Orange County Product Liability Lawyers
Orange County Product Liability Attorneys
When you purchase a consumer product, you have the reasonable expectation for it to be safe through intended use, pose no unreasonable safety risks, and perform as advertised. Unfortunately, thousands of people across the United States suffer injuries from defective and unreasonably dangerous products each year. If you or a loved one suffered such an injury, Orange County product liability lawyers can help ensure accountability.
Product Liability Attorneys in Orange County, CA
California courts pioneered the law that holds manufacturers, distributors, and sellers strictly liable for manufacturing or design defects or insufficient instructions or warning of potential safety hazards. Every manufacturer faces potential liability for harm their products cause if they do not take proper steps to ensure all their products are made correctly and pose no unreasonable safety risks through the intended use of those products.
Any product that is manufactured (automobiles, toys, machines, drugs, medical devices, consumer products of any type, etc.) is subject to strict liability in tort for manufacturing or design defects or insufficient warnings if that failure causes injury to any person. While end users are expected to use reasonable care when handling inherently dangerous products, they have the right to expect products to perform as advertised.
Automobiles often have dangerous defects. Some may have defectively designed gas tanks that explode in accidents. Others may have safety restraint systems that don’t safely restrain the occupant. Some could have inadequate roof support that crushes in a rollover accident or inadequate steering, suspension, and wheelbase that allows a vehicle to roll over too easily during an evasive driving maneuver. Automobile drivers are statistically going to be involved in many different types of accidents. The cars must be reasonably crashworthy so as not to increase the severity of a person’s injuries in an Orange County accident. Automobile manufacturers have a duty to anticipate the various types of accidents that might occur and design their cars in such a manner to not increase a person’s injuries due to a lack of crashworthiness.
3 Things You Should Know To Preserve Your Products Liability Claim
Preserve the defective product that caused your injury.
Photograph the defective product if you cannot preserve it.
Call Easton & Easton, LLP as soon as possible so we can advise you on what to do next. Please call us at 800-461-8259 for a free initial consultation. If we do not take your case, there is no charge.
You have a relatively short window of time in which to pursue legal recourse for a defective product injury. Swift legal action helps ensure the reliability of the evidence upon which you will need to build your case. The more time your legal team has to work on your case, the more likely you will be to succeed with your recovery efforts and obtain the compensation you legally deserve.
Over 70 Years Of Combined Experience
At Easton & Easton, LLP, we have a combined 70 years of experience in representing injured people in product liability claims. In the mid 1970’s, Doug Easton argued Ault vs. International Harvish before the California Supreme Court, a seminal case establishing that evidence of a remedial change in a product can be used to help establish that the original product was defective.
We have successfully represented people in complex automobile design cases involving roof crush and resultant quadriplegic, and in roll-overs causing occupant ejection from the vehicle. We have successfully represented people in accidents involving exploding gas tanks and seat belts that failed to restrain the occupant. We have successfully represented people injured by air bags that deployed when they should not causing deafness and air bags that did not deploy when they should allowing more serious injuries to occur. We have successfully represented people in many other products liability cases involving defective medical devices, consumer products, drugs, and machines.
Our approach to every claim for damages we accept in Orange County is helping our client maximize their recovery in the shortest possible timeframe. Success with your case may require confronting a major corporation with a robust in-house legal department, and our counsel can help you feel more confident about your options moving forward.
We know how to hold negligent manufacturers accountable for the harm they cause. You have a limited time in which to pursue compensation for your damages, so the sooner you contact our firm, the more time and flexibility we will have to address your unique concerns as your case unfolds. Our firm can ensure your case meets all procedural requirements with the court, and you can trust us to uncover every channel of compensation available in your case.
How Is a Product Defective?
Anyone considering pursuing a product liability claim must understand what this type of claim entails. The legal definition of a defective product is any product that fails to perform its intended use or presents an extraordinary risk of harm to the user with normal use. Defective product claims may also pertain to products that were improperly or inaccurately marketed, included incomplete or insufficient instructions and/or safety warnings.
