If the wheelchair broke within the window of its warranty period, there may be a cause of action since the product didn’t live up to its manufacturer’s warranty, and therefore a part wore out sooner than stated. The implied warranty of a product is based on its intended use; it is implied that it will serve its intended purpose. The length of time that it should service for, and its implied warranty, differs from product to product and manufacturer to manufacturer. The wheelchair manufacturer will state its intended use and warranty, and if it fails to live up to those standards due to any design defects, marketing defects, or manufacturing defects, then there may be a claim that can be filed. A defective product attorney will be able to tell you whether you have a case or not.

The most common case in which wheelchairs can be ruled as defective is if the ability for the wheelchair to overturn is much easier than it should be. A wheelchair can overturn due to many reasons, including an imbalance of the weight, a part breaking, or a miscalculated center of mass, which makes the wheelchair too top heavy. A simplified analogy of a miscalculated center of mass error is understanding how much easier it is to push over a tall, top-heavy lamp than a lamp that is short and heavy, even if they weigh the exact same. The center of gravity being much higher with the tall top-heavy object makes it easier to push over. The same principal is true for consumer products. The likelihood that the object will tip over and cause severe injuries must be accounted for and therefore disclosed to the consumer by the manufacturer.

Typically, consumer products are evaluated for safety against other manufacturers of the same product. If one company had the ability to ensure their wheelchair will only fall over if pushed beyond normal limits, then all wheelchair manufacturers should be held to the same standard. Other consumer products are inherently more dangerous (for example, fireworks), and the threshold may be significantly lower for safety. 

Wheelchairs, however, are supposed to be inherently safe, as they transport those who are disabled or have mobility limitations. If the wheelchair doesn’t meet the standards for safety set out by the industry, then it is a defective wheelchair. This is established by a risk-utility test.