We’ve all run into defective products; our consumer economy is full of them. And sometimes, they can harm or even kill people.
Faulty products have caused grave injuries such as burns, loss of a limb, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, and countless other injustices. Any victim of a faulty product deserves compensation for their injury and should file a product liability claim.
So, how do you go about that?
You need a skilled, experienced Los Angeles product liability lawyer to handle the intricacies of your case and maximize your outcome. You need Wilshire Law Firm.
Los Angeles Product Liability Guide
- Wilshire Law Firm: A Proven Winner in Product Liability Cases
- Did You Suffer One of These Common Product Liability Injuries?
- Types of Compensation Available in Your Product Liability Case
- Steps to Take if You’ve Suffered an Injury From a Faulty Product
- Dangerous Defects: Do These Apply to Your Product Liability Case?
- How to Prove the Product Was Defective
- Who Can the Law Hold Liable for Your Defective Product Injury?
- Why You Need an Exceptional Los Angeles Product Liability Lawyer
- Get a Free Consultation on Your Los Angeles Product Liability Case
- Our Los Angeles Office Location
Wilshire Law Firm: A Proven Winner in Product Liability Cases
Victims of defective products often face horrific long-term consequences. They’re unsure how to pursue accountability and justice. They need help.
Our Los Angeles personal injury attorney at Wilshire Law Firm knows the support and advocacy you need in this challenging time. We’ve assembled a billion-dollar team with the compassion and deep product liability experience to get you justice and get you paid.
Need a winning firm to fight for your rights so you can focus on your health? Our team of more than 600 legal professionals, packed with nationally recognized lawyers, has recovered billions of dollars for our clients since 2007.
Our skills have led Wilshire Law Firm to win numerous awards, including the Best Law Firms by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® for five consecutive years in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Your product liability case needs a results-driven, client-first legal team. Contact Wilshire Law Firm’s Los Angeles headquarters at (213) 335-2402 or online today. We also have offices in Oakland, Riverside, Orange County, Fresno, San Jose, and San Francisco for your convenience.
Did You Suffer One of These Common Product Liability Injuries?
Defective products can harm consumers in numerous ways. These injuries can be severe and life-altering, but even lesser injuries can make you eligible for a product liability claim.
Here’s a list of a few common injuries associated with such cases:
- Spinal Cord Damage – Malfunctioning car airbags, seatbelts, child car seats, strollers, and faulty medical devices are a few of the products that can cause spinal cord damage that leads to paralysis and other long-term disabilities.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – Defective products such as helmets, car seats, industrial machinery, and sports gear can cause traumatic brain injuries that may result in cognitive impairments or other serious conditions with potentially lifelong consequences.
- Sickness – Lead or phosphorus in children’s toys is one cause of this consumer product injury. A common example is children’s toys with high levels of these chemicals, which can damage a child’s brain and nervous system and lead to slower growth and development. Most children show no immediate symptoms, but exposure can do long-term harm.
- Burns – Faulty appliances, electronics, clothing, heated blankets, lighters, and other items can catch fire, leading to serious burn injuries.
- Amputations – Products such as power tools, machinery, snowblowers, and car parts can malfunction and cause the loss of limbs or other body parts.
- Wrongful Death – In the worst cases, defective products such as seatbelts, airbags, surgical implants, and medications with dangerous side effects can lead to fatal injuries, resulting in wrongful death claims.
These injuries underscore a crucial point: We must hold manufacturers and other associated parties accountable for the safety of their products. If you or a loved one has suffered from such an injury, get a free case consultation from Wilshire Law Firm to understand your rights and potential compensation.
Types of Compensation Available in Your Product Liability Case
If you’ve suffered injuries from a dangerous or defective product, the Wilshire Law team can assess whether the law entitles you to pursue damages from the parties who caused your injuries.
Such damages, which can be substantial, fall under three categories:
- Economic Damages cover past, present, and future monetary losses, including medical bills, property damage, lost wages (both past and future), treatment and household services, and other out-of-pocket expenses.
- General or Non-Economic Damages account for the pain, suffering, and emotional trauma that faulty products cause for product liability victims and their families.
- Punitive Damages sometimes punish those involved in the product’s distribution chain to deter future wrongdoing and serious injury.
Wilshire Law Firm will assess which damages might apply to your case and dedicate our skilled legal team to fighting for what you deserve.
Steps to Take if You’ve Suffered an Injury From a Faulty Product
Take the right steps after a product liability injury if you want to win justice and hold the responsible parties accountable. And the clock is ticking; the statute of limitations for filing a product liability claim can be as short as two years from the date of injury.
Follow this list to improve your chances of the best possible outcome:
- Get Healthy – Your physical and mental well-being should be your top concern. Be diligent about doctor visits, physical therapy, and therapy for any emotional trauma you suffered. Even if the injury is minor, seek medical treatment to have an official medical record, which you need for evidence.
- Find Out if There’s a Recall – Search for a recall on your defective product. The website should provide information on how to return the product, get a refund, or get a new non-defective product.
