Manufacturers create products and should assume complete responsibility for the safety of the products you use. However, negligence or careless oversight could mean faulty products occasionally make their way to store shelves.
Retailers also uphold the responsibility to verify that the products they sell are both legal and safe. Their disregard for public safety to make a profit could create costly consequences for them and potentially dangerous consequences for you.
Reporting is the law
The Consumer Product Safety Commission handles all cases where non-compliant products present a risk to you. According to the CPSC, the law requires retailers to report any hazardous products that fail to comply with industry-regulated standards. Retailers may involve other parties within the supply chain to effectively inform and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Unless retailers have received legitimate correspondence from the CPSC stating the danger of specific products, it is their legal obligation to report. Whether or not you or other consumers suffer an injury because of their negligence, retailers who do not report concerning products may face both civil and criminal consequences.
Compensation for injuries
If you have suffered an injury because of a defective product, you may experience related pain and trauma for the remainder of your life. What can make this situation even more difficult is the realization that your suffering is the result of another entity’s negligence or reckless behavior. Seeking compensation for your injuries is your legal right. With adequate time and thorough documentation of your experience and the resulting consequences, you can help protect other consumers from injury.
