When you go into a store and buy a product, you expect that it’s safe for use. After all, it’s on the shelves — so it must be safe, right?
Unfortunately, though, this is not always the case. Rather, people end up hurt by unsafe products, defective car parts and dangerous medications all the time.
Who is at fault?
While you may be thinking, “if only I didn’t buy that car,” or “I just knew I shouldn’t have bought that toy for my child,” as the consumer – you are not to blame. As long as you were using the product as intended, there is no way you could have known and you should not blame yourself.
Rather, look to the manufacturer. Typically, the cause will fall under one of three types of defects, or a combination of these:
- Manufacturing defects: When issues or mistakes happen during the making of a product, it can cause problems that are a direct threat to consumer safety.
- Design defects: A defect in design can lead to bad manufacturing and ultimately, a consumer product that is dangerous or ineffective.
- Lack of warnings: A manufacturer is responsible for including necessary warnings on products, such as side effects or issues that can come with improper use.
As a consumer, you have the legal right to take action against a manufacturer. And just like you are not the one to blame, you should not feel bad about taking action. While the manufacturer most likely did not intentionally create or design a faulty product, they are still responsible. Taking action against them could also help prevent similar issues from happening in the future to others too.