Accidents and injuries can occur when dealing with defective products. If this has happened to you, you may be entitled to make a compensation claim against the responsible party.
How does a product liability personal injury claim work, though? What is product liability? Our experts at Injury Lawyers Direct have compiled all the information for you.
What is product liability?
Product liability refers to the legal responsibility of manufacturers to ensure their products are safe to use and don’t cause any harm to consumers. When products are defective and cause injury, the affected party can hold the manufacturer or seller legally accountable.
In the UK, product liability is covered by laws like the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. They ensure that consumers are legally allowed to seek compensation if they’re ever harmed by a faulty product.
Common types of product liability claims
There are several different types of product liability claims, such as:
- Defective consumer goods – Household appliances, furniture and children’s toys with defective parts could cause health issues and produce injuries.
- Food contamination – Contaminated food can cause health issues, while poor packaging can cause injuries. Products that aren’t labelled properly could trigger allergic reactions, too.
- Medical devices – Faulty medical devices like implants and prosthetics can malfunction and cause injury.
- Vehicle and automotive parts – Defective car parts, like brakes, suspension or tyres, can cause lots of damage to a vehicle, the driver and passengers.
- Cosmetic and personal care – Personal care products, like facial cream, shampoo, and make-up, can potentially cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.
- Sports and fitness equipment – Weightlifting products and other gym equipment can be defective and cause serious harm and injury.
What steps should you take when injured by a defective product?
If you’ve been injured or have experienced health issues because of a defective product, there are five steps to making a product liability claim. They are:
- Seek medical attention – First of all, if you’ve been injured by a faulty product, you should seek medical attention to ensure you’re okay. Whether you’ve experienced an allergic reaction, a health issue or an injury, a medical expert is the first person you should seek help from.
- Preserve the defective product – Next, do not dispose of the faulty product. If you’re to make a product liability claim, you must be able to prove how the product harmed you. Take plenty of photographs and videos to add as further evidence, and ensure you keep all packaging and product information. This can all be used as evidence in your product liability claim.
- Report the incident – Contact the manufacturer or seller and inform them of the situation and your injuries/health issue. This creates an official record of the incident, and some companies may offer some form of compensation after an investigation.
- Gather evidence – If you still have them, store your receipt when you purchased the product. Proof of purchase via your debit or credit card can also help your cause. Further evidence to collect includes writing down a full version of events, from start to finish, to build your case’s strength further.
- Consult a legal expert – Finally, once you’ve completed all of the above steps, it’s time to approach a personal injury lawyer to go through your case. They’ll offer expert legal representation and ensure you get the best possible chance of receiving plenty of compensation.
How to make product liability claims with Injury Lawyers Direct
If you’ve been affected by a faulty product, you could claim against the company that produced it – with our help.
At Injury Lawyers Direct, we’re well-equipped to support product liability claims when a faulty product has caused injury or created health issues.
We’ll look carefully at all the evidence before pushing forward with your claim, ensuring we give you the best representation possible.
Call 0800 110 5888 to make a claim with Injury Lawyers Direct.
