California and the federal government have many laws designed to protect the safety of consumers. Several federal agencies are charged with enforcing rules and regulations and with initiating or overseeing recalls when products turn out to be dangerous. Manufacturers have obligations to consumers under these state and federal laws, and must make sure they conduct necessary testing before their products are released to the marketplace. Manufacturers make promises about the safety of their products to consumers through express warranties, and laws impose some implied warranties such as the implied warranty of the fitness of a product for a particular purpose.
In the event a product turns out to be unsafe or in violation of promises made by manufacturers, consumers have rights. A defective product liability claim is the type of litigation that allows a consumer to pursue a case against a manufacturer when a product does not perform as promised. Defective product cases can be made when a product simply fails to provide its advertised features and benefits. In some tragic cases, defective product claims are made after consumers suffer serious physical injuries as a result of problems with products.