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Burbank Product Liability Lawyer
Injured in a product liability in Burbank? Our attorneys handle every type of product liability case. Call (213) 320-1001. See all our California office locations.
Product Liability Claims in Burbank, California
Burbank sits in Los Angeles County in the San Fernando Valley, population 102,988 (U.S. Census, 2025). Burbank police recorded 788 traffic collisions in 2025 — 319 of them causing injury (Burbank PD, 2025).
Most crashes happen along Golden State Freeway, Ventura Freeway, San Fernando Road, Olive Avenue and Magnolia Boulevard. A product liability claim filed in Burbank is heard at the Burbank Courthouse, 300 E Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91502, USA.
Our Burbank personal injury team represents product liability victims from our Los Angeles office, with no fee unless we win. We also handle Burbank product liability claims, Burbank scooter accident claims. Learn more about California personal injury law.
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Burbank Product Liability Lawyers Fighting for Maximum Compensation
We build product liability cases with the physical product, photographs, purchase and maintenance records, packaging, warnings, recall information, medical evidence, and testimony from engineering or safety experts. Preserving the product in its post-incident condition is critical because destructive testing, repairs, or disposal can eliminate essential evidence.
We pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain, disfigurement, disability, and other legally recoverable losses. In a fatal product case, eligible family members may bring a wrongful death claim, while the estate may have a related survival claim.
California generally provides two years to file an action for personal injury or wrongful death and three years for injury to personal property, although discovery rules, warranty deadlines, and tolling provisions can change the analysis. We examine the relevant dates promptly because waiting can jeopardize your claim even when a defect or injury was not immediately apparent.
Why Choose Compass Law Group for Your Burbank Product Liability Case?
We understand that proving a defective product case requires more than showing that an accident occurred. We identify the correct defect theory, examine whether the product performed as safely as an ordinary consumer would expect, and, when applicable, challenge whether the design’s benefits justified its foreseeable risks.
We also confront defenses involving product misuse, alteration, comparative fault, causation, and claimed compliance with safety standards. Our goal is to document the full harm, hold every responsible business accountable, and position your case for a fair settlement or trial.
Additional Practice Areas in Burbank
We also represent Burbank clients in related matters involving dangerous premises, construction injuries, toxic exposure, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death. When defective equipment, unsafe materials, or contaminated products contribute to an incident, we evaluate both product liability and any additional negligence claims supported by the evidence.
More Practice Areas in Burbank
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Who Is Liable in a Burbank Product Liability Case?
California law may hold manufacturers, component suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers strictly liable when a defective product causes injury during a reasonably foreseeable use. Depending on the facts, we may also pursue negligence, breach of warranty, or failure-to-warn claims against designers, testing companies, installers, and other businesses responsible for putting the product into the stream of commerce.
We trace the product’s supply chain and examine design files, manufacturing records, warnings, recalls, prior complaints, inspection reports, and the damaged product itself. Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years, while claims limited to damage to personal property generally have a three-year deadline; discovery rules and other exceptions may affect when the period begins.
Common Causes of Product Liability Claims in Burbank
Product liability claims commonly involve manufacturing defects that make a particular unit differ from its intended design, unsafe designs whose risks outweigh their benefits or violate ordinary consumer expectations, and inadequate warnings about known or scientifically knowable dangers. Examples include contaminated food or medicine, overheating batteries, unstable furniture, unguarded machinery, defective medical devices, unsafe children’s products, and appliances with faulty electrical components.
These defects can cause burns, lacerations, poisoning, fractures, traumatic brain injuries, organ damage, amputations, or death. We preserve the product and packaging, document the scene and injuries, obtain purchase and maintenance records, investigate similar incidents, and work with qualified experts to connect the defect to the harm you suffered.
Frequently Asked Questions — Burbank Product Liability Attorney
What should I do immediately after a product liability in Burbank?
Call 911 to report the accident and request medical assistance, even if injuries seem minor — adrenaline often masks pain at the scene. Document everything you can: photograph vehicle damage, skid marks, traffic signals, and any visible injuries. Exchange insurance and contact information with all drivers, and gather witness names and phone numbers. Do not admit fault or apologize, as those statements can be used against you later.
