Product Liability Law

Product liability law is an important law that helps to protect consumers from the effects of dangerous or unsafe products, while holding the manufacturers, distributors, and various other groups accountable for the injuries sustained because of the faulty product. Product liability cases can be built out of three main arguments: there is a design flaw in the product, a manufacturing mistake with the physical contents, or that there was a “failure to warn” regarding the labeling of danger on the product’s packaging.

Product liability law helps individuals who have been injured by products to be able to secure their rights and receive compensation for these issues. There have been a number of product liability cases in the United States regarding products that have caused serious injury and the companies have been taken to court.

One of the most famous product liability cases came in 1994 when a woman sued McDonald’s for $2 million because she had purchased a coffee from McDonald’s and spilled it in her lap while driving. She won this case on the grounds of a “failure to warn”. Essentially, she proved to the court that McDonald’s beverages were hot, but that there was no warning on the cup that they were hot. Because of this, she suffered severe burns and serious pain.

Throughout the nation there have been numerous product liability cases that have stemmed from similar types of incidents.

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