Product liability claims are governed by negligence principles and, in many cases, strict liability standards. Key legal concepts often include:

• Product defect: Whether the product was unsafe as designed, manufactured, or labeled
• Intended or foreseeable use: Whether the product was used in a reasonably foreseeable manner
• Causation: Whether the defect caused the injury
• Damages: The extent of harm suffered

In strict liability cases, an injured person may not need to prove negligence, only that the product was defective and caused injury.

Product liability claims generally fall into three primary categories. Each defect type involves different evidence and legal analysis.

Product liability law applies to a wide range of products, including:

• Motor vehicles and automotive components
• Medical devices and pharmaceutical products
• Consumer goods and household products
• Industrial machinery and equipment
• Children’s products and toys

Each category may involve distinct regulatory standards and industry practices.

Liability in product liability claims may involve multiple parties, including:

• Product manufacturers
• Designers or engineers
• Distributors or wholesalers
• Retailers or sellers
• Component part manufacturers

Because products often pass through complex supply chains, identifying all responsible parties is a critical part of evaluating liability.

Product defects can cause a wide range of injuries, from minor harm to catastrophic or fatal injuries. From a legal perspective, injury analysis focuses on:

• Whether the injury was foreseeable
• Whether safer alternatives were available
• The severity and permanence of harm
• Long-term medical and financial impact

Product liability claims often require expert testimony to explain how a defect caused the injury.

Many products are subject to federal or state safety regulations. Evidence of regulatory compliance (or noncompliance) may be relevant in product liability cases, though compliance alone does not always eliminate liability.

Understanding applicable safety standards can play an important role in evaluating defect claims.

Product liability claims may be pursued through several different legal pathways depending on the nature of the defect, the number of people affected, and how the product was distributed. Understanding these options helps clarify how defective product claims are structured and resolved.

In some cases, a defective product causes harm to a single individual or a small number of people. These claims are often handled as individual lawsuits focused on the specific facts of the injury, the product defect, and the damages suffered.

Individual claims may be appropriate when injuries are severe, highly personalized, or involve unique circumstances not shared by a broader group of consumers.

Mass torts involve many individuals harmed by the same or similar defective product, such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automotive components, or consumer goods. Each injured person maintains an individual claim, but cases may be coordinated for efficiency during pretrial proceedings.

Mass tort litigation allows courts to manage large numbers of similar cases while preserving the right of each injured person to pursue compensation based on their specific injuries and circumstances.

When product liability claims are filed across multiple jurisdictions, federal courts may consolidate pretrial proceedings through multidistrict litigation (MDL). MDL is a procedural mechanism used to streamline discovery, motions, and expert testimony while allowing cases to return to their original courts if necessary.

MDL proceedings are commonly used in large-scale pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.

➡️ Learn more about mass tort lawsuits.

Class actions may be used when a defective product causes a similar degree of harm or financial loss to a large group of people. Unlike mass torts, class actions typically involve claims that are resolved collectively rather than individually.

In personal injury cases, class actions are much less common than mass torts, but they may be used in certain situations involving economic damages, product recalls, or consumer protection claims.

➡️ Learn more about class action lawsuits.

In some situations, product defects lead to government investigations, safety warnings, or recalls. While regulatory action does not replace a civil lawsuit, it may provide important evidence in product liability claims and influence how cases are evaluated.

The appropriate legal pathway depends on several factors, including:

• The number of people injured by the product
• The similarity of injuries and defects
• Whether injuries are physical, financial, or both
• Jurisdictional and procedural considerations

Each option carries different legal and strategic implications.

Product liability law may overlap with other areas of personal injury law, including:

Clarifying the source of the injury helps determine which legal framework applies.

Product liability law addresses injuries caused by defective or unreasonably dangerous products and focuses on product safety, design, and warnings. These cases often involve complex technical evidence and multiple corporate defendants.

This page serves as a central hub for understanding product liability law and connects readers to more detailed resources on specific types of defective product claims.