Do I Need a Lawyer for Product Liability?

Answer 6 quick questions to get personalized guidance for your California case

Question 1 of 6

How serious were your injuries from the defective product?

Death of family member (wrongful death)

Severe - hospitalization, surgery, permanent injury

Moderate - required medical treatment, ongoing issues

Minor - first aid, brief discomfort

Property damage only, no injury

Question 2 of 6

What type of defect was involved?

Design defect - the product design itself is dangerous

Manufacturing defect - this specific product was made wrong

Failure to warn - inadequate warnings or instructions

Product was recalled (before or after my injury)

Not sure what type of defect

Question 3 of 6

Do you still have the defective product?

Yes - preserved in the condition it was in

Yes - but it's been repaired or modified

Returned it to store or manufacturer

No - threw it away or lost it

Question 4 of 6

Who manufactured or sold the product?

Major corporation (car company, appliance maker, etc.)

US-based company with assets

Foreign manufacturer (may be hard to sue)

Unknown or unlabeled product

Question 5 of 6

Were you using the product as intended?

Yes - exactly as intended and described

In a foreseeable but not intended way

Product was modified or misused in some way

Ignored clear warnings

Question 6 of 6

What are your total medical expenses and damages?

Over $50,000

$15,000 - $50,000

$5,000 - $15,000

Under $5,000

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Consider Warranty Claim or Consumer Remedies

For smaller product issues without serious injury, warranty claims and consumer protection routes may be more practical.

Recommended DIY Steps:

File warranty claim with manufacturer
Report to Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
File complaint with FTC if deceptive claims involved
Credit card chargeback if purchased recently
Small Claims Court for smaller damages

📝 Warranty Demand Letter 🔗 Report to CPSC

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You Should Definitely Consult a Product Liability Attorney

Your case involves significant injuries from a defective product. Product liability attorneys work on contingency and can take on major manufacturers.

Why You Need an Attorney:

Product liability cases require expert witnesses (engineers, doctors)
California has strict liability - don't need to prove negligence
Attorneys can investigate defect, find other victims
Contingency fee = no upfront cost (typically 33-40%)
Manufacturers have large legal teams - you need one too

🕵 Find Product Liability Attorney 🔗 Report to CPSC

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Get a Consultation to Evaluate

Your case has some value. A consultation will help determine if it's worth pursuing.

Recommended Approach:

PRESERVE the product - don't repair, modify, or discard
Document everything - photos, receipts, medical records
Report to CPSC (creates record and may find other victims)
Consult with a product liability attorney (most work on contingency)
If attorneys won't take case, consider warranty/consumer claims

Book $125 Consultation 🕵 Consultation 📝 Warranty Demand Letter

Understanding Product Liability in California

California follows strict liability for defective products. This means you don't need to prove the manufacturer was negligent - just that the product was defective and caused your injury.

California Strict Liability Advantage

Under California law, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are strictly liable for injuries caused by defective products. You don't need to prove they were careless - just that:

The product was defective
You used it as intended (or in a foreseeable way)
The defect caused your injury

Three Types of Product Defects

Design Defects: The product's design itself is inherently dangerous
Manufacturing Defects: An error in production made this unit dangerous
Warning Defects: Inadequate instructions or failure to warn of risks

⚠ CRITICAL: Preserve the Product!

The defective product is the most important piece of evidence. You MUST:

Do NOT throw it away, repair it, or modify it
Store it safely in the condition it was in
Take photos documenting its current state
If you returned it, get records showing where it went

Without the product, your case becomes much harder to prove.

Who Can You Sue?

Manufacturer: The company that made the product
Distributor: Companies in the supply chain
Retailer: The store that sold you the product
All of them: Product liability allows suing the entire chain

Statute of Limitations

2 years from the date of injury. Discovery rule may extend this if you didn't know the product caused your injury immediately.

Why Product Liability Cases Need Attorneys

Product liability cases are complex and expensive to pursue:

Expert witnesses (engineers, doctors) cost $10,000-$50,000+
Manufacturing defendants have large legal departments
Technical analysis of defects requires specialists
However, contingency fee arrangements make this possible

Related Resources

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