Were you injured by a product you thought was safe? You might be dealing with unexpected medical bills, time off work, plus daily fear about why the product failed—and if it could happen again. Knowing how product liability works can help you understand your rights and whether you have a claim.
What Is a Defective Product?
A defective product is any product that poses a danger when used as intended due to a flaw in its design or manufacturing. Product liability law holds manufacturers, distributors, and sellers responsible for providing products that are reasonably safe for consumers. If a product causes injury because of a defect, any organization that designed, built, or sold it may be legally responsible.
There are two main types of product defects:
- Design defects happen when there is a flaw in the product's design, making it unsafe even before it’s manufactured. If a child's toy is designed with small parts that pose a choking hazard, the design itself is dangerous. In these cases, the companies responsible for creating the design, such as engineers and product developers, may be held liable for resulting injuries.
- Manufacturing defects happen during the production process when a product is incorrectly made, even though the design is safe. For example, a properly designed blender could still be dangerous if a factory worker installs the blade incorrectly. In this situation, your defective products lawyer could hold the manufacturer or company that assembled the product responsible.
Common Types of Defective Products
Defective products come in many forms, from everyday items to specialized equipment.
Appliances
Common household appliances can become dangerous if they’re poorly made. Space heaters may overheat and start fires, while faulty wiring in electric blankets can lead to burns. Power tools, like drills or saws, might malfunction due to poor construction or faulty parts, leading to serious cuts or even amputations. In some cases, appliances with faulty batteries might explode, causing fires or burns.
Automotive Parts
Defective automotive parts are especially dangerous because they can lead to accidents on the road. Airbags might fail to deploy during a collision or explode when they shouldn’t, causing severe injuries to the face or head. Faulty braking systems can lead to a loss of vehicle control, resulting in auto accidents that cause broken bones, head trauma, or worse. Defective tires may blow out while driving, causing rollovers and other dangerous situations.
Food
Even food can be considered a defective product. If it’s contaminated during processing, for example if chemicals or bacteria like E. coli or salmonella enter the food supply, it could become dangerous. Poor sanitation practices in food processing plants can lead to widespread foodborne illnesses in products like lettuce, chicken, or eggs. In extreme cases, food contamination can even be life-threatening.
Furniture
You may not think furniture can harm you, but it can be hazardous. Dressers and shelves that tip over can cause serious head injuries or crushing injuries, especially in young children. Poorly constructed furniture might collapse unexpectedly. Glass panels that aren’t properly secured in furniture can break and cause lacerations, while faulty chairs can break under a person’s weight, leading to falls and broken bones.
Medical Devices
Medical devices are meant to improve health, but when they’re defective, they can do the opposite. A filter meant to prevent blood clots might break inside the body, leading to internal bleeding or organ damage. Faulty pacemakers can fail to regulate heartbeats, resulting in heart attacks or strokes. Hip implants can fail, causing extreme pain and requiring further surgeries. Many devices have been recalled after causing harm to patients.
Toys and Games
Toys are supposed to bring joy to children, but defective toys can do the opposite. Some toys have small parts that can detach, becoming choking hazards for young children, like a poorly made stuffed animal with buttons that easily fall off. Others might have sharp edges from poor manufacturing processes, leading to cuts or puncture wounds. Toys with springs or moving parts might also pose risks.
Common Injuries from Defective Products
Injuries from defective products can range from mild to life-threatening, depending on the defect and how the product was used.
Burns
Burn injuries are one of the most common types because they can happen in several ways. Electrical burns can occur when a product with faulty wiring sparks or overheats. Electrical appliances can also cause fires that result in thermal burns. Chemical burns may happen if a product contains harmful chemicals that come into contact with the skin. For example, a cleaning product could cause chemical burns if it spills due to faulty packaging.
Cuts
Defective products often lead to cuts and lacerations, which can be minor or require stitches and medical care. These injuries can happen if a product breaks apart or has sharp edges. For example, a glass coffee table might shatter when you simply place a glass on it, causing deep cuts. The sharp blades on the defective blender we mentioned earlier could expose users to the risk of serious injury.
Choking
Choking is most common in young children, especially when defective toys or small household items are involved. Toys with small, detachable parts, like toy cars with wheels, pose the biggest risk. Choking requires immediate medical intervention—a lack of oxygen to the brain can result in brain injury or even cause a wrongful death.
Eye Injuries
Eye injuries usually happen when small objects or projectiles unexpectedly fly into the eyes, or if harmful chemicals are splashed in them. A defective toy might have spring-loaded parts that cause eye trauma. Products like faulty safety goggles or a poorly made eye shield on a motorcycle helmet can also fail to protect your eyes, leading to injuries from flying debris or chemicals.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are one of the most severe types of injuries defective product lawyers deal with, especially when they result from defective safety equipment or automotive defects. For example, if your helmet doesn’t provide proper protection, you could still end up with a concussion after a motorcycle accident. Car crashes caused by faulty auto parts and defective airbags can also lead to head injuries, with long-term consequences like brain trauma.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries are often caused by defective medical devices or contaminated food products. For example, a faulty pacemaker or defibrillator can cause severe complications with the heart or lungs. Contaminated food can cause gastrointestinal problems that persist long after the initial illness. In some cases, internal injuries can be life-threatening or need long-term treatment.
When to Hire a Lawyer
If you’ve been hurt by a product, it’s important to know when to contact a defective products lawyer. To have a successful case, your lawyer will need to prove several key factors:
- The product was defective.
- The defect existed when the product left the hands of the defendant (the manufacturer, retailer, etc.).
- You were using the product as it was intended to be used.
- You did not alter the product in any way.
- The defect caused you significant harm or injury.
A product is considered “defective” if it carries a risk that would be unacceptable to an ordinary consumer or if the risks of harm outweigh the product’s benefits. Even if you didn’t buy the product yourself, you may still have a claim. For example, if you were injured by a defective product that was given to you as a gift, or if you were hurt as a bystander, you could still take legal action.
Find Out If You Have a Defective Product Case
If you or a loved one is injured, speaking to an experienced defective product lawyer in Oklahoma can help you understand your options. A lawyer can review your case, explain the legal process, and help you pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. The Oklahoma Injury Guy offers free case evaluations to help you determine whether you have a claim. Contact us today for a no-obligation consultation and take the first step toward protecting your rights.