Types of Product Defects
Manufacturing, design, and warning defects
Defect Types & Settlement Values
| Defect Type | Avg Settlement |
|---|---|
Manufacturing Defect Error during production, single product | $650,000 |
Design Defect Inherently unsafe design, all products | $1,200,000 |
Failure to Warn Missing/inadequate warnings or instructions | $450,000 |
Breach of Warranty Product fails to meet stated claims | $300,000 |
Design Defects vs Manufacturing Defects
Design defects affect all products of that type (inherently unsafe design), while manufacturing defects affect only specific units (production error). Design defects typically result in higher settlements because they show systemic negligence.
Advertisement
Based on CPSC Annual Report 2026, FDA MAUDE Database, NHTSA Vehicle Defect Data, and DOJ Product Liability Statistics