One commonly asked question is whether product liability legal cases actually make products safer. I would say that yes, most product liability type cases tend to make products safer. This can happen in a number of different ways.
One of the primary ways is public awareness. Sometimes, there may be an issue with the design of a product that isn’t readily known. A legal action is going to bring that out and make the public aware of that issue with the product. This can, in turn, lead to other agencies jumping in and trying to help regulate the product. For example, the CPSC may issue a recall for a product, and this may be brought about by the legal case that underlies that issue.
There may also be the potential for the product to be redesigned more safely. The product may have additional warnings that provide specific information or instruction about the potential danger.
Last but not least, it can be possible for that product to be entirely taken off the market, therefore leading to safer products for everyone.