Generally speaking, the Supply of Goods and Services Act means that both the manufacturer and the seller of a product have a duty to ensure that the product being sold is as descried, fit for purpose, and safe for use.
So what happens if you buy a set of ladders and you are injured because they are defective? Perhaps the ladders fold or collapse even when the locking system is in place? Or perhaps a rung or a section breaks and causes an accident?
If you have suffered because of a dodgy set of ladders you have bought, you may well have a claim for personal injury compensation.
Can You Claim?
A lot of it can come down to exactly how the ladders became defective. There is an acceptable degree of wear and tear when it comes to most products, and we can’t expect a set of ladders to last forever. But if the ladders are a recent purchase, you’d expect them to be safe for use.
I imagine that ladders, like most products, will go through stringent health and safety testing. But the law still places a duty on the seller and manufacturer, so if you are injured, it’s worth pursuing a claim.
Hopefully you still have some record of the purchase – like a receipt, invoice, or perhaps an account statement. Keep the ladders but don’t send them back to the manufacturer or seller if you have already contacted them. You would be wise to speak to us first so we can make certain provisions in the event they do want to inspect the ladders.
If we can prove that the ladders breach the Supply of Goods and Services Act, we can make a claim either against the seller or the manufacturer. Normally we’d start with the seller and they would either accept to deal with the claim or suggest the case be redirected to the manufacturer. As many manufacturers are based abroad, the fact that you can sue the seller is extremely helpful of course.
100% Compensation and no Win, No Fee
For a claim like this (a product liability case) we can offer a full No Win, No Fee service, and unlike most other law firms we will still let you keep all 100% of your compensation payout even though the law changed in April 2013. Law firms are no longer allowed to recover certain fees from the other side, but we do not pass these costs on to you like other law firms do.
So for specialist help and legal advice, call our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 today.