- Document Everything – Keep a thorough record of all medical bills, product documentation, interactions with product support or other product representatives, and other information about your accident. Write a detailed report of your case, including date/time, location, the exact product, and what happened to cause your injury.
- Preserve Evidence – Save all product parts, including packaging, instructions, and marketing materials. Hand these over to our legal team promptly.
Dangerous Defects: Do These Apply to Your Product Liability Case?
An experienced law firm will know whether the defective product in your case makes you eligible for a product liability claim.
Here are the three basic categories used to make that assessment:
- Defective Design – Design flaws can cause even a well-manufactured product to be defective. When the risk of harm while using a product is deemed greater than the possible benefits, a product’s design specifications are said to be defective. This extends to prescription drugs, medical devices such as implants and surgical meshes, and numerous other products.
- Manufacturing Defect – Manufacturing errors that alter a product from its intended design can create dangerous products that harm consumers. Defective airbags, machinery, or power tools are a few examples.
- Defective Marketing – Manufacturers are required to adequately warn consumers about the risks of using a product and any product liability, along with providing instructions for safe product use. Pharmaceuticals are one example that falls into this category.
In each case, the law may deem numerous parties responsible for a dangerous or defective product.
How to Prove the Product Was Defective
The Consumer Expectation test is a legal standard used in product liability cases to determine if a design defect exists. The test imposes liability if the product is in a defective condition that is unreasonably dangerous to the consumer. It allows a jury to infer the existence of a defect if the product fails to meet consumers’ reasonable expectations.
Here are the test’s criteria for determining a defective product. See if they might apply to your case:
- Reasonable Expectations: A product is considered defective under this test if it fails to perform in a manner an average consumer would reasonably expect, considering the product’s nature and intended function.
- Common Experience: The test applies when the product is within the common experience of ordinary consumers.
- Objective Standard: The focus is on whether the product’s performance was more dangerous than what an ordinary user would contemplate based on ordinary knowledge available in the community.
In practice, these questions help you identify which category applies to your product liability claim: defective design, manufacturing defect, or defective marketing. Additionally, liability cases may center on whether the manufacturer provided sufficient warnings and instructions with the product to prevent consumer injury.
Who Can the Law Hold Liable for Your Defective Product Injury?
You can hold parties throughout the distribution chain liable when a defective product harms you.
California evaluates most product liability cases with a strict liability rule. This rule states that any entities involved in the creation, distribution, sale, and marketing of a consumer product can be named responsible, even if their actions did not negligently lead to the product’s defect. You must only prove that the product was defective and caused your injuries.
You can hold these parties liable in a dangerous product or defective medical device case:
- Manufacturer (both product and parts)
- Independent testing laboratory
- Distributor
- Supplier
- Sales representative
- Retailer
- Hospital, clinic, or doctor
Product failures can permanently alter the lives of victims and their families. They face loss of income, legal complications, and long-term medical care costs – all while enduring pain and suffering as they try to heal from and move past their injuries.
Why You Need an Exceptional Los Angeles Product Liability Lawyer
The law firm you choose for your Los Angeles product liability case is a crucial decision. You need top-performing lawyers who know how to prevail at every point in your case.
Here are a few ways Wilshire Law Firm will guide you toward justice and fair compensation:
Case evaluation
Our attorneys are overachievers who will thoroughly assess the circumstances of your incident, the extent of your injuries, and other factors that might affect your case. We will gauge the strength of your claim and outline the possible damages we can win for you.
Vast legal experience
Our experienced attorneys are well-versed in the relevant statutes, regulations, and case law that apply to your case. They have a proven track record in winning sexual abuse cases, and that is an indispensable element that will guide them in building a compelling case on your behalf.
Skilled investigators
Our team will leverage its vast experience to thoroughly investigate the incident that caused your injuries. They will tirelessly gather evidence, interview witnesses, review accident reports, and collaborate with experts to strengthen your case.
Documenting and presenting evidence
Your attorney will gather and organize the necessary evidence to support your claim, such as medical records, photographs, witness statements, and expert opinions. They know how to present the evidence in a compelling manner to establish liability and quantify your damages.
Relentless legal advocacy in court
If your attorney can’t negotiate a fair settlement, they can take your case to court. They will relentlessly advocate for your rights before a judge and jury, presenting a solid case to seek the compensation you deserve.
Compassionate legal guidance
Our attorneys guide you at every stage, answering your questions, explaining your rights, and ensuring you make informed decisions.
Consult Wilshire Law Firm to begin pursuing your case today.
Get a Free Consultation on Your Los Angeles Product Liability Case
Wilshire Law Firm has the confidence that comes from winning numerous large damage assessments in product liability cases like yours. That confidence lets us finance your case out of our pockets and cover all legal fees. We only get paid if we get you paid. It’s our standard approach because we know we will maximize your compensation.
When you decide to pursue justice, you need a legal juggernaut by your side. Contact our award-winning team today at (213) 335-2402 or online for your free, no-obligation consultation.
Our Los Angeles Office Location
Wilshire Law Firm
Los Angeles
3055 Wilshire Blvd., 12th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel: (213) 335-2402
Open Mon – Sun
Available 24 Hours