Consumers generally trust that products available for sale in retail establishments and on the internet are reasonably safe. There is an expectation that companies will properly test products before manufacturing them to ensure consistent quality standards for the items that they release for public consumption.
Unfortunately, product defects are somewhat common. New products may not perform as intended by their manufacturers in some cases. Other times, production issues may lead to otherwise safe products putting consumers at risk. what
There are a variety of different product defects that may affect an assortment of items, including toys and other products purchased for young children. These defects can cause injuries or worse. What are some of the most common product defects that may endanger consumers?
1. Choking hazards
When looking at recalls involving toys and products for young children, choking hazards are a leading issue. Sometimes, manufacturers fail to consider what might happen when toddlers have unsupervised access to certain products.
They could remove pieces from a toy or device and may attempt to explore them with their mouths. When that happens, a toddler could end up choking, with tragic consequences. Unsafe product design that results in choking hazards is a common product defect.
2. Faulty wiring or batteries
Some of the largest product recalls and most serious product defect lawsuits in recent years have originated with wiring and batteries in products. For example, hoverboards and e-bikes sometimes have lithium-ion batteries that can fail during charging and might cause house fires. Defective batteries and wires put people at risk of burns and property damage losses caused by house fires.
3. Quality control issues
Another common reason for product defect lawsuits and recalls is the failure to enforce consistent standards on a production line. Lower-quality raw materials or new hires working on production lines can result in defective production batches.
When companies do not have adequate quality control systems in place, they may release defective products to consumers. They may only become aware of the issues with a particular production batch after reports of product failure start coming in from buyers.
Defective products can cause injuries and major property damage losses. Companies are often responsible for the harm caused by poorly designed or improperly manufactured products. Pursuing a product defect lawsuit may help compensate those affected by poor business practices.