The health and safety of workers often depend on special equipment and workplace machinery. Whether a worker or an employer provides necessary tools and equipment, there is typically an expectation that devices used in the workplace have to function perfectly at all times.
Workers take for granted that they can trust heavy machinery and power tools on the job. Years of working without any major incidents may lull professionals into a false sense of security. Unfortunately, even reputable brands can sometimes release dangerous and defective products.
If those items make their way into a work setting, they could be the underlying reason that a professional gets hurt on the job. When defective tools or equipment break down or malfunction, employees can sustain major, even career-ending injuries. They may break bones, sustain brain injuries or lose body parts. In such scenarios, an injured employee may have grounds for a third-party liability claim.
Businesses are responsible for defective products
Companies that release products to the public generally need to ensure that they function as intended. Organizations usually need to perform testing to ensure that tools and machinery work and can hold up to the strain of regular use. Testing design features, inspecting raw materials and performing quality control checks on products are all key steps to take to ensure that equipment and tools are safe for people to use.
Such testing is especially important when organizations produce items used in a professional capacity. Inadequate design testing, quality control oversights and issues with materials can all result in products failing unexpectedly while used in a professional environment. A professional who relies on that equipment could end up seriously injured.
Provided that the injured worker can show that a product defect caused their injuries, they may have grounds for a third-party liability lawsuit. Injured professionals may be able to recoup the full value of their lost wages and benefits. They can also request compensation for medical expenses and any secondary property damage losses they may have incurred because of a product failing in the workplace.
Product liability lawsuits are often very complex, especially when they involve workplace injuries. Injured professionals may need help gathering evidence and developing a claim to take action in civil court, and that’s okay. Pursuing a product defect lawsuit can help injured professionals hold businesses accountable for releasing unsafe or substandard products.