Product liability laws are meant to protect consumers from damages incurred by their products. It refers to the liability of any party involved in the chain of manufacturing ﾖ from the manufacturer to the retailer ﾖ for any damage caused by the product. The goal of the law is to hold liable manufacturers, distributors, and retailers for putting products on the market that they know or should have known were defective or would cause damage. Jurisdiction varies from state to state. Any product can be found liable under product liability laws. Some have natural defects that cause the user to be hurt by the product, and so they become part of product liability litigation. Most people tend to think of product liability in terms of tangible, retail items. However, in recent years and court cases the law has been expanded to include intangible items such as gas, natural items such as pets, real estate such as defective siding, and even writings such as maps and charts. These reforms basically made it possible for anything that is purchased to be the object of a product liability case. Consumers have the right to feel that products they purchase are safe and will not bring harm. When products do not live up to this, it is product liability laws that are there to see they are compensated.