Anyone who has been caused physical, mental or emotional damage as a direct result of exposure or use of a particular product may be able to make a defective product claim. Though most manufacturers make every effort to ensure a high and consistent standard of quality in their products, sometimes standards can slip. This could be due to insufficient product testing, errors in the construction process, or inadequate warning labels and instruction manuals. Whatever the reason, it is the manufacturer’s duty to regulate their products, and if they fail in this duty and you are injured as a result, you could be entitled to claim compensation.
What counts as a defective product?
Almost anything used in everyday life could count as a ‘product’. Any personal injury caused, for example, by food, drink, furniture, transport, electronics or cosmetics could be grounds for a defective product claim. Another common area for claims is medicine and medical devices. If you suffer an illness or physical injury as a result of using a faulty or contaminated drug, or if a drug has harmful side effects that are not clearly indicated in the product information pack, you could have grounds for claiming compensation.
Why should I make a defective product claim?
If a product has caused you lasting injury or suffering, it could mean that you lose income due to extended sick leave from your job, have to pay for expensive counselling or other medical procedures, or are left permanently unable to work. It is not fair that you should have to bear the price of this, and making a claim can help offset the cost, allowing you to concentrate on recovery, rather than worrying about your financial future.
It is also in the interest of everyone that products that could cause harm are identified, especially those purchased by or for children. If there is no system in place to ensure that manufacturers know there are strong legal consequences for releasing faulty products into the market, they may become lax about keeping up standards. Pursuing a claim could mean that others do not have to suffer the same effects, illness or injury that you have, and it could even save lives.
How do I make a claim?
At Injury Lawyers 4U, our specialist teams of highly trained injury lawyers will be happy to advise you as to whether you have grounds for a claim. Their experience and skill in handling defective product compensation claims means that they can give you a step by step guide of the legal process involved. You do not even need to have purchased the product in question yourself to make a viable claim. If you were hurt while the product was being used by someone else (for example, a skin product applied in a beauty salon) or if someone gave you the product, you could still have grounds for making a claim.
You may also have to supply medical evidence to make a successful claim. Injury Lawyers 4 U can arrange a consultation with a qualified medical expert, who can provide you with medical proof of the extent of your injuries and whether or not, in their expert opinion, the injury or illness was caused by direct exposure to a faulty product.
Receiving your compensation
Injury Lawyers 4U work on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis, so in general in the event that your claim is unsuccessful, you’ll have nothing to pay. To learn about your options for compensation, you can call our 24-hour line on 0845 345 4444 or use this contact form today.
