Retailer held liable for defective earpiece

CONSUMER PROTECTION

- JEHANGIR B GAI

Daljit Singh Rattan, who was 91 years old, had lost about 80 per cent of his hearing faculty. To overcome this problem, he purchased a hearing aid manufactured by Sivantos India from its retailer HearClear Clinic in Mohali.

As the equipment was defective, he approached the clinic to resolve the issue. Despite attempts to attend to the faults, the defects continued to persist.

Since his grievance was not redressed, Rattan filed a complaint before the Mohali Consumer Forum, alleging that the equipment had a manufacturing defect. He argued that the moulded attachment, necessary for hearing aids to function properly when used by turbaned Sikhs, was not provided. He also argued that the hearing aid was damaged when the clinic staff dropped it during one of the visits.