Attorney Michael Melonakos is the founder of The Melonakos Law Firm, where he concentrates his practice on personal injury matters, including motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, premises liability, nursing home abuse, workers’ compensation, and more. The law firm’s efforts have secured more than $50 million for injured people.

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What Is a Product Defect?

A product defect is a characteristic or flaw in a product that makes it dangerous, even when used as intended. Product liability allows consumers to take legal action if a defective product injures them.

Types of Product Defects

Under product liability law, there are three types of product defects:

  • Design defects – A design defect is an inherent flaw in the way a product is designed that renders the product unreasonably dangerous for users. When defects are introduced in the design phase, products are considered defective before they are ever manufactured or assembled, and may be dangerous even when manufactured perfectly. Each product manufactured using the same faulty design will be defective in the same way.
  • Manufacturing defects – A manufacturing defect is a flaw or abnormality introduced during the manufacturing or assembly of a product. When manufacturing defects occur, products are not made according to presumably safe design standards. These defects can happen when there are issues or anomalies during the manufacturing process, such as impurities, malfunctions, or human errors.
  • Defects in marketing – This defect occurs when a product reaches a consumer without sufficient instructions, warnings, or other labels as to its safe use. A properly designed and manufactured product may still be considered defective if it is missing the appropriate safety labels.

Defective Product Injuries in Greenville, SC

Defective products can injure consumers in various ways. They may not operate as intended, break into small pieces that create choking hazards, or lack the necessary safety features to prevent injury. Some of the most common types of injuries caused by defective products in Greenville include:

  • Burns – Burns can occur when household electronics have faulty wiring, lack an appropriate failsafe, or lack proper warning labels. Noxious cleaning products and certain topical pharmaceuticals can result in chemical burns.
  • Choking – Choking injuries and fatalities are sadly common among children. Many toddlers and young children place objects in their mouths and choke on hazardous or defective toys with dangerously small parts.
  • Drug injuries – Many consumer injuries occur due to dangerous or defective drugs, including over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs. Common defective drug injuries include congenital disabilities, organ failure, and heart attacks.
  • Fractures – Fractures commonly occur when products break or collapse unexpectedly. This can include products like high chairs, pieces of furniture, bicycles, and swing sets.
  • Head injuries – Head injuries can be particularly devastating as they may result in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Common causes of head injuries include defective motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, and helmets.

Defective boats, motors, life jackets, and navigation equipment can also injure or kill passengers — victims in these cases may have a boating accident product liability claim against the manufacturer.

To consult with an experienced Product Liability attorney serving Greenville, SC call (864) 485-5555