When defective products cause injuries, determining who’s responsible becomes complex. The manufacturer who designed it? The company that built it? The retailer who sold it? The distributor in the supply chain? California’s product liability law allows pursuing all of them, but proving product defects caused injuries requires engineering experts, manufacturing specialists, and resources to battle corporate defendants with massive legal budgets.
Burbank residents use thousands of products daily—vehicles, appliances, tools, electronics, furniture, toys, medical devices. When these products fail catastrophically due to design flaws, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings, the results can be devastating. Unlike negligence cases requiring proof of careless conduct, product liability focuses on the product itself: was it unreasonably dangerous as designed, manufactured, or marketed?
Three Types of Product Defects
Design defects mean products are dangerous as conceived—even when manufactured perfectly and used correctly. Classic examples include SUVs prone to rollover due to high center of gravity, space heaters lacking tip-over protection, or cribs with slat spacing that can trap infant heads. Proving design defects requires showing safer alternative designs existed that manufacturers could have used without substantially increasing costs or reducing functionality.
Manufacturing defects occur when products differ from design specifications—a batch of airbags with incorrect propellant, tools made from substandard metal, or medications contaminated during production. Even one defective unit in thousands creates manufacturer liability for injuries it causes.
Warning defects (failure to warn) mean products lack adequate instructions or safety warnings about non-obvious dangers. Manufacturers must warn about foreseeable misuse and hidden hazards. “Use as directed” isn’t enough when products have specific dangers requiring explicit warnings.
1. Avian Law Group
Avian Law Group handles Burbank product liability cases with expertise spanning consumer products, automotive defects, medical devices, and industrial equipment. Their approach combines engineering analysis, medical documentation, and legal strategy necessary for successful outcomes against well-funded corporate defendants.
Investigation begins with product preservation. The defective product is crucial evidence—nothing proves your case like the actual failed component. They ensure products are preserved before disposal, photographed extensively, examined by experts, and maintained in original condition until trial if necessary.
Common product liability scenarios in Burbank include automotive defects (airbag failures, brake defects, rollover propensity, tire blowouts), consumer appliances (fires from defective wiring, explosions from pressure cookers, burns from space heaters), power tools (saw blade failures, lack of safety guards, defective switches), children’s products (crib entrapment, toy choking hazards, high chair tipping), medical devices (hip implant failures, pacemaker defects, surgical instrument breakage), and pharmaceuticals (dangerous side effects, contamination, inadequate warnings).
They retain product experts including engineers who analyze design and manufacturing, safety specialists who testify about industry standards, human factors experts who evaluate warning adequacy, and medical experts who link defects to injuries. These witnesses provide credibility and technical knowledge juries need to understand complex defect claims.
California’s strict product liability means plaintiffs don’t have to prove manufacturer negligence—just that products were defective and defects caused injuries. This makes recovery potentially easier than negligence cases, though proving defects still requires substantial expert testimony.
Comparative fault principles apply but differently than in negligence cases. Product misuse that’s unforeseeable can bar recovery, but manufacturers must anticipate and warn about foreseeable misuse. Using a ladder improperly might not prevent recovery if improper use was foreseeable and warnings were inadequate.
Defendants in product liability cases include manufacturers who designed and built products, component manufacturers who made defective parts, distributors and wholesalers in supply chains, and retailers who sold products. California allows pursuing all entities in the chain—they can apportion fault among themselves.
Corporate defendants fight aggressively with resources small plaintiffs can’t match. They retain defense firms specializing in product liability, hire competing experts disputing plaintiff claims, conduct extensive discovery to find plaintiff misuse or comparative fault, and file complex motions attempting to dismiss cases or limit evidence. Only law firms with substantial resources can effectively battle this defense machinery.
Injuries from defective products range widely based on product type: burn injuries from defective heaters or electrical products, traumatic injuries from tool or equipment failures, poisoning from contaminated products, internal injuries from defective implants, and wrongful death from catastrophic product failures.
They calculate damages including immediate medical treatment, future medical needs (particularly relevant for permanent injuries from devices), lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent disability impacts, and property damage from product failures.
Punitive damages are available in product liability when manufacturers knew about defects yet sold products anyway, concealed dangers from consumers, or showed conscious disregard for safety. These damages punish egregious conduct and deter future negligence.
Product recalls provide useful evidence. If manufacturers recalled products after your injury, this suggests they knew about defects. However, recalls don’t automatically prove defects existed when you were injured—manufacturers often recall products out of abundance of caution.
Class actions occur when defective products harm numerous people similarly. While class actions provide remedies for minor injuries, seriously injured individuals often benefit more from individual lawsuits allowing full recovery of their specific damages rather than pro-rata shares of class settlements.
2. The Dominguez Firm
The Dominguez Firm handles product liability cases throughout California with resources these complex claims demand. Their engineering and medical expert networks span product categories. They’ve secured substantial results in automotive defect, medical device, and consumer product cases.
3. Citywide Law Group
Citywide Law Group provides sophisticated product liability representation with emphasis on catastrophic injuries and clear defects. Their investigation capabilities include product testing, expert consultation, and manufacturing process analysis necessary for proving defect claims.
4. West Coast Trial Lawyers
West Coast Trial Lawyers handles product liability with trial readiness that intimidates corporate defendants. Their litigation capabilities and willingness to try cases provide leverage during settlement negotiations. They’ve achieved strong results despite well-funded corporate opposition.
5. The Reeves Law Group
The Reeves Law Group serves product liability victims with systematic case development addressing defect proof challenges. They coordinate expert retention, discovery, and trial preparation while managing the extensive timeline complex product cases require.
California Product Liability Specifics
Statute of limitations is two years from injury or discovery of injury. However, some defects aren’t immediately apparent—injuries from defective implants might manifest years later. Discovery rule allows filing within two years of when you knew or should have known defects caused injuries.
Government contractor defense provides immunity for manufacturers building to government specifications in some situations. Military and defense contractor products may have limited liability.
Subsequent remedial measures (changes manufacturers make after injuries) generally aren’t admissible to prove defects existed earlier. However, recalls may be admissible in certain circumstances despite this rule.
After injuries from suspected defective products, preserve products in original condition. Don’t repair, modify, or discard them. Photograph products from multiple angles. Keep packaging and instruction manuals. Document how injuries occurred.
Report defects to manufacturers and Consumer Product Safety Commission. This creates official records and may trigger recalls protecting others. It also establishes manufacturer notice that products are dangerous.
Seek immediate medical attention. Medical records linking injuries to product failures provide crucial evidence. Follow treatment recommendations and document all medical care.
Don’t sign releases or settlements from manufacturers without attorney consultation. Product companies offer quick settlements hoping to avoid litigation before you understand injury extent and case value.
Gather evidence including photos of products and injuries, purchase receipts, witness statements, and your account of what happened. This information helps attorneys and experts evaluate whether viable claims exist.
Bottom line: Product liability cases require proving defects through expert testimony, substantial resources to battle corporate defendants, and years-long litigation commitment. Burbank product defect victims deserve attorneys with specialized expertise and resources necessary for effective representation against well-funded manufacturers protecting their reputations and profits.
