What Is Product Liability and When Does It Apply?

In a city like Albuquerque, where outdoor living, off-road vehicles, and rugged home equipment are a part of everyday life, one faulty product can do more than just inconvenience someone; it can actually change their life.

There’s no single federal law that covers product liability in the U.S. It’s all handled by state laws, which means rules can change depending on where you are. Some states require different evidence, and others have different deadlines.

And if you ever find yourself harmed in Albuquerque because something you bought, or even borrowed, was dangerous, speaking to an Albuquerque product liability lawyer is always one recommended step.

Product Liability: Legal Definition

Product liability means that if a product injures you, everyone involved in getting that product into your hands could be responsible. That includes:

The person who made the parts.
The manufacturer that assembled it.
The wholesaler who distributed it.
The store that sold it to you.

Unlike most legal claims, where you have to prove someone was careless, with product liability, the bar is lower; you just need to prove the product itself was faulty and caused your injury.

It’s not just limited to electronics or power tools. It also covers tangible things (like bikes or toys), intangible substances (like gas), living things (like pets), real estate (like houses), and even documents (like navigational charts). As long as it’s a product and it caused harm, it can fall under product liability.

And it doesn’t matter if you bought the item yourself. If it was gifted or borrowed, and it harmed you, you could still have a valid claim.

When Does Product Liability Apply?

To prove a product liability case, five main things must be true:

You used a product that was sold by the defendant.
That person or company sells those kinds of products regularly (not just a one-time garage sale).
You got injured.
The product was defective when it was sold.
That defect directly caused your injury.

That’s it. You don’t even need to prove anyone was careless or had bad intentions.

Let’s say you buy a new lawnmower. You follow all the instructions. But halfway through your yard, the blade guard flies off and slices your leg. That’s a product defect, and if it was sold like that, the manufacturer (and maybe even the retailer) could be liable for the injury.

How Do Courts Decide if a Product Was Defectively Designed?

Even when a product does have a design flaw, companies can sometimes avoid liability using one of two main tests:

Risk-Utility Test

If the product’s usefulness outweighs its risks, the company may not be held liable. This often applies to products that are dangerous because of what they’re made to do (e.g., knives, power tools, or cars).

Consumer Expectation Test

This asks what a reasonable person would expect. If a normal user wouldn’t expect the product to hurt them in the way it did, then it’s defective. But if the danger was obvious or avoidable, the company might not be liable, even if someone was hurt.

Conclusion

If a product harms you, and that harm happened because the product was defective in design, poorly made, or badly explained, the law is on your side. You don’t have to prove someone was evil or careless; you just need to show the product didn’t meet basic consumer expectations.

And if that product was sold in Albuquerque or used there, you’ll need a local lawyer to guide your case and hold the right people accountable.