UKI was injured by a defective product 12 years ago. Is it too late to claim?
Yes, you can claim compensation from the manufacturer under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 if the defective product caused your injury.
What the Law Says
The Consumer Protection Act 1987 gives you the right to claim compensation from the manufacturer (or importer or own-brand supplier) if you’re injured by a defective product — without needing to prove negligence.
Under Section 2 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, a person who suffers injury or damage due to a defective product can bring a claim against the producer. This is called 'strict liability' — meaning you don’t have to show the manufacturer was careless or negligent, only that the product was defective and caused your injury.
A 'defect' is defined as a situation where the safety of the product is not such as persons generally are entitled to expect — taking into account its presentation, use, and time it was supplied. The law applies to all products placed on the UK market after 1 March 1988.
You must bring your claim within 3 years of when you knew — or reasonably should have known — about the injury and its cause. There’s also an absolute long-stop: no claim can be brought more than 10 years after the product was first supplied.
Statutory TextSubject to the following provisions of this Part, where any damage is caused wholly or partly by a defect in a product, every person to whom subsection (2) below applies shall be liable for the damage.
— Consumer Protection Act 1987, s. 2 — Liability for damage caused by defects
What to Do
Gather evidence: keep the defective product (if safe), photos, medical reports, receipts, and witness statements.
Check the time limit: you usually have 3 years from the date you became aware of the injury and its link to the product.
Contact the manufacturer or their insurer — many claims settle without court.
Seek legal advice: a solicitor specialising in product liability can assess whether the product meets the legal definition of 'defective'.
If necessary, issue a claim in the County Court — small claims track may apply for claims under £10,000.
Sources
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: 2026-06-08.