Generally, there are three types of defects considered in product liability claims:
- A product is defective by design if there is a serious flaw in the original plans for the product. An infamous example of defective design is the Ford Pinto’s rear-placed gas tank that would explode in rear-end collisions. If a product liability claim involves a defective design, this usually indicates that all products made using the faulty design are potentially dangerous.
- Products can be defective by production if some error occurred with the materials or assembly of the product. For example, a company buys raw material for its product from Supplier A with no problems and then switches to Supplier B to save on production costs. The raw materials from Supplier B result in less sturdy products that break and harm customers. Production defects typically affect lots of units.
- Defective marketing could lead to a product liability claim if the manufacturer failed to provide clear safety warnings and instructions for use with the product. This can also apply in the event
If any of these defects result in harm to a consumer, that injured consumer has the right to file a product liability claim against the manufacturer or other entities in the supply chain of the product to recoup their damages.
Potential Damages in a California Product Liability Injuries Claim
Product liability law falls under personal injury law, and companies that manufacture consumer products are just as able to absorb liability in a personal injury case as any individual. Damages available in a product liability claim align with the damages typically sought in most other personal injury claims:
- When a defective product causes physical injury or illness, the injured consumer has the right to claim compensation for any and all medical expenses incurred from the incident. This applies to both immediate medical expenses such as hospital bills and ambulance fees and future medical expenses the victim is likely to incur for necessary ongoing and/or long-term treatments.
- Defective product injuries may force victims to stay home from work while they recover. This means they cannot earn income and may even face lost earning potential in the future if they cannot fully recover from their injuries.
- A product liability claim that causes physical injuries and other losses will also likely enable the victim to claim compensation for pain and suffering. Noneconomic damages are difficult to calculate and are typically awarded in proportion to the plaintiff’s claimed economic damages to reflect the severity of their experience.
- It is also possible to secure compensation for property damage if a defective product damaged a consumer’s home, vehicle, or other personal property.
These damages could easily amount to a significant sum in a product liability claim. If you or a loved one experienced such losses due to a defective consumer product, call our firm. It is essential to contact an experienced Orange County product liability injury lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
Understanding Comparative Fault in Personal Injury Claims
The state upholds a pure comparative fault rule that applies to any civil claim in which more than one party shares fault for the damages cited in the claim. Under this rule, each liable party has a fault percentage assigned. These fault percentages indicate the share of damages each party must repay. It’s possible for multiple defendants to share liability, but it is also possible for a plaintiff to be found partially liable.
If a plaintiff is assigned a fault percentage, they will lose this percentage of their final case award. In a product liability claim, it is possible for the defendant to claim that the plaintiff did not use the product correctly or that they were otherwise negligent in a manner that contributed to causing the incident. Your CA defective products attorney can help prove the truth of the situation and minimize any fault percentage assigned to you.
What to Expect From a Product Liability Lawsuit in Orange County, California
When a consumer sustains injuries from a defective product, it is very likely that other consumers who purchased the same product have sustained similar injuries or are at risk of such injuries. Product liability claims often transform into class-action lawsuits involving many plaintiffs with similar damages taking legal action against a single defendant.
In a class-action suit, legal proceedings can progress much more quickly than many individual lawsuits could. Plaintiffs who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to take legal action on their own could join these class actions if they meet the appropriate criteria. It’s important for anyone considering joining a class-action lawsuit to understand the tradeoff that comes with expediency and limited legal fees. You can reach a settlement sooner with a class-action lawsuit, you will not receive as much compensation as you could have if you pursued an individual case.
An Orange County product liability injury lawyer can help you determine whether you are better off joining a class-action lawsuit or if your case is strong enough to stand on its own as an individual civil action. Most civil claims are settled outside of court. If you are bringing a solid product liability claim against a well-known manufacturer, they will likely want to settle the claim as quickly and quietly as possible.
Many product liability claims compel manufacturers to address design flaws, production issues, and misleading marketing materials to develop more accurately represented, functional, and safe products. When a company learns that one of their products has harmed an end user, they have a legal duty to investigate the matter and take remedial action as quickly as possible. Your product liability claim could potentially spur measurable change and prevent others from sustaining the same damages in the future.
Why Do I Need a Orange County Product Liability Lawyer?
