Nashville Product Liability Lawyer

Dedicated Nashville Product Liability Lawyer Help After a Dangerous or Defective Product

A product liability claim starts with a car part, a medical device, a household appliance, or a piece of equipment that failed when used the way it was meant to be used.

Under Tennessee law, the question is whether the product itself was defective, not just whether someone got hurt.

We know how unsettling it is to be injured by something you trusted. Nashville product liability lawyer Daniel L. Clayton has practiced in Tennessee since 1987. He has also been named a Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Nashville product liability litigation. Mr. Clayton uses that experience to investigate, negotiate, and litigate Nashville product liability cases.

Contact us to schedule a free consultation. Let’s talk about what happened and what your options look like from here.

Defective Products and Dangerous Goods

Dangerous products show up in places people least expect them. The Law Offices of Daniel L. Clayton looks into cases involving:

• Defective auto parts, tires, and airbags that fail during normal driving
• Medical devices and surgical instruments that cause unexpected harm
• Contaminated, mislabeled, or improperly tested pharmaceutical products
• Household appliances and power tools with wiring or design flaws
• Children’s products and toys that create unexpected choking or injury risks
• Industrial machinery and equipment that lack proper safety guards

Each of these cases turns on the same basic question: was the product unsafe when it left the manufacturer’s or seller’s hands. Generally, a product may be found to be defective if there is one of the following:

• Design Defect: The product’s blueprint or design makes it inherently dangerous, even when built exactly to specifications. Every unit produced with that design carries the same danger, and the risk could have been avoided with a safer, feasible alternative.
• Manufacturing Defect: An error or unintended deviation during the assembly or production process caused the product to differ from its planned design, making a specific unit or batch unsafe to use.
• Marketing Defect (Failure to Warn): The product lacked adequate instructions, proper safety labels, or clear warnings about non-obvious hazards and risks that arise during normal or reasonably foreseeable use.

Sorting out why the product was defective may take an engineer, a former employee, or records most people never see on their own.

What Tennessee Law Says About Liability and Deadlines for Defective Products

Under Tenn. Code § 29-28-105, a manufacturer or seller is responsible only if the product was defective or unreasonably dangerous when it left their control. An injured person generally does not have to prove the manufacturer was careless, only that the product was defective or unreasonably dangerous and caused the injury.

Generally, you have one year from when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the injury to file suit. Tenn. Code § 29-28-103 also sets an outer limit. A product liability lawsuit must be filed by the earliest of three deadlines:: six years from the date of the injury, 10 years from the date the product was first purchased, or one year after its required expiration date. Once that outer limit passes, the right to sue is usually gone even if the injury only recently became clear.

A Nashville Product Liability Lawyer With a Record in Defective Product Cases

When an unsafe product causes serious injury, you may want a lawyer who has product liability litigation experience. Attorney Daniel Clayton has stood up to major corporations and distributors on behalf of injured Tennesseans. He represented 18 victims affected by the widespread 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak.

Attorney Clayton also brings proven courtroom skill to every claim as a National Board of Trial Advocacy Certified Civil Trial Specialist. His peers have repeatedly recognized his work, with Best Lawyers naming him Nashville Product Liability Litigation “Lawyer of the Year” in 2016 and 2024.

While past case results do not guarantee future outcomes, our firm brings the dedication of an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer to every defective product claim, with thorough preparation to seek full accountability.

FAQs About Nashville, TN Product Liability Laws

Which court hears product liability lawsuits in Nashville?

Larger product liability claims in Nashville are generally filed in the Davidson County Circuit Court, the primary trial court for civil tort cases in the 20th Judicial District. Smaller claims may start in General Sessions Court instead, since it handles claims up to a set dollar limit.

What should I do with the product that caused my injury?

Keep it in the same condition it was in when you got hurt, and avoid repairing, altering, or throwing it away. The product itself is often the main piece of evidence in these cases, and losing it can make a claim much harder to prove.

What if I do not discover a defect until years after I bought the product?

The one-year deadline generally runs from when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the injury, but outer limits still apply no matter when you found the defect. Tennessee law ties part of the deadline to when  the product’s expiration date runs out (if the law requires one), not just the purchase date. This can shorten the time to file in ways that are not obvious, so it helps to have the specific product and purchase date reviewed early.

Can I still file a claim if I am not sure which company made the product?

Yes, in many cases. Claims can sometimes be brought against a retailer or distributor even before the manufacturer is identified. Records like receipts, packaging, or the product’s own labeling often help trace it back to the source.

How much does it cost to talk with a product liability lawyer about my case?

The Law Offices of Daniel L. Clayton offers a free consultation, so the first conversation about your case does not cost anything. That conversation is a chance to understand where your situation stands under Tennessee law. If you want to talk through a possible product liability claim, request a free consultation with our office.

Reach a Nashville Product Liability Lawyer Before Evidence Disappears

Product evidence does not last forever. Retailers restock shelves, manufacturers issue recalls, and the exact part or device involved in an injury can go missing. A Nashville product liability lawyer at the Law Offices of Daniel L. Clayton can help you understand what evidence matters now, while it still exists. Schedule a free consultation to talk through what happened and what could come next.