Product Defect/Liability Investigation

Human interaction with consumer products is a common source of injury in society, regardless of whether or not the product is dangerously defective. The investigation of the cause of injuries resulting from exposure to an allegedly defective product requires quantification of the proportion of injuries that resulted from the defect versus the injuries expected if the defect was not present (referred to as the attributable proportion under the exposed). In this chapter, two disparate case studies are presented in which infant deaths were associated with household products; one designed to be used with infants (an infant sleep positioner) and one not (corded window blinds). A comparative risk ratio was estimated for the investigated associations, with a resulting probability of causation.