What Is Considered a Defective Product?

When making a product liability case, we must know what we consider a defective product. In Florida, people who buy things have the right to believe that the things they purchase are safe and do not contain dangerous defects. But sometimes, products do not meet safety rules, which can cause harm or even death, leading to potential legal consequences.

What Are Defective Products?

Products that are defective refer to items that can cause harm because of a mistake in their design, manufacturing process, or incorrect labels. A product with a defect can cause damage to the buyer or anyone who uses this item, even when it is used as per the instructions provided. For Florida residents, laws related to the liability of products stipulate that manufacturers and distributors, along with sellers, should take responsibility for any harm caused by defective goods. Identifying a defective product is the first step in establishing a product liability claim.

Types of Product Defects

Knowing about the kinds of product flaws is essential if you want to identify what’s wrong and build a strong case. Usually, there are three main types of issues with products:

Product Design Defects

When a product has an unsafe design, even if it is produced correctly, we call this situation a design defect. A typical instance of this can be seen with cars that have airbags designed inadequately, and, therefore, they open too powerfully, causing significant damage. Here, despite being made as per instructions, the dangerous element lies not within production but the original design of the item, which risks user safety.

Product Manufacturing Defects

When a product’s design is safe, but there are some issues during the creation process, we get manufacturing defects. This kind of defect can be related to using materials that are not up to standard, making mistakes while assembling, or procedures for quality control that aren’t good enough. Take medication as an example: it might have the right formula, but if it gets contaminated at the time of production, this can cause severe risks to health for those who consume it.

Product Label Defects

Defects in labels happen when a product does not have suitable instructions or warnings about potential hazards. In Florida, product makers are obligated to provide understandable labeling and directions so that consumers can use their items safely. A typical instance is medicines that are not sufficiently warned about potential side effects or have the wrong dosage guide, which may cause bad reactions.

Identifying a faulty product is very important when claiming product responsibility. It’s crucial to pinpoint the defect related to design aspects, production process, or label information so those at fault can be liable. If a damaged product has injured you or someone close to you, please contact SS & W Law’s defective products attorneys. We are here to help. Contact us today for professional advice and committed representation to get the compensation that is rightfully yours.