Product liability

Accidents Caused by Faulty Goods or Services

When a product or a service injures you, the producer or supplier can be liable, sometimes without you having to prove they were careless at all.

Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 a producer can be liable for damage caused by a defective product without the injured person having to prove negligence. You have to show the product was defective and that the defect caused the injury, not that anyone was careless. That is a significant advantage, and it is regularly overlooked.

Where the harm comes from a service rather than a product, the position is governed largely by the Consumer Rights Act 2015: services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill.

Keep the item. Keep the packaging, the receipt and any instructions. Do not send a faulty product back to the retailer for testing before you have taken advice. Once it is gone, the evidence usually goes with it.

What you can claim for

Burns, lacerations, allergic reactions and poisoning
Injuries from mechanical or electrical failure
Loss of earnings and treatment costs
The cost of the product itself and any consequential damage
Ongoing symptoms and scarring

Cases we handle

Faulty electrical goods, chargers and batteries
Defective vehicle parts, tyres and child seats
Contaminated food and drink
Cosmetic and beauty treatments carried out badly
Faulty tools, machinery and equipment
Collapsed or defective furniture

Time limits Three years from the injury or from the date you knew it was caused by the product. Claims under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 are also subject to a long-stop of ten years from the date the product was put into circulation, after which the claim cannot be brought at all.

Free initial consultation

Speak to a solicitor today

Tell us what happened and we will tell you honestly whether you have a claim. The first conversation is free, there is no obligation, and if we take your case on it is on a No Win No Fee basis.

Start your claim 0161 637 8010