Were you injured by a defective or dangerous product in Irvine, California? You may have the right to seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and other losses. Contact Fielding Law at833.88.SHARK for a free consultation with an experienced Irvine product liability lawyer.
Consumers should be able to trust that the products they purchase and use are reasonably safe. When a defective product causes an injury, however, determining what went wrong and who may be responsible can require a careful investigation.
Why Choose Fielding Law for Help with a Product Liability Claim in Irvine?
Choosing a lawyer after a serious injury in Irvine, CA, is a personal decision. You should feel comfortable asking questions, understand how your case will be handled, and trust that your attorney is giving your claim the attention it deserves.
Fielding Law is a boutique personal injury law firm focused on providing personalized legal representation. Our Irvine personal injury lawyers have decades of combined experience and have recovered millions of dollars for injured clients.
Just as importantly, we believe in clear communication and ethical representation. We take the time to understand how an injury has affected each client and provide straightforward guidance throughout the legal process.
Contact us today for a free consultation with an Irvine product liability attorney.
What Is a Product Liability Claim?
A product liability claim is a legal claim arising when a defective or unreasonably dangerous product causes an injury. These cases can involve everyday consumer goods as well as vehicles, appliances, tools, medical products, machinery, and other items.
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may involve the company that designed or manufactured the product, a distributor, a retailer, or another business within the product’s chain of distribution.
Product liability cases can be different from ordinary negligence claims. California law may allow an injured consumer to pursue certain claims without proving that a manufacturer intended to cause harm or was careless in the traditional sense.
What Types of Product Defects Can Lead to an Injury Claim?
Product liability claims generally involve problems with a product’s design, manufacturing, or safety warnings.
Common types of defects include:
- Design defects: The product’s design makes it unreasonably dangerous when used as intended.
- Manufacturing defects: An error during production or assembly causes a product to differ from its intended design.
- Failure to warn: The product lacks adequate instructions or warnings about risks that may not be obvious to consumers.
Identifying the type of defect can help determine why the injury occurred and who may be responsible.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Defective Product?
More than one party may potentially be responsible when a defective product causes an injury.
Depending on how the product was designed, manufactured, distributed, and sold, responsible parties may include:
- Product manufacturers
- Component manufacturers
- Designers
- Distributors
- Wholesalers
- Retailers
- Other businesses in the distribution chain
Identifying every potentially responsible party can be important because the defect may have occurred at a different stage than the consumer initially expects.
How Much Is My Irvine Product Liability Case Worth?
There is no standard value for a product liability claim. The amount that may be available depends on the circumstances of the accident, the seriousness of your injuries, and the evidence supporting your case.
Factors that may affect the value of a claim include:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- Your past and anticipated medical needs
- Whether you have missed work
- Any reduction in your future earning ability
- Whether you have a permanent impairment or disability
- The effect of the injury on your daily life
- The strength of the evidence connecting the defect to your injury
- The parties responsible for the defective product
A careful review of these factors can provide a more meaningful assessment than relying on average settlement figures from unrelated cases.
What Kinds of Compensation Are Available After a Defective Product Injury?
If a defective product caused your injuries, you may be able to seek compensation for both economic and non-economic losses.
Depending on your case, recoverable damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disability or impairment
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
The compensation available will depend on the losses you can establish and the circumstances surrounding your injury.
Can I Recover Compensation if I Was Partially Responsible for My Injury in California?
Potentially. California follows a pure comparative negligence system. If your own actions contributed to an accident, your compensation may generally be reduced according to your percentage of responsibility rather than automatically eliminated.
Product liability cases can involve additional considerations regarding how a product was used, whether the use was reasonably foreseeable, and whether the product was modified after it was sold.
Because these issues can be fact-specific, an attorney can review how comparative fault may apply to your particular claim.
What Injuries Can Defective Products Cause?
Dangerous products can cause injuries ranging from relatively minor wounds to permanent disabilities.
Common injuries in product liability cases can include:
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Crush injuries
- Electrocution injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Amputations
- Poisoning or toxic exposure
Some injuries may require surgery, rehabilitation, or ongoing medical care. Understanding the long-term medical outlook can therefore be an important part of evaluating a claim.
What Should I Do After Being Injured by a Defective Product?
The steps you take after an injury can help protect your health and preserve evidence that may later be important to your claim.
When possible, consider taking the following steps:
- Seek appropriate medical treatment
- Keep the product and its components
- Do not repair, alter, or throw away the product
- Save the packaging, instructions, warnings, and receipts
- Photograph the product and the area where the injury occurred
- Keep records of your medical treatment and expenses
- Write down what happened while the details are fresh
- Avoid giving the product to an insurance company or manufacturer without legal guidance
- Speak with a product liability attorney about your options
You do not need to determine exactly why the product failed before speaking with an Irvine personal injury attorney. An investigation can help answer that question.
How Long Do I Have to File a Product Liability Lawsuit in California?
California generally provides a two-year statute of limitations for lawsuits involving personal injuries. However, determining when the deadline begins and whether another rule applies can depend on the facts of the case.
Certain circumstances can shorten or extend the time available. Waiting can also make it harder to preserve the defective product, locate witnesses, and obtain records related to its manufacture or sale.
Speaking with a lawyer early can help you understand the deadline that applies to your case.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Product Liability Lawyer?
Fielding Law handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This generally means that you do not pay attorney’s fees upfront. Instead, the attorney’s fee is an agreed-upon percentage of the compensation recovered for you.
The fee arrangement and responsibility for case expenses should be clearly explained before representation begins. Fielding Law also offers free consultations, giving you an opportunity to discuss your situation and ask questions before deciding whether to hire an attorney.
How Can a Product Liability Lawyer Help Me?
A product liability lawyer can investigate how the product failed and help determine whether you have a viable claim under California law. These cases can involve technical evidence and multiple companies, making a thorough investigation important.
A lawyer can assist by:
- Preserving and reviewing the defective product
- Gathering medical records and other evidence
- Investigating the product’s design and manufacturing history
- Reviewing recalls, warnings, and safety information
- Consulting qualified experts when appropriate
- Identifying potentially responsible parties
- Documenting your financial and personal losses
- Communicating with insurance companies and defense attorneys
- Negotiating for a fair resolution
- Preparing a lawsuit when litigation is appropriate
Throughout the process, our goal is to keep you informed so that you understand your options and can make decisions about your case with confidence.
Contact an Irvine Product Liability Lawyer at Fielding Law for a Free Consultation
An injury caused by a defective product can raise difficult questions about what happened, who is responsible, and what options are available. You do not have to answer those questions on your own.
Fielding Law is a boutique personal injury law firm that provides compassionate, client-focused legal guidance to injured people and their families. If you were injured by a defective product in Irvine, California, contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an Irvine product liability attorney.