When you buy goods or services, you expect the product you purchased to do what it is supposed to do, or the services to meet certain standards of safety and quality. Although it may be true that you ‘get what you pay for,’ you certainly don’t expect to suffer any injury or property damage from your purchase. But from time to time, injury or property damage can happen, or a product you bought might not turn out to be what you expected. In those cases, you may have a consumer claim against the manufacturer of the product or service provider, and you could be entitled to receive compensation.
Consumer claims can arise in a range of circumstances including, for example:
- where a product you purchased does not do what it is supposed to do;
- where a product you purchased breaks down soon after purchase;
- where you have bought a product that has caused you or one of your family members significant injury or damage – regardless of whether the product is faulty or not; or
- where faulty work has been carried out by a tradie or builder that results in injury to you or one of your family members, or significant damage to your property.
In addition to laws about physical damage or injury caused by products and services; there are protections for consumers under the Australian Consumer Law that you may be able to rely upon – even if the contract you entered into with the supplier did not state that it included any guarantee.
If you think you might have a consumer claim, make sure you contact a lawyer for legal advice as soon as possible, as there may be time limits that apply to your case. We also recommend that you keep all your documents from your discussions and transactions with the business, as they may help to support your case. This includes things such as quotes, invoices, receipts, emails, letters, and text messages.
Our lawyers in Melbourne and Sydney are well versed in consumer claims and can help you navigate the process and resolve the situation with the best outcome in the circumstances. We can assist you to:
- determine whether you have a claim against the business;
- establish how much your claim might be worth (i.e. how much compensation to which you may be entitled);
- build and prepare your case and gather evidence to maximise your chances of success and the amount of compensation you receive; and
- negotiate the terms of settlement with the other party (where applicable).
Simply contact our consumer claim lawyers in Sydney or Melbourne on 1300 907 335 or complete the enquiry form on this page.