Consumers should be able to rely on the fact that a product has been designed and built safely and is not defective. A "product" is anything that is sold (with the exception of real estate and services). Motor vehicles, office machinery, farm machinery, industrial machinery, food products sold in grocery stores and restaurants, and over-the-counter drugs are all examples of products. A manufacturer should be held accountable when a consumer is injured by the proper use of the product. Defective products whose labels and instructions fail to warn the consumer of likely hazards and improper use can result in liability for the manufacturer and seller if injury or death occurs.

A manufacturer can be sued for negligence or strict liability. Strict liability means that if the product is used by the consumer in the way it was intended by the manufacturer and according to the manufacturers instructions, then the consumer has a right to expect that use of the product will not cause harm. Usually, manufacturers will defend themselves by claiming there was improper use of the product or that the consumer failed to heed product warnings. They will also try to claim there were alterations made to the product. This may not be a viable defense if it could have been reasonably foreseen by the manufacturer, or if the injury could have been sustained even if the alteration had not occurred. It is important that victims of defective products hire an attorney who can tackle these complex issues and protect their interests.