Consumers rely on manufacturers, designers, and distributors to ensure that the products they use every day are reasonably safe. When that responsibility fails, the consequences can be severe, resulting in serious injury, permanent disability, or even life-threatening harm.

Product liability claims often involve defects in design, manufacturing errors, or failures to provide adequate warnings about known risks. Unlike ordinary negligence cases, these claims focus heavily on whether the product itself was unreasonably dangerous when used as intended.

In the case of Brown v. Hill-Rom Company, a Sangamon County, an Illinois jury returned a verdict in favor of plaintiffs Stacey and Roger Brown, represented by Gunn | Slater attorneys Amy Gunn and Erica Slater. The jury awarded plaintiffs $38.4 million after finding that a defective operating room boom caused Stacey Brown, a surgical technologist, to suffer permanent injuries. The equipment collapsed without warning while she was working in an operating room, resulting in severe and lasting harm. The jury also found that the manufacturer had knowledge of a known defect in its assembly process but failed to correct it before the injury occurred. The award included both $4.6 million in compensatory damages and $33.8 million in punitive damages, reflecting the seriousness of the defendant’s negligence.

Cases like this often involve complex technical evidence. Engineers, safety experts, and medical professionals may be needed to evaluate how the product failed, whether the risk was preventable, and how the injury has affected the individual’s ability to work and function in daily life.

Product liability claims also frequently involve corporate defendants with significant resources, which can make litigation more intensive and heavily defended. Preserving the product itself and documenting the failure early is often critical to building a strong case.

These cases serve an important role in consumer safety by holding companies accountable when dangerous products reach the marketplace.

Gunn | Slater represents individuals like Stacey and Roger Brown across Missouri and Illinois in serious product liability and catastrophic injury cases involving defective equipment, unsafe products, and preventable harm. Contact us today for free consultation.