Liability Laws And New Products
In recent years, liability laws in the United States have meant both good and bad things for producers of new products. “Strict liability” suggests that an implied warranty follows all end-user products along the purchasing chain, so a user who buys from a retailer can still sue the manufacturer for injuries suffered from product defects. The user doesn’t even have to use the product properly. If a defect is discovered, then it’s the maker’s fault. One can understand why consumers would desire this protection, since defects could have deadly consequences, especially with the industrial production of motor vehicles.
But one early result of the stricter laws was whole lines of consumer products being removed from the market. Some companies hired product liability professional legal counsel, hoping to avoid complying with tightening regulations. One of their arguments was that judgments shouldn’t be made based on scientific information that wasn’t even known about when the products were made. They also claimed the laws removed incentive even to develop new products.
As a result of the liability pressures on manufacturers of new products, many other companies took what was perhaps a more responsible route. Rather than decreasing or altogether ceasing new product research and innovation, they increased these activities. They actually spent more time researching how to produce better quality products, rather than seeking legal ways to avoid responsibility for producing those of lower quality.
Both manufacturers and retailers may argue that applying strict liability to new products puts no responsibility on the consumer to use products correctly, and it prevents growth in the market. But others might point out that if something protects people from injury due to defective products, then that’s not a bad thing. If strict liability has prevented badly designed or defective items from entering the market, and encouraged companies to produce better products, then strict liability may have resulted in a net gain in society.
To have an insurance policy is to have security. But to find someone to help you is a little difficult. Rene Lacape can rescue you from your problems. He is a fine insurance agent who knows all the things you like to ask and show you how you get the best deal from it.
