Many consumers use household products without ever thinking that they could be harmed by them. However, if a product has defects, it can cause the user to suffer serious injuries.
Defects can occur with electronics, appliances, toys, food and other everyday products.
Product liability overview
There are three main types of defects. A design defect happens when the product is dangerous before it is created. Manufacturing defects happen when the product is being made and marketing defects happen when the product does not have adequate instructions or warnings.
A person who is harmed by a defective product has a right to pursue compensation from a manufacturer, distributor or retailer. This includes damages for lost wages, pain and suffering and medical bills.
Responding to a claim
If a consumer makes an injury claim, the company can take steps to address the situation. It’s important to complete a timely investigation to understand how the injury occurred and to ensure that the product had proper labels, warnings or directions.
It’s also helpful to keep all records about the manufacturing process, quality control testing and any changes that were made from the initial design and to be prepared to demonstrate compliance with all regulatory requirements.
If the company can show that the consumer misused the product or did not follow the directions correctly, it may show that it was not at fault for the injury. It can also proactively evaluate its product safety guidelines.
If a person needs assistance with a product liability claim, there is help available.