There are three general categories of product defects that could cause harm to consumers. First, there are products with inherent design flaws that are dangerous even when correctly assembled. Second, there are manufacturing defects, which make a product dangerous because it was assembled incorrectly or poorly, despite having a safe design.
The third category refers to labeling defects, and this is particularly important when looking at dangerous drugs. The drug itself may technically be safe for consumer use, but an issue with the label could make it exceedingly dangerous. Let’s take a look at an example of how this could happen.
An accidental overdose
Many drugs are safe at low doses, especially for children. However, taking too large of a dose can cause severe complications, such as a drop in blood pressure, delirium, loss of consciousness or even death.
This is why a labeling mistake can be so dangerous. For instance, if the label states that someone can take 10 mg of a drug when the actual safe dose is only 5 mg, a consumer could accidentally overdose while following the instructions on the packaging.
Most consumers have no training or experience with drugs and rely entirely on labels to guide their safe usage. Even something as minor as a misplaced decimal point could result in a serious error—one the consumer might not realize until it’s too late.
Seeking financial compensation
Have you or a loved one suffered injuries due to a labeling defect, perhaps on a drug or medication you believed you were taking correctly and safely? If so, it’s important to understand how to seek financial compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and more.