Liability for defective products is a crucial part of UK consumer protection law, ensuring that manufacturers, retailers, and distributors are held accountable when unsafe or faulty goods cause harm. You expect the products you buy to be safe and reliable, yet failures in product safety remain a serious issue across the UK.
According to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), its Product Safety Database Report 2023–24 recorded over 2,300 notifications of unsafe or non-compliant consumer products, with 15.8% involving injuries. The most affected categories included electrical appliances, cosmetics, and toys, items used daily in homes across the country.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) also reports that unsafe consumer goods contribute to thousands of home and leisure accidents each year, many leading to emergency hospital visits.
When a product causes injury, the impact can be severe, physically, emotionally, and financially. Claim Time Solicitors specialise in liability for defective products cases, helping clients nationwide recover fair compensation on a No Win, No Fee basis.
What’s in this blog?
- Understanding liability for defective products
- What to do immediately after a product-related injury
- Who can be held responsible?
- How contributory negligence can affect your claim
- Common examples of product liability claims & client’s story
- Compensation: What you can claim & why choose Claim Time Solicitors?
- Taking action with confidence
- FAQs
Understanding liability for defective products
Under UK law, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers all have a duty of care to ensure the products they sell are safe. If a product is defective and causes injury, illness, or property damage, those responsible may be held legally accountable.
This responsibility is established under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, which gives you the right to claim compensation for harm caused by a defective product without needing to prove negligence, only that the product was defective and caused injury.
In legal terms, liability for defective products applies when a product fails to meet the level of safety that consumers are entitled to expect. This could include:
- Design flaws that make the product unsafe
- Manufacturing errors that create hidden risks
- Insufficient warnings or incorrect usage instructions
- Poor quality control during production
Even if a product passed safety checks or was used correctly, you can still have grounds for a claim if the defect directly caused harm.
What to do immediately after a product-related injury?
If you’ve been injured by a product, taking the right steps early can make or break your claim.
- Seek medical attention: Get treated straight away and keep all medical reports as evidence.
- Preserve the product: Do not throw away or repair the defective item. It’s key evidence.
- Record details: Note the time, place, and circumstances of the incident.
- Take photographs: Capture the product, packaging, and injuries.
- Keep receipts and documents: Proof of purchase helps link the product to you.
- Avoid direct contact with the manufacturer: They may attempt to settle quickly or deny responsibility.
- Contact Claim Time Solicitors: Our specialists in liability for defective products can assess your case confidentially and start your claim.
Who can be held responsible?
Multiple parties can share responsibility under UK law, including:
- Manufacturers, who design and produce the product
- Importers, if the product was made outside the UK
- Retailers, who sold the defective item to the consumer
- Distributors, who handled the product’s storage or transport
You don’t need to decide who’s at fault, that’s our job. Claim Time Solicitors investigates the supply chain to identify all liable parties and maximise your compensation.
How contributory negligence can affect your claim
Some injured consumers worry they can’t claim because they “might have used the product incorrectly.”
However, UK law recognises that accidents are rarely black and white.
The concept of contributory negligence allows you to recover compensation even if you were partly to blame, for example, if you failed to read an unclear instruction or slightly misused a product that should have been safer.
In these cases, your compensation may be reduced by a percentage that reflects your share of responsibility, but you can still claim significant damages. At Claim Time Solicitors, we help clients minimise those reductions by proving that the product’s defect played the dominant role in causing the injury.
Common examples of product liability claims
You can claim for a wide range of product-related injuries, including:
- Burns or electric shocks from faulty electrical goods
- Cuts, fractures, or crush injuries from defective tools or machinery
- Allergic reactions or poisoning from unsafe food or cosmetics
- Faulty vehicle parts causing road accidents
- Defective medical devices or implants leading to complications
These are not isolated incidents; product recalls across the UK have increased by 30% in the past five years, according to data from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (2024).
Client’s story
Emma, a 32-year-old customer from Birmingham, purchased a branded hair dryer online. Within two weeks, it overheated, caught fire, and caused burns to her hand and scalp. The manufacturer denied responsibility, claiming she had “misused” the device.
With help from Claim Time Solicitors, Emma’s legal team proved that a wiring defect made the product unsafe. The case settled for £12,500 in compensation, covering her medical treatment, lost income, and emotional distress.
This example shows how liability for defective products can hold companies accountable, even when they try to shift blame.
Compensation: What you can claim
If you’ve suffered injury or financial loss due to a defective product, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Loss of income during recovery
- Medical expenses and rehabilitation
- Long-term care or treatment costs
- Damage to property (for example, burns to clothing or furnishings)
Every case is unique, but compensation amounts can range from a few thousand pounds for minor injuries to six-figure settlements for severe or life-changing harm.
Why choose Claim Time Solicitors?
Product liability cases require expertise, evidence handling, and strong legal advocacy. Claim Time Solicitors has over 20 years of experience helping clients across the UK win compensation for defective and dangerous products.
We offer:
- No Win, No Fee representation, you pay nothing unless we win your case
- Specialist solicitors experienced in liability for defective products
- Comprehensive investigation into manufacturer and retailer responsibility
- Personal, compassionate service from start to finish
Our mission is simple: to make justice accessible to everyone harmed by unsafe products.
Taking action with confidence
If a product you bought caused harm, you’re not powerless. UK law protects you, and companies are held accountable when they put consumers at risk.
By working with Claim Time Solicitors, you can recover compensation for your injuries and ensure the same product doesn’t harm someone else.
Contact us today on 0800 970 2727 for a free and confidential consultation. We’ll explain your rights, handle every step of the process, and fight your case on a No Win, No Fee basis.
You trusted the product. Now, let us help you trust justice.
FAQs
Will I still get compensation if I was partly to blame?
Yes. Under UK law, you can still claim under liability for defective products even if you were partly at fault. Your compensation may be reduced, but you will not lose your right to claim.
Will I have to go to court?
Most product liability cases are settled through negotiation. Only a small percentage proceed to court and Claim Time Solicitors will represent you every step of the way if that happens.
Can I make a No Win No Fee claim?
Absolutely. We handle all no win no fee claims, meaning you pay nothing upfront and no legal fees unless your case succeeds.
How long do I have to make a claim?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of the injury or from when you became aware of the defect. Contact us as soon as possible to preserve evidence and protect your rights.