The hammer was brand new, just ordered from a reputable farrier shop. But the minute it was put to work driving a horseshoe nail, the head broke off and flew through the air. The hammer head slammed into the back of the farrier’s apprentice and then hit the leg of a horse standing nearby. Both were seriously injured.

When people suffer a personal injury or damage to their property (such as injury to a horse) because of a defective product, they might have a lawsuit for products liability. These lawsuits, like the many failed products they involve, can be very complex.

This article briefly discusses the law of products liability, including:

• Your legal rights if a defective product injures you, another person or a client’s horse.
• What makes a product “defective,” in the eyes of the law.
• Who might be liable for a defective product.
• Defenses you could expect the seller or manufacturer to raise.
• Steps you can take from the moment you suspect that a defective product is to blame for injuries to you or a horse that you have shod.

Legal Rights If A Defective Product Injures You Or A Client’s Horse

If a defective product injures you or a client’s horse, someone or some company that makes or sells the product might be legally obligated to compensate you or the horse owner for the losses.

Your case begins when you claim that a product manufacturer or distributor was negligent for placing a defective product on the market…