How long do I have to file a product liability lawsuit in California?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a government entity — such as LA Metro, the City of Burbank, or Caltrans — bears any responsibility, you must file a government tort claim within just six months of the accident or your right to sue is permanently lost. We strongly recommend consulting with us as soon as possible after your accident, because evidence disappears and witnesses become harder to locate over time.
How is fault determined in a Burbank product liability case?
Fault is established through a combination of the official LAPD or CHP accident report, eyewitness statements, traffic and surveillance camera footage, physical evidence at the scene, and sometimes accident reconstruction experts. Burbank has extensive camera coverage at major intersections and on freeways like the I-5, 10, and 110, which can provide critical footage. We immediately begin preserving this evidence on your behalf, including sending spoliation letters to retain footage before it is automatically overwritten.
What if I was partially at fault for the accident?
California follows a pure comparative fault system, meaning you can recover compensation even if you were partially responsible for the crash. Your total damages are simply reduced by your percentage of fault — so if you are found 30% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you can still recover $70,000. Insurance adjusters frequently try to inflate your share of fault to reduce their payout, which is one of the most important reasons to have an attorney negotiating on your behalf.
What damages can I recover after a product liability in Burbank?
You may be entitled to economic damages including all past and future medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and property damage. You are also entitled to non-economic damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium if a spouse was injured. In rare cases involving egregious conduct — such as a drunk driver — punitive damages may also be available. We document every category of loss from day one so nothing is left on the table during settlement negotiations.
How much is my product liability case worth?
Case value depends on multiple factors: the severity and permanence of your injuries, the clarity of liability, available insurance coverage, your pre-accident income, and how significantly your life has been affected. Soft tissue injuries may settle for tens of thousands of dollars, while cases involving spinal injuries, traumatic brain injury, or permanent disability often reach seven figures. We do not give you a number until we have reviewed your medical records and understand the full extent of your injuries — anyone who quotes you a value without that information is guessing.
Does it cost anything to hire a product liability attorney?
We handle product liability cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront and nothing at all unless we recover money for you. Our fee is a percentage of your recovery, typically between 33% and 40% depending on whether the case settles or goes to trial. All costs we advance — court filing fees, expert witness fees, medical record requests — are deducted from the settlement or verdict if we win. If we do not recover for you, you owe us nothing.
How long does a Burbank product liability case take to resolve?
Cases that settle before filing suit often resolve in three to nine months, depending on how long it takes you to reach maximum medical improvement and how cooperative the insurance company is. If we file a lawsuit in Burbank Superior Court, the case typically takes one to three years to reach trial, as LA’s courts handle a high volume of civil litigation. We pursue early settlement aggressively when the offer is fair, but we will not rush you into accepting inadequate compensation just to close the file quickly.
Should I accept the insurance company's first settlement offer?
Almost never — first offers from insurance adjusters are designed to close your claim quickly and cheaply, before the full extent of your injuries is known. Once you sign a release and accept a settlement, you permanently waive your right to seek additional compensation, even if your condition worsens or you require surgery. We recommend waiting until you have reached maximum medical improvement — or have a clear prognosis from your doctors — before evaluating any settlement. We negotiate settlements every day and know what these cases are actually worth.
What happens if the other driver who hit me had no insurance?
California requires auto insurers to offer uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, and your own policy may cover your injuries when the at-fault driver lacks adequate coverage. We review your policy immediately to identify all available coverage sources, including UM/UIM and medical payments (MedPay) benefits. If the uninsured driver has personal assets, we may also pursue a direct lawsuit against them. Hit-and-run accidents on freeways like the SR-134 through Downtown or surface streets in areas like South LA are unfortunately common, and your own UM coverage is often the only source of recovery.
Can I still make a claim if I didn't go to the doctor right away?
Yes, but a gap in medical treatment gives insurance companies a powerful argument that your injuries were not serious or were caused by something other than the accident. We advise all clients to seek medical evaluation as soon as possible after any collision — even if you feel okay at the scene. If you missed time, we work with your treating physicians to document that delayed onset is medically consistent with your specific injuries and to establish the causal link to the accident.
