Can I sue a product manufacturer for a defective product?

How the answer differs across 7 jurisdictions

The Short Answer

Yes, you can sue the manufacturer in Ireland for injury caused by a defective product under the Civil Liability Act 1961, which imposes strict liability on producers for harm caused by defective goods.

Strict liabilit
Legal standard
No fault needed
Claim requirement
1961 Act
Governing law
Injury claim
Scope of claim
European UnionFull article
The Short Answer

A product is 'defective' under EU law if it does not provide the safety a person is entitled to expect, considering its presentation, intended use, and reasonable expectations of the public.

1985/374/EEC
Directive number
25 years
Liability period
Strict liabilit
Liability type
No fault needed
Claimant burden
AustraliaFull article
The Short Answer

Yes, you can sue an overseas manufacturer in Australia under the Australian Consumer Law if the product was supplied in trade or commerce and caused injury due to a safety defect.

6 years
Limitation period
ACL s. 138
Injury claim section
Strict liabilit
Legal standard
s. 271
Overseas supplier rule
The Short Answer

No-fault liability in India means the owner of a motor vehicle is legally liable to pay compensation for death or injury caused by the vehicle—even without proof of negligence—under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

₹50,000
Minimum compensation (death)
₹25,000
Minimum compensation (grievous hurt)
30 days
Claim filing deadline
s. 140
No-fault liability section
US-CaliforniaFull article
The Short Answer

Yes, you can sue a product manufacturer in California for a defective product under strict liability, negligence, or breach of warranty — no need to prove the manufacturer was careless.

Strict liabilit
Legal theory
No fault needed
Burden of proof
10 years
Statute of repose
2 years
Statute of limitations
US-New YorkFull article
The Short Answer

Yes, a product manufacturer can be held strictly liable in New York for injuries caused by defective products under common law, even without proof of negligence.

No negligence
Burden of proof
3 defect types
Liability bases
100% recovery
Plaintiff compensation
No privity
Required relationship
The Short Answer

Under Japan’s Product Liability Act, a plaintiff must prove: (1) the product had a defect, (2) damage occurred, and (3) a causal relationship existed between the defect and the damage.

7 years
Limitation period
Strict liabilit
Liability type
Article 3
Core provision
1994
Enactment year

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Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: June 2026.