Click here to access our online conveyancing system

Defective Products

When you purchase a brand new product whether it be a motorcar or a bottle of shampoo you would expect it to have gone through a number of checks to ensure that it is safe for the public to use.

Manufacturers and suppliers have a duty of care to ensure that the product they are selling you is safe and meets all the necessary regulatory requirements.

The Consumer Protection Act 1987 imposes strict liability on producers for harm caused by defective products. This means that people who are injured by defective products can sue for compensation without having to prove the producer was negligent. They do have to prove however that the product was defective and the defect in the product caused the injury.

If you have been injured as a result of using a product contact either Sarah Young or Janet Watson in the Personal Injury Team for a professional and friendly service.

Recent cases

  • Damages were secured for a client who crushed and suffered a partial amputation of her left ring finger when she sat on a piano stool she had just purchased. The client had purchased the key board and stool and was intending to take lessons in preparation for her retirement. She had sat on the stool and shuffled forwards to be nearer to the key board and the finger had been able to enter the nip of the stool as she held the side of the stool to re-adjust its position. When she sat down again a bar closed around her finger and crushed it.We successfully claimed damages for pain suffering and loss of amenity, together with lost earnings and loss of future earnings should she lose her job and incur a handicap on the labour market.