Product Liability

A repairer, seller or manufacturer of defective goods is liable for injuries sustained by the person(s) using them. Liability may also extend to persons who did not purchase the product, but were using the product in a "foreseeable" manner when the injury occurred. Also, people injured as a result of someone else using a defective product may be able to recover if their injuries were caused by the product's defect.

In other words, the manufacturer of the defective product and its sellers are liable for injuries caused as a result of the defect. Everyone between the manufacturer and retailer, who are considered to be in the "chain of commerce," such as wholesalers or distributors, may be liable even though they did not "cause" the defect.

If the defective part was a component in a larger product (for example, a defective seat belt in an automobile), the component producer may be liable, as well as the manufacturer of the larger product and may be held equally responsible.