When you buy food from the grocery store or take medicine prescribed by your doctor, you have a basic right to expect they are safe. You trust that companies have done their due diligence. But sometimes, that trust is broken. Contaminated food or defective medicine can cause serious illness, long-term health problems, or even death. When this happens, it is not just an accident—it is often a failure of responsibility, and the law provides a path for those harmed to seek justice. This area of law is called product liability.

At its core, a product liability case based on contaminated food or medicine argues that the product was unreasonably dangerous and caused harm. You do not need a direct contract with the manufacturer to have a claim. If you are hurt by a product, you may have a case. There are three main legal theories under which these cases are typically brought: manufacturing defect, design defect, and failure to warn. A contaminated product usually falls squarely into the first category: manufacturing defect. This means that something went wrong in the making of that specific batch of the product. The design might be sound, but the execution failed. Examples include a single lot of lettuce contaminated with E. coli during processing, a batch of painkillers tainted with a toxic substance at the factory, or infant formula that was improperly sterilized. The product as made deviated from its own intended, safe design.

The second theory, design defect, applies when the entire product line is inherently dangerous, even if perfectly manufactured. While less common with basic contamination, it can be relevant for medicines. This could involve a drug whose chemical formulation causes unforeseen, severe side effects in a significant number of patients, where the risks outweigh the benefits for its intended use. The third theory, failure to warn, is crucial for both food and medicine. This claims the manufacturer did not provide adequate instructions or warnings about known risks. For medicine, this includes clear side effect disclosures. For food, this relates to undeclared allergens like peanuts or eggs, which can be lethal to sensitive individuals. Failure to properly label these ingredients is a serious breach of duty.

To succeed in a product liability lawsuit, the injured person generally must prove several key elements. They must show they were injured or suffered losses. They must prove the product was defective—contaminated, poorly designed, or lacking a proper warning. Critically, they must demonstrate that this defect was the direct cause of their injury. Finally, they must show that the product was being used as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable way. You do not, however, need to prove the company was negligent, meaning you don’t have to show exactly how they were careless. In many jurisdictions, if the product is defective and caused harm, the manufacturer is strictly liable. This powerful legal standard recognizes that manufacturers are in the best position to ensure safety and should bear the costs when their products fail.

The defendants in such cases can include a chain of parties: the food grower, the processing plant, the brand-name company that sold the product, the pharmacy that dispensed the drug, and even the retailer that sold the item. Lawsuits often aim to hold all responsible parties accountable. The damages sought can cover medical bills, lost wages from missing work, pain and suffering, and in tragic cases of death, funeral expenses and loss of companionship. If the company’s conduct is found to be especially reckless or egregious, punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future.

Navigating a contaminated product case is complex. It involves gathering evidence, which may include the defective product itself, medical records, and expert testimony from toxicologists or medical professionals. It often means going against large corporations with significant legal resources. For an individual or a family coping with illness, this is a daunting prospect. This is why consulting with an attorney experienced in product liability law is essential. They can investigate the source of the contamination, identify all liable parties, and fight to secure the compensation needed for recovery and future security. When the food on your plate or the pill in your hand causes harm, the law is a tool for accountability and a means to rebuild a life disrupted by corporate failure.