What Consumers Need to Know About Product Liability Law

Everyday consumers young and old are hurt by defective products or products that have been recalled. When someone is injured while using a product that left the manufacturer in a defective or dangerous state, he or she may be able to recover the resulting damages from the responsible party in a product liability based personal injury suit.

Personal injury attorneys from Ankin Law Office LLC explain that product liability law is based on the responsibility of a manufacturer or other provider of goods to compensate the consumers for injuries caused by defective or dangerous products. The basic idea underlying product liability law is that the companies making and distributing the products are usually in the best position to prevent defective products from entering the marketplace and hurting consumers, so if they fail to take all measures to ensure a product is safe then they should be held accountable.

Among the myriads of new products brought to market each year it is inevitable that there will be some dangerous or defective ones mixed in among the majority of safe ones, simply because nothing is perfect and no amount of safety precautions and measures can prevent every single defect. These unsafe products pop up in a wide sector of industries ranging from children’s toys, baby products, car parts, food, recreational products, sporting equipment, tools, clothing, medical equipment and devices, cleaning supplies, pharmaceuticals and more. Some of the threats posed by defective products may include choking, burns, cuts, skin irritations, lacerations and in very extreme cases even death.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission approximately 30 million people are injured or killed annually from unsafe products. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a government agency that oversees products consumers use every day, alone recalls over 400 items each year. While there are inspections and public recalls of dangerous products many people still remain unaware or indifferent to the serious dangers posed by these items. Additionally, not all companies pull the recalled products from the shelves and take measures to inform consumers of the threats even though they are legally obligated to do so.

It is estimated that only 65% of recalled products or returned or fixed, leaving a significant percentage of consumers susceptible to injury from the damaged product. Additionally, the process of examining and recalling a product only begins after a report is submitted by either a company or user. In other words, accidents, injuries and harm for defective products often happen before it is known that the product poses a threat to consumer safety.

The manufacturer and the CPSC should be contacted and notified right away if there is a concern that a product may be defective, harmful or dangerous to consumers. Of course, anyone who is hurt by a product should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer familiar with product liability law to receive legal advice about the incident.