serious harm when they’re defective. Some common defective product cases across the U.S. include:
- Car components like tires, brakes, and airbags
- Medical devices and prescription drugs
- Household items like space heaters and electric blankets
- Power tools and industrial machinery
- Children’s toys, cribs, and car seats
- Firearms and ammunition
- E-cigarettes and vaping devices
- Recreational equipment like jet skis and boats
Kansas City residents are exposed to these dangers in their homes, on job sites, and even in public spaces. Whether your injury occurred in Jackson County, Platte County, or anywhere across the metro area, you may have a valid claim.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Defective Product?
Product liability cases often involve multiple parties. Depending on the circumstances, responsible parties could include:
- The product designer
- The manufacturer
- A component supplier
- A distributor or wholesaler
- The retailer who sold the product
Investigating product liability claims and identifying all liable parties is a complex process. Our team works with engineers, safety experts, and product analysts to determine the point of failure and gather the evidence needed to prove liability. In some cases, we uncover internal communications that show companies knew about the danger but failed to act.
What To Do After Being Injured By a Defective Product
If you have already received medical attention for injuries caused by a dangerous product, there are still important steps you should take to protect your legal rights and preserve your claim.
- Hire a product liability lawyer immediately
These cases are time-sensitive and involve technical evidence that can disappear. The sooner an attorney begins investigating, the better. - Keep all medical appointments and follow care instructions
Gaps in care can be used against you by the defense. Stay consistent with treatment, therapy, and documentation. - Document your experience
Keep a written or video journal of your recovery. Record pain levels, challenges with daily life, emotional effects, and time missed from work. Doing this provides evidence for your pain and suffering damages. - Preserve the defective product, if possible
Do not throw it away. Store it safely and avoid tampering with it. Your attorney may need to have it inspected by experts. - Avoid discussing your injury publicly or on social media
Anything you say online can be used to dispute your claim. Let your lawyer handle communication.
Local Hospitals and Legal Resources in Kansas City
Injuries from defective products can be serious or even life-threatening. Many of our clients receive emergency or ongoing care from major medical centers in the Kansas City area, such as:
- University of Kansas Medical Center
- Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City
- Research Medical Center
- Children’s Mercy Hospital
When evaluating your damages, we also consider the long-term implications of your care—rehabilitation, lost earning capacity, and support for any permanent limitations.
Your legal claim may be filed in Jackson County Circuit Court if the injury occurred in Kansas City, MO, or in surrounding counties like Clay or Platte. If the product was used across the state line, it could fall under Johnson County, KS, jurisdiction. Understanding where to file and how Missouri and Kansas laws differ is something our firm handles on your behalf.
Who Is Responsible for Making Sure Products Are Safe?
Manufacturers aren’t supposed to gamble with people’s lives. Federal and state regulations impose strict standards for product safety. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) oversees thousands of product categories. Specific sectors, like pharmaceuticals and medical devices, fall under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while vehicle components must meet National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards.
But even with these regulations, many unsafe products slip through the cracks—sometimes because of cost-cutting, missed inspections, or a company’s internal decision to hide risks. In Kansas City, we’ve seen cases involving defective space heaters, poorly insulated electric blankets, malfunctioning industrial machines, and many other products that violate state and federal standards.
When we take on a product liability case, our legal team investigates whether the manufacturer or retailer ignored or breached any safety rules and whether there’s a history of similar complaints or recalls.
Product Liability Cases Are About People, Not Just Products
Companies don’t always admit they did something wrong. Product liability lawsuits exist to hold them accountable when their actions, or inaction, cause harm. These cases can be highly technical, but at their core, they’re about people like you who got injured, usually because safety took a back seat to profits.
Over the years, Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers has stood beside injured clients who were told they didn’t have a case. We’ve helped uncover hidden safety defects, forced companies to make changes, and recovered millions of dollars for people whose lives were turned upside down by unsafe products.
We care about these cases not just because they’re legally significant, but because we’ve seen what they do to people. The stress. The pain. The worry about what comes next. You don’t need to figure this out on your own. You need a product liability attorney who listens, explains, and fights for what matters most: your recovery, your stability, and your peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions About Product Liability in Kansas City
Here are answers to common questions that clients often have when considering a product liability lawsuit. These topics weren’t covered above and may help clarify the path forward for you.
What is the deadline for filing a product liability claim in Missouri?
In Missouri, the statute of limitations for most product liability claims is five years from the date of injury. However, if the claim involves wrongful death, the time limit is two years. Kansas has a shorter window, typically just two years, so if your injury happened across the state line, time is even more limited. A product liability attorney can help you determine which state laws apply and ensure you file in time.
What if I was partly responsible for the accident?
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault system. That means even if you were partially at fault for what happened, you can still recover compensation. Your total award would simply be reduced by your percentage of fault. Kansas, on the other hand, uses a modified comparative fault rule that bars compensation for claimants who are 50% or more at fault. These rules could help or hurt you, which is why working with an experienced Kansas City product liability attorney can make all the difference in your case.
How much does a product liability attorney cost?
At Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers, you won’t pay anything up front. Our Kansas City product liability lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. We cover the costs of investigating and building your case, and we only get paid if we win compensation for you. This allows injured clients to access top-tier representation regardless of financial circumstances.
Can I sue a company if I didn’t purchase the product myself?
Yes. In Missouri, you don’t have to be the purchaser to have a valid product liability claim. If you used the product as reasonably intended and were injured due to a defect, you may be eligible to pursue compensation, even if someone else bought the product or it was given to you.
What is product liability insurance, and how does it affect my case?
Product liability insurance is a type of commercial coverage that manufacturers and sellers carry to protect themselves in the event their product injures someone. These policies often fund the defense against lawsuits and pay out settlements or verdicts. Unfortunately, companies and their insurers often use aggressive tactics to deny, delay, or reduce claims. That’s why having a product liability lawyer on your side is essential to level the playing field.
Take Control of Your Case. Consult a Kansas City Product Liability Lawyer Today
If you were injured by a defective product, call Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers now at (816) 931-4611. Our Kansas City product liability lawyers represent clients across Missouri and Kansas, including communities in St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, Overland Park, and beyond.
We handle the entire legal process, so you can focus on healing. Whether it’s a dangerous drug, faulty medical device, or unsafe consumer product, we’re ready to fight for the compensation you need to recover to the fullest extent possible. Don’t wait. Evidence fades. Time limits apply. And your recovery may depend on what happens next.