07. What if I was injured by a faulty product or service?

If a product (for example, a car or a power tool) was unsafe and injured you, you're protected by the Consumer Protection Act 1987. This law also covers you if you were made ill by contaminated food bought in a shop.

You do not have to prove that the company that made the product was negligent. But you have to prove in court that the product was 'defective' (less safe than you are reasonably entitled to expect) and that it caused your injury because of this. You may need an expert witness to help you show to the court that the product was less safe than you could reasonably expect.

You could also take action if you are injured by a service provider (for example, a hairdresser).

For a small injury, you could use the small claims procedure in court. This does not cost very much, and you can present your own case without using a solicitor. But the most you can claim for a personal injury using this procedure is £1000.

You should also keep any evidence (such as the product you think caused the injury).

For more about this, see the Community Legal Service leaflet 'Problems with goods and services'.

What happens if I was injured in an accident abroad?
If you were injured outside the UK, you would have to make a claim under the law of the country where it happened. The only time this isn't so is if the accident was caused by a person or organisation based in the UK. (For example, if you had an accident while on a package holiday, you might have a claim against the tour operator who sold you the holiday).

Claiming under foreign law is difficult and expensive and it may be easier to make a claim under an insurance policy, if you have one. If you don't, you will need to get expert legal advice.