Every manufacturer has a responsibility to ensure that products sold to the public will be safe for use by its intended users. When they fail in this responsibility, it can potentially result in severe harm to consumers or to the people around them. Here are five ways that defective products can potentially cause harm to the people who use them:


  • Product malfunctions when used as directed
      • When most people think of defective products, they normally imagine this type of defect, when a product suddenly breaks or malfunctions without warning or explanation. These types of defects may be a result of design flaws that make the product inherently dangerous, or they could be the result of shoddy materials that are not adequate for the product. Defects of this type may include things like furniture that cannot hold the weight of a grown adult, or tools that break when used for ordinary building or repair work.
  • Product contains toxic or hazardous materials
      • Sometimes the product itself works fine under normal circumstances, but is nevertheless dangerous to use due to what is in it. Often, these defective products include toxic substances that can cause harm to people exposed to them, or it can include materials that are unusually flammable or explosive when they are not supposed to be. This may include toys with lead-contaminated paint, or clothing that easily catches fire around exposed flame.
  • Product intended for children contains unsafe parts
      • Any item intended for use by children is supposed to be manufactured to exacting standards to ensure the child does not accidentally hurt themselves while using it. This includes ensuring that these products do not have parts which they might choke on if swallowed, or ensuring they cannot accidentally harm themselves. This may include toys with detachable parts that they may accidentally ingest, or furniture with sharp edges they may cut themselves on.
  • Product is damaged during manufacturing or transport
      • Even if a product is perfectly designed, it can still get damaged during the process of manufacturing it and getting it to the customer. If bits and pieces get cracked or come loose, an otherwise safe product may break or fall apart when used, resulting in unintended harm. This may include an electrical device with a wire that comes loose during transportation, resulting in electrocution when used, or a vehicle that suddenly loses control on the road due to a damaged suspension.
  • Product is mislabeled or has misleading advertising
    • Sometimes, defective products are not defective due to anything wrong with the product itself, but due to how it is labeled or advertised. A label may fail to disclose the presence of certain ingredients or materials, for example, or they may be advertised to be used in a way that its designers never intended. This may include earrings that are labeled as hypoallergenic when they are not, or electronics that are advertised being used in the shower when they are not waterproof.

If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should contact the Tennessee personal injury lawyers at the Keith Williams Law Group. With convenient offices located in Nashville and Lebanon, our lawyers will work with you to create a litigation strategy that protects your legal rights and serves your personal needs. For more information or a free consultation, please contact us at 615-444-2900 or visit our contact page.