You might think that hiring an Orange County product liability injury lawyer would amount to little more than money wasted on legal fees. However, it can actually cost you much more if you attempt to represent yourself in a product liability claim. If you attempt to settle without legal counsel, you will need to go up against the in-house legal team and/or outside counsel hired by the defendant, and this will likely not go well for you. It is best to consult with an experienced and reliable Orange County product liability injury lawyer as soon as possible rather than risk losing any chance of securing compensation for your damages.
An experienced team of Orange County product liability lawyers can help their clients gather the evidence needed to firmly establish liability, contesting any claims of comparative fault to preserve their client’s claim for compensation. When it comes to the damages in the claim, the right attorney can help their client maximize their total recovery, potentially securing compensation for damages the plaintiff didn’t realize were available to them.
Ultimately, hiring legal counsel for your defective product injury claim greatly increases your chance of success and the chance of maximizing your recovery as fully as state law allows. Easton & Easton will do everything we can to streamline your recovery, securing as much compensation as possible in the shortest timeframe possible. We’ll aim to settle the case if we can, but are fully prepared to represent you in litigation if necessary.
FAQs
Q: How Do I Prove a Product Is Defective?
A: It is possible for a consumer product to be defective in various ways. If you are unsure how to prove that the product is indeed defective, Orange County product liability lawyers are your optimal resource. They can help determine whether the product includes a defective design, manufacturing defect, or incomplete or missing safety warnings and/or instructions for use.
Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for My Defective Product Injury?
A: Your personal injury case for a defective product injury may yield compensation for all the economic losses you suffered because of the incident, such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage if the product damaged your home, vehicle, or other property. Once you add pain and suffering compensation to this, you may discover your case is worth much more than you initially expected.
Q: Is It Better to Join a Class Action Suit Than to File an Individual Claim?
A: There are potential damages and drawbacks to joining a class action suit. You will have an easier time succeeding with your case and will not be required to play a very active role unless you agree to be a class representative. However, the tradeoff is a much lower final case award as you will split the proceeds with all the other plaintiffs in the class action. An individual claim will be more difficult to win but will yield a much greater case award.
Q: How Are Pain and Suffering Calculated in a Personal Injury Case?
A: State law limits pain and suffering only in medical malpractice cases. For all other types of personal injuries, plaintiffs may claim as much as they believe to be appropriate to reflect the severity of the harm they suffered. Your CA defective products attorney can help determine a suitable figure based on the overall extent of the harm you experienced and your anticipated recovery time. If you suffered catastrophic injuries, you are likely to secure a substantial amount of pain and suffering compensation.
Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Product Liability Claim in Orange County?
A: A product liability claim is a form of personal injury claim, and there is a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in California. This time limit starts on the date your injury occurred, and if you do not submit your claim to the court within the statute of limitations, you will lose your chance to recover compensation from the defendant who caused your damages.
If you are ready to explore your legal options after suffering damages from a defective consumer product, Easton & Easton can assist you. Our team has more than 70 years of combined experience handling all types of difficult civil claims, including product liability lawsuits. Our experience allow us to seamlessly assess and coordinate medical care to make certain the full extent of our clients’ injuries are identified, treated, and provable.
We understand the tricks, stratagems, and defenses the insurance companies and their attorneys use to defeat or minimize a claim, and at Easton & Easton, LLP, we utilize our experience, skill, and dedication to make certain our clients do not fall victim to the insurance companies’ tricks and stratagems.
Talk to an Orange County product liability attorney at 800-461-8259 for a free initial consultation. If we do not take your case, there is no charge.
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The superior client service Easton & Easton provides has earned the firm an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018.
Doug and Brian Easton have been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California each year since 2014 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Brian and Matt Easton were recently honored for their efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client in 2016, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California by TopVerdict.com.
Doug and Brian have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Matt Easton has been selected among Super Lawyers' Up-and-Coming Top 25 in Orange County and Top 100 in Southern Califonia, an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys under 40 years old.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen as one of the "10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms” in all of Southern California" each year Since 2015 based on client satisfaction — one of the highest honors we could ever hope to achieve.
Easton & Easton received the “People Love Us On Yelp” award in 2016 due to the exceptional client satisfaction reviews given by our clients over the years.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been featured as Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for California since 2015 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Brian and Matt Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in AmericaTM through the results achieved for their clients. This is an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys in the United States.
