At some point or another we have all bought something that ends up not working, but perhaps not so many of us have bought a product that ends up being a hazard to the user. It can come as quite a shock, especially if your harmed by something you have only just bought.
It’s quite clear cut when it comes to the law’s governing the sale of products; The Sale of Goods act 1939 determines that the goods must be safe and they must fit the description given for the product. They must also be of satisfactory quality and fit the purpose intended. If the product requires assembling or installing, the customer must be supplied with adequate instructions. If you receive a demonstration of the product prior to purchase, the product must also fit that demonstration. It’s also worth noting that the law states that the fault lies with the retailer and not the manufacturer, even for website based sales.
When you purchase a new product, most of us would expect it to have gone through the necessary checks in order for it to go on sale to the public. This is the case for the majority of products; however there are the odd few instances when products have slipped through the net and in actual fact they are unsafe to be on the shelves for purchase.
If you happen to be harmed due to the faultiness of a product, you could potentially have a claim for compensation.
For example, perhaps you have purchased food product which has resulted in you becoming ill, or you might have bought some kind of electrical product which was defective and caught fire as a result, causing burns or scalding. You might have purchased some kind of furniture that broke when you attempted to use it. All examples are cases for which a compensation claim can be made.
It is never a pleasant experience to be involved in an accident, no matter how minor or major the injury may be. If you decide to make a claim for compensation you want to know that your interests are the priority and that you receive the adequate guidance you need in pursuing your claim. It can be quite a scary aspect initially, that’s why it’s always nice to have the peace of mind in knowing that your claim is in the hands of professional injury lawyers.
The best advice is to research the companies you are looking to claim with, at no point should you feel pressured – the choice is yours! It’s always a good idea to choose an independent firm of specialists; that way you will know that your claim hasn’t been purchased by the highest bidder, and you haven’t been caught by a middleman!