We all work hard, and one of the reasons we do is so that we can afford to buy the things that we want and need. When we purchase those things, we have certain expectations. Beyond the most basic idea that we will get enjoyment or benefit from the things that we buy, we also assume that they are safe. In the United States, manufacturers, designers, and everybody else involved in bringing products to market are expected to make sure that they are safe and that they will not harm us if we use them correctly. That is called a duty of care. When the products that we buy do not achieve that standard and instead cause us harm, they are legally considered to be defective, and consumers who have suffered damages as a result are able to file a defective product lawsuit against them. There have been a number of successful defective product lawsuits filed in the last few years. Here are the most common defective products, from the South Jersey product liability lawyers at Wallace Law.
The products that are most frequently the subject of product liability lawsuits include medications, automobiles and their parts, household appliances and children’s products. The things that make a product defective generally fall into one of three different categories:
- they are defectively designed
- they are defectively manufactured
- there have been inadequate warnings provided about how to use them safely
Defectively designed products are those that are inherently dangerous, even if the manufacturer has produced them correctly. Examples of a product with an inherently dangerous design include vehicles that flip too easily or explode upon impact or an infant toy that is small enough that a child could easily swallow it.
Defectively manufactured products have a flaw that is related to how it was fabricated. This can include an auto part that has a crack in it or which wears out easily, a medication that has been contaminated and can make people sick, or a food item that was exposed to harmful bacteria during the time that it was processed or packaged.
Inadequate warnings or failure to warn involve items that would not be harmful if used properly or if people had been provided with appropriate warnings about precautions that they need to take, but no such warnings are provided. Examples could include a medication manufacturer not warning about mixing the medication with alcohol or not driving while taking it, or a cleanser or chemical that did not warn about wearing protective eyewear or gloves while using it.
When a person has been harmed by a defective product, the South Jersey product liability attorneys at Wallace Law can help. We can file a defective product lawsuit seeking compensation for medical expenses for injuries that you have suffered, lost wages if you have missed any work, and any pain and suffering that you have endured. Contact us today for more information or to set up an appointment.