A defective product is one that has something wrong with it that can cause injury or illness. There are a number of reasons a product can be defective. A mistake can be made at the manufacturing end of things—perhaps a faulty part was used or some parts weren’t put together properly. Another contributing factor is if the product doesn’t have adequate warning labels or instructions for use. What, though, about the product design? Could bad design contribute to defects? And if you purchase a product that is faulty, is there anything you can do about it?
Faulty Design
A product can be perfectly fabricated by the manufacturer and still end up faulty. How is this possible? If the product design is faulty, it doesn’t matter how well the manufacturer put the product together, the end result will be defective. At times, the product can even turn out to be dangerous.
We’ve seen examples of faulty product design quite a bit lately in the automobile industry. When SUVs became popular it seemed like everyone had to have one. It was soon discovered, however, that many SUVs were flipping or tipping over on curves. What was the reason? The manufacturing was completely up to par; it was the design that was faulty.
There are many other situations where the designer is liable. From the electric blanket that electrocutes users to the hammer with the head that flies off and injures someone, faulty design is nothing new.
Why You Should Argue Your Case
There are a couple of important reasons why a person should argue their case against a product designer or manufacturer.
- Justice for the victims: Someone who has become ill, been seriously injured or has died because of a defective product deserves justice. Through no fault of their own did they become ill or injured, both of which cost money. Whether the victim just wants a refund, an apology or financial compensation for pain and suffering, they have a right to some sort of justice.
- Prevent further accident or injury: Hopefully changes will be made by the designer or manufacturer when a defective product is brought to their attention. If not, the law can step in and make them change their design or manufacturing processes. There is no need for more people to end up getting injured. To allow a product to continue being manufactured as is, with its defect, would be wrong.
Defective products happen sometime. No one is perfect. However, safety is the most important thing. If a designer or manufacturer keeps producing defective products more people could end up ill or injured. There is a measure of accountability and responsibility that needs to be taken seriously. Sometimes, in order for this to happen, a liability case needs to be made against the product producer. If you have purchased a defective product that has caused illness or injury, contact the law office of John C. Fitzpatrick. We’ll be happy to review your defective product liability case.