Amazon Discusses Streamlined Process For Product Liability Claims

In 2021, Amazon shored up a policy that requires sellers to obtain insurance for product liability claims. It also expanded its A-to-Z Guarantee to cover customers who were injured by dangerous or defective products sold on the marketplace even when a third-party seller has sold the item. Recently, Amazon announced it expanded the Guarantee’s liability coverage from US-only to now include the EU, Canada, and UK.

According to Amazon, “In 2021, we extended the A-to-Z Guarantee to include a streamlined process for U.S. customers to resolve personal injury or property damage claims due to a defective product purchased in our store, and in May 2024, we expanded coverage to include Canada, the United Kingdom, and the EU. This protection applies to all physical products — including items sold by our approximately 2 million selling partners.

What is the benefit of the new policy, according to Amazon? 

According to Amazon, “Customers can continue to contact Amazon directly to request a refund if they are not happy with the delivery or condition of a product purchased in our store, and were not able to resolve the issue directly with the selling partner, as well as file a claim in the event of a defective product purchase.”

In 2021, Amazon expanded its A-to-Z Guarantee to include a streamlined process for U.S. customers to resolve personal injury or property damage claims due to a defective product purchased on Amazon. This protection, Amazon says, applies to all physical products.

Suing Amazon over a defective product 

Amazon takes great aims to insulate itself from liability, but recent decisions have held the retail giant accountable for certain defective product cases stemming from items purchased on Amazon. In the case of a department store like Walmart, Walmart can be held liable for selling a defective product and making it available to the public. Lawsuits are typically filed against both the manufacturer of the defective product and the retailer who made the product available to the public. Amazon attempted to shirk liability over product liability claims by saying it was not a “store” but a marketplace, sort of like a flea market, that brought vendors together. They argued during notable product liability cases that they were immune from such lawsuits because they had no direct connection between the selling of the product and their own business. After losing a couple of these lawsuits, Amazon began to shift gears and offer personal injury protection to the public. It still requires its vendors to have product liability insurance to ensure that the vendor can pay an injured plaintiff if their product causes injury.

Talk to a Florida Amazon Product Liability Lawyer Today 

Yes, you can sue Amazon if you are injured by a dangerous product. This is particularly true if the company had foreknowledge that the product was dangerous. Call the Florida personal injury lawyers at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your case right away.

Source:

ecommercebytes.com/2024/05/28/amazon-touts-protection-for-personal-injury-claims-from-defective-products/