When you buy a product, you expect it to perform a specific function and to meet certain safety standards. Unfortunately, some companies release products for sale that have major design issues, defective components or substandard materials that leave them more liable to break.
Companies that have turned out defective products often initiate recalls so that consumers can return the products for a refund or have them repaired in the case of larger, more expensive products like vehicles. Sometimes, people may need to seek compensation because defective products cause real harm to them or their households.
Defective products can cause property damage
If you purchase a new electric power drill that shorts out at the socket and causes sparks to fly, there could be a fire at your house with hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage expenses. Vehicle components that fail while you drive could mean that you total your vehicle or someone else’s.
Defective products can cause serious injury
Imagine feeling confident about using a product, only to have it fail and injure you. Maybe a curling iron severely shocked you because it was missing a basic component. Perhaps your power drill turned on when it shouldn’t have and cut you as a result. You may incur thousands of dollars in direct medical costs related to the failure of a product.
Injuries may mean missing out on work
If you suffer a serious injury because of a defective product, you may need to spend several days in the hospital getting treatment or several weeks waiting for your injuries to heal before you go back to work. Those lost wages can mean significant financial hardship for your household. Identifying and quantifying the possible losses from a defective product can help you hold the right party accountable.
