Sued as a Seller?

[Grenade7]

Hi All,

So I've been making progress on my journey to create and sell private label product. However, I'm suddenly a little concerned about being sued over god knows what. Say a product has small beads that a child chokes on, or what if a product somehow catches fire and burns down someone's home. People seem to love suing nowadays... For example, my fiance is currently being sued for tens of thousands of dollars for medical bills from a VERY minor side swipe accident that I can guarantee you weren't from the accident. Damage to the vehicle was only scratches, no air bags went off, my fiance was turning into a lane from a complete stop when the side swipe occurred, the woman declined medical attention at the scene, and she's now suing for neck, shoulder, and foot surgeries she has had over the last 2 years since the accident. I guess this is what has really made me paranoid.

Has anyone experienced any crazy legal problems from selling product online? Is there any protections from this that you're aware of?

Thanks,
Mike

 

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[Deleted50669]

Looking for legal advice here probably isn't the best route. My own approach would be to see how people with similar products manage the risk. Every serious business has a risk mitigation strategy to handle those types of situations, which is usually a combination of warning labels on packaging and the product itself, and, if there is a serious hazard, explicit customer consent to waive the company's liability for damages. That being said, I'm no lawyer, and I'm sure suits still through those protections based on specific circumstances. I don't think any business is ever fully devoid of legal risk. Again, I'm a noob in entrepreneurship, but that's what I've gathered.

 

[Grenade7]

Looking for legal advice here probably isn't the best route. My own approach would be to see how people with similar products manage the risk. Every serious business has a risk mitigation strategy to handle those types of situations, which is usually a combination of warning labels on packaging and the product itself, and, if there is a serious hazard, explicit customer consent to waive the company's liability for damages. That being said, I'm no lawyer, and I'm sure suits still through those protections based on specific circumstances. I don't think any business is ever fully devoid of legal risk. Again, I'm a noob in entrepreneurship, but that's what I've gathered.

Thanks for the response. I'm not looking for legal advice, per se, but more so wondering what some more up and running sellers on here have run into (or not run in to).

 

[amp0193]

Is there any protections from this that you're aware of?

Product liability insurance.

If you are worried enough to start a thread, then get some.

Pretty a much a must for anyone selling products other than spatulas.

 

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[SteveO]

I have been sued a few times. Fear does nothing. Insurance does though. Never had to pay out of my pocket for a liability issue. Insurance has because settling costs less than a drawn out process.

Fear is the GREAT INCAPICITATOR.