Product Liability Definition

A product liability claim or lawsuit seeks to hold a product manufacturer, distributor, or seller responsible for harms caused by a product that:

  • is carelessly designed, manufactured, or labeled
  • doesn't live up to the terms of a warranty or guarantee, or
  • is defective and unreasonably dangerous when put to an intended or foreseeable use.

Product liability claims can be grounded in a variety of legal theories, including negligence, breach of warranty, and strict liability. Strict liability is a particularly effective theory because it doesn't require the plaintiff (the injured party who files a lawsuit) to prove that the defendant (a party who gets sued, like a manufacturer) was negligent or otherwise at fault. The defendant's fault results from introducing a defective and unreasonably dangerous product into the "stream of commerce."