Manufacturing Defect as a Cause of Action in New York

When you buy a product, you expect it to work as intended and not pose any danger. However, there are times when a product may have a manufacturing defect, which can lead to unexpected injuries. Let’s take a closer look at what manufacturing defects are, how they occur, and what your rights are if you’re affected by one.

Defining Manufacturing Defects

A manufacturing defect happens when a specific unit of a product is flawed due to errors in the manufacturing process itself. This can involve mistakes in how the product was put together, the use of subpar materials, or other mishaps during construction. These defects make the product different from the majority of items produced according to the intended design, and they can lead to injuries for consumers.

Proving Your Case

For a person to make a valid claim based on a manufacturing defect, they must prove a few important points.

Defective Product Unit: The specific product they used was flawed due to errors in manufacturing or materials.

Defect at Purchase: The product was defective right when it left the manufacturer’s hands.

Product’s Non-Performance: The product didn’t work as intended, causing harm.

Injury Link: The defect directly caused the injury the person experienced.

Manufacturing vs. Design Defects

It’s crucial to distinguish between manufacturing defects and design defects. Manufacturing defects arise from issues in the making of the product, while design defects stem from problems in how the product was originally designed, even if it’s made perfectly. Design defects can still be risky even when carefully constructed.

Focusing on the Defect

In cases of manufacturing defects, the main focus is on the existence of the defect itself, regardless of how much care the manufacturer took. This means that if a flaw is present and it led to an injury, the manufacturer can still be held responsible, regardless of their efforts.

Conclusion

When you purchase a product, you have the right to expect that it’s safe and functional. If you’re injured due to a manufacturing defect, you shouldn’t have to bear the burden alone. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their products are safe for use, and if they fail in this duty, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries.

Find the Law

“In order to demonstrate a manufacturing defect under either negligence or strict liability, a plaintiff must show that a specific product unit was defective as a result of some mishap in the manufacturing process itself, improper workmanship, or because defective materials were used in construction, and that the defect was the cause of plaintiff’s injury . . . . To establish a claim based on a manufacturing defect, a plaintiff must prove that the product did not perform as intended and that it was defective at the time it left the hands of the manufacturer.” Narvaez v. Wadsworth, 58 Misc. 3d 1229 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2018).