From cars to canned goods, defective products cause harm. If you suffer an injury when using an item you purchase or receive as a gift, you may have a legal claim for compensation against the product’s designer, manufacturer, distributor, or seller. Before consulting an attorney, here’s what you should know about the three basic types of defects that lead to product liability claims.

Design Defects

Products that would not normally cause injury can be defective because their designs make them inherently dangerous. An example of this type of defect is a chest of drawers that might fall onto a small child because its design makes it top-heavy. Items with design defects are usually placed on the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall list.

Manufacturing Defects

When products are designed properly, but a defect occurs during the manufacturing process, the company making the item can be held liable. Manufacturing defects are typically accidental and include assembling parts improperly, using inferior materials, and introducing foreign matter. For example, insufficient tightening of the lug nuts when assembling cars is a manufacturing defect that can lead to serious injuries.    

Warning and Labeling Defects

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulates warnings and labeling for a wide variety of products. Labels on products that do not meet required standards or contain errors can cause consumers to suffer from an illness or injury when using the products. For example, if a canned food label fails to disclose ingredients such as peanuts or milk products, and you are allergic to one of those items, consuming the product could sicken you.

Warnings can be defective if they are not located on a product properly or are worded inadequately. To pursue label or warning defect claims, it’s important to preserve the item with its label intact.

If you suspect you have a products liability claim, get help from the attorneys at Craven & Perry, PLLC. For more than 20 years, these lawyers have been providing injured individuals throughout Gulf Shores, AL, with aggressive and effective representation. Their goal is to obtain the best possible outcome for you, whether they negotiate a settlement or win at trial. Visit their website now to learn more about how these attorneys can assist you or call (251) 968-8170 to schedule your initial consultation.