Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Who Do We Contact for Defective Products?
The government should work for you, the consumer. At Kiley Law Group, we can help you find the information to help with questions about defective products. If you have been injured by a defective product, we will get you compensation for your medical costs. Where can you go for more information? The government has several federal agencies that are a good place to start.
How can you tell if a product is defective? If the product does not perform as the manufacturer says it should, it may be defective. The law describes a defective product as one that is unfit, or unsafe when used for its intended purpose. This may be due to the design of the product, there may be a flaw in the manufacture, or the manufacturer may not have adequately warned the consumer of possible dangers of the product. For information regarding safety standards for particular products, go to the CPSC website.
If you have been injured as a result of using a defective product, you should stop using it, photograph the product and the injury, document everything about the product, and turn over all of this information, documentation, and the product itself to a lawyer like Tom Kiley, who specializes in product liability.
It may be that the product that injured you has been recalled by the government or by the manufacturer. To find out what kinds of products have been recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is the place to start. They have information on product recalls covering appliances, clothing, electronic and electrical devices, furniture, household products, children’s products, lighting and lighters, outdoor items, and sports/exercise equipment.
The CPSC does not have jurisdiction over all products, but it is a wonderful resource to look for information regarding recalls. From the website, you can search for a particular product, do a search according to a product description, do a search by company. You can also subscribe to the CPSC e-mail subscription list to be notified of future government recalls. You can also report unsafe products to the CPSC on their website.
There are various government agencies that address unsafe products of different kinds. For questions regarding problems with motor vehicles, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unsafe boats or boating equipment can be reported to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Unsafe food and food products are handled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you think the food you have bought or have eaten is unsafe because it was not inspected correctly, contact the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also answers questions regarding unsafe medicines and cosmetic products.
For questions regarding pesticides, rodentcides, fungicides, and vehicle emission tests, contact the Environmental Protection Agency.
