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Consumer Law in Canada |
Article Submitted by: Kevin Smith
Friday, 01 May 2009
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Consumer Laws or better to say consumer protection laws are designed to solve two problems: to keep the businesses and manufacturers from providing the customers with false or fake information about the product on the one side and protect the rights and interests of consumers who purchased defective goods for example, on the other. With Consumer Laws the government regulates fair competition on the market by limiting the advertising of products only to facts. Also these laws protect the health of the nation by forcing the manufacturers to keep the quality as high as possible. Beside the government there are also large numbers of non-government organizations and individuals that participate in consumer activism and protect the rights of the consumer. There are two acts that regulate the Consumer Rights regarding products in Canada: the Hazardous Products Act and the Food and Drugs Act. The first act creates the safety standards for manufacturing of various products, the second act regulates the sale of food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices. It is very frustrating when you purchase an unsafe or defective product. Today such cases are mostly solved in stores, by replacing the defective product. Still if the problem remains unresolved it is the best time to take legal action, but before doing it, it's better to prepare the lawsuit carefully. You need to be aware that in some cases the manufacturer or the seller will try to prove that you knew about the defect but continued to use the device anyway. Sometimes the manufacturer or seller simply doesn't want to replace the product for financial reasons, sometimes because the defective product is ruining the reputation of the company or the product. Still there are a number of companies that provide additional warranties as a part of its consumer policy. The main advantage of any consumer laws is that you can unite your claim with similar claims in the whole country, province or your area and turn it into a class action lawsuit. A good base for a lawsuit is injury caused by the defective product, in this case the court will most definitely award money to the injured person if they agree that the manufacturer or seller negligently sold a defective product. The rules regarding consumer claims are different in every province. Mostly the limit for a small claim in Canada is set at twenty thousand dollars. Small claims also do not require a lawyer, but there is a consumer lawyer that can always assist you in the case. For lawsuits with large compensations the lawyer becomes necessary. In case of large lawsuits it is sometimes too expensive for one person to handle and in this case the class action lawsuit is the best solution. All the expenses will be divided between people who file a large lawsuit together. The rewards will be divided too. And as in many other types of claims be sure to do one important thing before you file the claim, be sure to discuss it with your lawyer. Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com |
About The Author:
For more information regarding Scarborough Lawyers, Barrie Lawyers, Lawyers and Legal answers please visit: www.lawyerahead.ca
For more information regarding Scarborough Lawyers, Barrie Lawyers, Lawyers and Legal answers please visit: www.lawyerahead.ca
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