Product Liability Law | Reading Product Instructions: Product Liability Law

If you've ever carefully read any product instructions, you'll notice they use many different qualifiers. These are designed to limit the liability of the company in the event that someone is injured by their product. The idea is that the company has to tell you what the product is safe to use for and make sure that you understand not to use it in ways that are not safe. Some of the things you've probably seen include:

• Use in a ventilated area
• Use hand and eye protection
• Wear protective clothing
• Do not use near water
• Do not use near power lines

All of these warnings are designed to keep you safe. The example about not using products near power lines is oftentimes affixed to items such as television antennas and ladders. This is because these devices conduct electricity and using them near a power line may end up injuring or killing you.

When There Is No Warning

There have been cases where a product didn't warn adequately about a specific danger and where someone was injured and sued. Currently, there is a lawsuit in court against the manufacturer of a drain cleaner for this reason. One of the users was blinded in one eye when the product splashed back and the man claims he wasn't adequately warned about this hazard.

Using a product against the manufacturer's directions means that you won't be able to sue. For instance, if you're spray painting in an enclosed area and you're overcome by fumes and wind up in the hospital, there is little you can do about it in the way of lawsuits. Spray paint manufacturers always warn you that you should be in a ventilated area when you use their products.

The time to contact a product liability law firms is when you were using something according to the directions and you were subsequently injured. These cases are fairly common, and some of the injuries that people suffer are pretty severe. If you did everything right and a product ended up causing you harm, talking to an attorney may enable you to file a lawsuit to receive compensation for your injuries and your expenses. When manufacturers don't warn consumers adequately about the dangers of their products, product liability law provides legal recourses that people can take.