Products Liability Law Product liability refers to a manufacturer or seller being held liable for placing a defective product into the hands of a consumer. Responsibility for a product defect that causes injury lies with all sellers of the product who are in the distribution chain.
It might be worth contacting the manufacturer initially, just to make sure you're using the product correctly. But if the problem truly is a defect, it's best to return the item for a refund or exchange—if the retailer allows it and you're still in the return period.
To successfully sue for a defective product, you need to prove that: The defendant designed, manufactured, distributed or sold a defective product to the consumer. The consumer used reasonable care when using the product. The consumer was injured due to the defect in the product.
In assessing whether a product was defective, courts have adopted two standards: the consumer expectation standard and the risk-utility standard. Under the consumer expectation standard, a product is defective if its danger is unknowable and unacceptable to an ordinary consumer.
With regard to products liability, a defendant is liable when the plaintiff proves that the product is defective, regardless of the defendant's intent. It is irrelevant whether the manufacturer or supplier exercised great care; if there is a defect in the product that causes harm, he or she will be liable for it.
You can usually still get a full refund due to what's called your 'short-term right to reject'. After that only expect exchange, repair or part-refund. Within six months. The shop must prove goods weren't faulty when they sold them – after that, you must prove they were.
If a conscientious company has discovered a defect with one of its products, it may issue a product recall. Through the recall, they accept the financial burden of replacing, fixing, or reimbursing consumers for the defective goods.
A product defect is any characteristic of a product which hinders its usability for the purpose for which it was designed and manufactured. Product defects arise most prominently in legal contexts regarding product safety, where the term is applied to "anything that renders the product not reasonably safe".
When a product is defective, it means that the product has some kind of flaw or problem that makes it unreasonably dangerous to use. A product may be defective because of poor design, manufacturing errors, or a failure to warn consumers about potential dangers.