I have always been a conscientious and wise consumer. Personally, I don’t believe in the slogan that says, “Customer is always right.†And I don’t want to take advantage of it just to get the kind of customer satisfaction I so desired. But there is one thing I am sure of, “a customer always has the right.†Yes, it’s true, and a wise consumer knows how to protect those rights at all cost.
Whether I am buying a gadget, home technology or anything that would cost me a fortune, I meticulously check the items before adding it to my cart. But there are times when you failed to see the defects of a particular item until it already caused you harm or injury.
If you are a merchant, you should know how to protect yourself from the risks of defective merchandise. This could cause your business to fall if you didn’t know anything about product liability. Hence, you need to be aware of the most important laws that protect both consumers and business owners.
The Defective Products
-
Design – This refers to the original layout of the product. Some manufacturers create a design to win attention from the consumers. These merchandises are designed dangerously and could cause unwarranted damage to the users.
-
Manufacturing – a breach from the blueprint of the product could cause frailty or damage to the product output. Defective outputs that are sold has a great possibility of causing injury to the consumers who are unaware of the product’s shortcoming.
-
Marketing – Erroneous labeling, inaccurate instructions, and unsafe warnings that led to the injury of a consumer are few of the common classifications of defective products.
Learn About Product Liability
This is the general term for the law governing defective merchandises. It embodies the manufacturers, distributors or designers’ responsibility over the consumer products. It ensures safety and protection for the consumers. Thus, when you, or someone you know, were caught in a terrible situation caused by a defective product, you have to know how to preserve your right and learn about the product liability law to be able to find justice.
What to Do and to Consider Before Taking Legal Action?
When you think about filing for a product liability case against a manufacturer or distributor, you have to make sure you are ready for the long, arduous and complicated process. Of course, if you were the plaintiff you have to build a strong case. The court will determine whether the product is really defective, not substantially modified, and that it really caused the injury or personal damages to your client(s). There are also several limitations you need to know and understand, which could cost you time, money and stress.
The Good Move
One of the most important things I learned from my businessman friend is the importance of having enough knowledge about consumer rights. Having that knowledge will serve as our legal shield whenever we are trapped in any circumstance that might require us to take legal actions.
So my advice, learn about LegalShield, talk to your business lawyer, and know the process on how to protect your rights and what to do when you were in a situation that involves product liability.
Brandon Peters is an entrepreneur, writer and a travel, gadgets, health, and outdoors enthusiast. He loves sharing his insights, knowledge and experience in different fields. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.