5 Common Product Defects That Lead to Serious Injury
If you’ve ever purchased a product that didn’t work quite right, you might know the frustration it can bring. But sometimes, a defective product can do more than frustrate—it can cause real harm. When this happens, you may suffer a product liability injury.
Knowing the most common and dangerous product defects can help protect you and your loved ones from potential harm. Here are five common ways a product can lead to serious injuries.
1. Design Defects: The Problem Is Built Right In
When a product has a design defect, it’s dangerous from the start. Even if it’s built exactly as planned, it’s inherently unsafe.
For example, certain power tools are sometimes designed without proper safety guards. Or perhaps a truck is built without required safety features in place. These oversights can expose you to severe risks like cuts or burns, and even death.
In these cases, the flaw lies in how the product was envisioned from the beginning. If you’re hurt because of a design defect, you may have a strong case for compensation since the fault goes back to the initial design itself.
2. Manufacturing Defects: Mistakes Made on the Production Line
Sometimes, a product is safe in theory but becomes dangerous because of errors during manufacturing.
Imagine a car seat designed with strong, durable materials, but a problem on the assembly line produces some seats with weak straps. This flaw might not be noticeable until an accident happens, leading to tragic results.
Manufacturing defects happen more often than people realize and can turn a product that should be safe into a serious hazard.
3. Failure to Warn: The Missing Safety Labels
Manufacturers have to provide warnings about potential risks and instructions on how to use their products safely.
For instance, certain cleaning chemicals might need proper ventilation, but if the label doesn’t warn you of the dangers, you could be at risk for breathing issues or even poisoning.
In our line of work, medications are especially dangerous for failing to warn their users. Major pharmaceutical companies will omit the worst side effects from their labels, even if the company discovered the risks when they first developed the drug. And in some cases, they refuse to put a black box warning on the medication until a court forces them to do so.
If a product doesn’t include clear instructions or warnings and injures you, you may have grounds for a claim.
4. Packaging Defects: When Safety Seals Fail
You may have noticed tamper-evident seals on medicine bottles or child-resistant caps on certain household chemicals. These safety features are there for a reason: to keep harmful substances out of reach of children or to show if a product has been tampered with.
Packaging defects are often overlooked, but they’re incredibly important when it comes to keeping you safe. When these safety measures are faulty or missing, injuries often follow. Children might gain access to potentially poisonous substances, or an unsealed bottle might contain contaminants.
We’ve also covered plenty of cases where pharmacies give their customers the wrong drug. While this is a similar injury, it’s not exactly a product defect. Instead it would be considered negligence on the part of the pharmacy–still a personal injury claim, but a different kind.
5. Software Defects: When Digital Failures Put You at Risk
As more products rely on digital components, software defects become a real issue.
For example, a modern car’s braking system often relies on software to work properly. But what if it fails at a crucial moment?
These software flaws can turn everyday products like vehicles, home appliances, or even medical devices into hazards. If you’re injured by a software malfunction, you know these digital defects are as serious as physical ones and deserve an investigation.
Your Rights After a Product Liability Injury
When manufacturers cut corners or ignore their product’s dangers, they should be held accountable. The public deserves answers, and you deserve compensation.
As an experienced personal injury attorney, I’ve seen how product liability injury cases can bring justice and support to families dealing with the aftermath of a preventable injury.
In the worst moments of your life, our award-winning team steps in to handle everything on your behalf. We investigate your case, negotiate with these major corporations and insurance companies, and fight to get you the compensation you need and deserve.
And on top of that, we don’t make anything less and until we win your case. That means you don’t have to worry about anything except what matters most: healing from your injury.
If you’ve been hurt in a product liability injury, reach out today. Just contact us online or call us at 901-327-2100.