During the holidays, as consumers, many of us end up with a lot of new products. From Christmas décor we want to use to gifts we have purchased for loved ones, all kinds of items find their way into our lives. However, have you ever thought about the risk you may be taking by buying some of those products?
Today, we will discuss how you can stay safe from defective products this holiday season. What are your rights, what can you do, and who can you turn to if you are affected by them?
Tips For Injury Prevention
It is up to the manufacturer to ensure that they sell only safe products to consumers. They are also held strictly liable for injuries that result from the use of defective products. However, it is the responsibility of the consumer to do their research, shop carefully, and stay up to date on all recent recalls to keep themselves safe.
Recall News
For the latest consumer product recall information, you can visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website. They provide recall information for most types of items. If the products are consumable, you can check the Food and Drug Administration website for recall information.
Register Products
Regularly checking recall websites is good, but you also want to make sure to register your products so you will be notified in the case of a recall in the future. Doing so informs the manufacturer where to find you so they can send you a prompt notification.
Pay Attention
Before purchasing any products, it is always good to know exactly where the product is coming from. Keep in mind that our local safety standards are not always followed in other countries. So when choosing to purchase products from a foreign market, determine where they are coming from and do an assessment before bringing them into your home.
Read Product Warnings
You should also read all product warnings because those labels alert you to potential hazards you may experience when using a particular item. You should also make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when it comes to safely using their products.
Product Liability Claims
Even if you follow all of these safety guidelines, accidents can still happen. That is why you need to be prepared and understand your rights regarding the different product liability claims out there.
• Design Defect: This is a civil action against a manufacturer based on how dangerous a defective product design is. In Florida, a product that is deemed defective because of a design issue is in a condition in which it is unreasonably hazardous for the user.
• Manufacturing Defect: This is the most common product liability claim. It is a lawsuit based on a manufacturing defect. This is for when the overall design was deemed safe, but something happened during the manufacturing process that made the product unsafe.
• Warning And Labeling Defect: This product liability claim comes about when there is some kind of danger to using a product and the manufacturer failed to warn of this danger. This is more common with prescription medications.
If you feel you have a case against a manufacturer or a distributor due to their product being defective in some way, don’t hesitate to contact a personal injury attorney. They will be able to discuss the details of your product liability claim and help you get the compensation you deserve.
With the holidays fast approaching, we need to be more diligent about the products we purchase and bring into our homes. That way, we can keep ourselves and our entire family safe at all times.