Doug Easton has held the “AV Preeminent” Rating for over 30 years and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The "AV Preeminent" rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, and is based on the legal profession’s oldest peer review rating system, dating back to 1887.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.
Matt Easton has been selected each year since 2014 as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.
Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.
“We look for the human story behind every injury or wrongful death. We prepare our cases for trial; reaching out to the jury with the most compelling evidence possible for the best verdict possible. Insurance companies know this and come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith. Call us to see how we can turn your story into fair compensation.”
Partner W. Douglas Easton
What Our Clients Say
Coming out of my first auto accident as an adult, a very difficult and scary time to navigate and understand, I was so incredibly thankful to have been put in contact with Easton & Easton. I honestly was lost with how to handle paperwork, doctors, medical costs and what next steps were, and from the moment I spoke with Travis Easton and my case manager Katie, my mind was put at ease. They have made the entire process stress free for me as I recovered, and I am so grateful for them and their genuine care for my case. Communication from the start has been fantastic, especially making clear what my expectations for the entire process would look like, and I truly believe they have my best interest at heart. 100% I would recommend their firm for anyone that is needing representation! Read more…
My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!! Read more…
Ive used them twice and never been disappointed. Read more…
The Easton & Easton Law Firm is amazing! The entire team is very helpful and caring. They were always there to answer all my questions. They directed me through the entire process and stayed with me every step of the way. This team is outstanding and were wonderful to work with. Because of the tremendous effort they put on my case they were able to win my difficult personal injury case. I couldn’t have asked for a better law firm to handle my case. They are the Best! Thank you for your patience, professionalism, & guidance! I definitely recommend this firm to handle your case. They go out of their way to fight for your rights. THANK YOU… Read more…
I could not be more pleased with the services provided by the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton. The senior partner Mr. Easton took the time to meet with me and my wife while I was still in the hospital, where he gave my family hope that there was light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. Matt Easton then worked my case, and because of his dedication, experience and expertise I received a settlement that was larger than I EVER thought possible. It was truly astounding! Matt and the entire team at Easton & Easton looked out for me throughout my recovery, and in the end they gave me my life back. Five stars is not enough. Thanks Matt! Thanks Easton & Easton! Read more…
Brian and everyone at Easton and Easton are simply the BEST at what they do. Brian is thorough, easy to talk to, and truly cares about his clients. If you want a family of attorneys with perseverance and determination to fight for you, give Easton and Easton a call. I am glad I did. Read more…
What an amazing law firm, talk about going above and beyond to make such a painful experience go so well. I have referred a co-worker and a family member to them as well and everyone had such a great experience as I had. Read more…
I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!
-Allee
Retaining Easton and Easton was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! From the initial consultation to our final meeting, they were nothing short of exceptional. I was forced to retain their services after firing my previous attorney for not handling the case properly. I dealt with Gabriel and Brian (partner) exclusively throughout the case. They did as promised and were great communicators throughout the entire process. I will recommend them to anyone I know going through a personal injury case. They were ultimately able to untangle the mess caused by my previous lawyer and get a result that I was extremely happy with. Their staff is exceptional as well and provided top notch customer service. Amera was also extremely helpful and easy to deal with as well.
I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!
They are the best law firm in Orange County period. Choosing them to represent me was the best decision of my life.
My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
I was treated with utmost respect and I felt like I was being represented by a close family member. The responses to my questions were quick and clear. What E & E has done for me is phenomenal.
My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.
Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.
They are the BEST!
I have nothing but good things to say about Easton and Easton. Brian handled my case professionally and communicated with me effectively throughout the process. He made sure that the process was effortless and as hands free as possible. This was super important for my busy schedule. I highly recommend Easton and Easton if you are ever found in a situation that you need an attorney.
I would highly recommend Easton & Easton.
I was rear ended on my home and pushed into a semi-truck. I was not sure how to go about even using an attorney.
Brian, Gab and Amera were so good about helping me thru the process and representing me.
I was able to concentrate on getting myself better knowing they had my back, taking care of the details and keeping me informed along the way
The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!