Product liability claims for defective batteries

Living in the 21st century we rely on batteries for the performance of a multitude of daily tasks. We have batteries in cars, batteries in our mobile telephones and batteries in our laptop computers.

While problems with these kinds of batteries might be quite common and issues of product liability might arise as a result of their improper function, these problems can usually be settled directly with the manufacturer.

However, if a battery has a hazardous rather than a benign defect, the chances of needing to make a product liability compensation claim for the defect are greatly increased.

The kinds of inbuilt, powerful, rechargeable batteries that come in laptops, mobiles and road-going vehicles will need regular recharging at an electrical supply. It is when complications arise from a battery being recharged that the potential for a person suffering personal injury to either themselves or their property are greatest.

If a battery is fraught with a manufacturing defect that causes an electrical fire or a dangerous explosion, consumers will justifiably consider it their right to be compensated.

Fortunately, the majority of UK homes will have safeguards against the hazards posed by a defective rechargeable mobile or laptop batteries. If one of these overheats or malfunctions, causing an electrical fire, a trip switch should activate, preventing any further damage. If a trip switch fails to do this, the consumer may actually have a valid product liability claim against the manufacturer or installer of this electrical safety net.

Similarly, if a fire does start in the home, properly maintained smoke detectors should alert the homeowner to the fire hazard, allowing them to avert or minimise the dangers posed by the electrical fire. Once again, if the smoke detector does not perform its intended function, the consumer may have valid grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer of the smoke detector.

Generally speaking, where faults with these kinds of batteries do exist, the manufacturer will announce a recall of all affected products, thus preventing the chances of both personal injury occurring and product liability compensation claims being made.

Such a situation occurred in 2006 when Japanese electrical goods giant Sony recalled around ten million laptop batteries. Although the recall of the exploding batteries was met without panic by IT insiders, the influential CIO Jury advised consumers that investing in smoke detectors would help protect them from any similar hazards in the future.

Vehicular batteries
Cars, boats, vans and trucks are powered by wet cell batteries. These generally contain a combination of lead and sulphuric acid.

Under the right circumstances, these batteries have the potential to cause catastrophic explosions. All manufacturers of these batteries have a duty to warn of their dangers and failure to do this certainly makes them, in the event of any accident, likely to be liable to pay affected consumers product liability compensation.

The dangers of both sulphuric acid and lead are stark. Sulphuric acid is among the most caustic of substances known to man. Contact with the skin can cause extreme chemical burns, while contact with the eyes has the potential to cause blindness. Lead is highly poisonous and can cause damage to the human body in various ways.

The no win, no fee specialists
If you have suffered personal injury or significant financial loss as result of a manufacturing defect, you may be entitled to claim product liability compensation.

Our no win, no fee solicitors are among the UK's leading experts in product liability litigation. They have years of experience in successfully settling this kind of claim and are all governed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Our services are available to all our clients at absolutely no cost. Win or lose, we guarantee that you will never have to pay us a single penny. In addition, we protect you from all costs and fees incurred by the opposing legal side.

Furthermore, we never take a cut from your damages award, meaning you get to keep 100% compensation.

If you would like to investigate your right to product liability compensation you can fill out an online claim form, request a call back or discuss your claim using e-chat.

Alternatively if you would like to talk to a legal advisor now, simply call 0800 10 757 95.