What if my injuries didn't show up until days after the accident?
Delayed symptoms are extremely common in product liabilitys — whiplash, concussions, herniated discs, and soft tissue injuries frequently do not produce significant pain until 24 to 72 hours after the crash, once swelling sets in. See a doctor immediately when symptoms appear and tell them explicitly that you were in a product liability, including the date and circumstances. California law still allows you to pursue a claim for injuries that manifest after the collision, provided the medical records establish a causal connection to the crash.
Who pays my medical bills while my product liability case is still open?
Your health insurance, if you have it, will typically cover treatment subject to your deductible and copays, with a right to be reimbursed from your settlement (called subrogation). We negotiate health insurance liens to reduce the amount they recover, putting more of your settlement in your pocket. If you do not have health insurance, we can often refer you to medical providers who will treat you on a medical lien basis — meaning they defer payment until your case resolves. You should never delay necessary medical care because of uncertainty about how the bills will be paid.
What if I was hurt in a rideshare accident involving Uber or Lyft in Burbank?
Rideshare accidents involve multiple overlapping insurance policies and California’s AB 5 rideshare insurance requirements, which mandate specific coverage tiers depending on whether the driver was en route to a pickup, carrying a passenger, or simply logged into the app. Both Uber and Lyft carry up to $1 million in liability coverage when a passenger is in the vehicle. These cases are more complex than standard two-car collisions because we must identify whether the driver, the rideshare company, or a third-party driver is liable — or some combination. We handle rideshare accident cases throughout Burbank and are familiar with how these companies’ claims processes work.
Do I really need an attorney, or can I handle my product liability claim myself?
You are legally entitled to negotiate your own claim, but research consistently shows that represented claimants receive substantially higher settlements than unrepresented ones — often three times more on average, even after attorney fees. Insurance adjusters are trained negotiators who handle hundreds of claims each year; this is likely your first or second time dealing with one of these situations. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation where we evaluate your case, explain what it is worth, and tell you honestly whether you need us — and if the case is straightforward, we will tell you that too.
How We Value a Burbank Product Liability Case
We evaluate how the product failed, whether the defect arose from its design, manufacture, or inadequate warnings, and which companies in the distribution chain may be strictly liable. We also examine negligence, breach-of-warranty claims, foreseeable product use or misuse, and whether the defect was a substantial factor in causing your injuries.
The value of your case depends on the severity and permanence of your injuries, medical expenses, lost income, future care needs, pain and suffering, and available insurance or corporate assets. Evidence such as the product itself, photographs, purchase records, instructions, recall information, maintenance history, witness accounts, and expert testing can materially affect both liability and damages.
Compensation Available to Burbank Product Liability Victims
You may recover past and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, property damage, and other reasonable costs caused by the defective product. California also permits compensation for noneconomic harm, including physical pain, emotional distress, disability, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
If a defective product causes death, eligible family members may pursue wrongful-death damages, while the estate may have a survival claim for losses the deceased person sustained before death. Punitive damages may also be available when clear and convincing evidence shows that a defendant acted with oppression, fraud, or malice, such as knowingly concealing a serious safety danger.
Types of Injuries in Burbank Product Liability Cases
Defective consumer goods, machinery, medical devices, batteries, appliances, tools, pharmaceuticals, and vehicle components can cause burns, electrocution, poisoning, crushing injuries, amputations, fractures, and traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries. Unsafe drugs and medical products may also cause organ damage, internal bleeding, infections, birth injuries, or the worsening of an existing condition.
Some injuries appear immediately after an explosion, collapse, or mechanical failure, while toxic exposures and implanted-device failures may not become apparent until months or years later. We use medical records and qualified experts to connect the defect to the diagnosis, document future complications, and distinguish product-related harm from unrelated conditions.
How Insurance Companies Fight Product Liability Claims in Burbank
Insurers and manufacturers often argue that the product was not defective, that it was altered after sale, or that improper maintenance, abnormal misuse, or another company caused the failure. They may also claim that warnings were adequate, the danger was obvious, the injury resulted from an underlying condition, or the plaintiff cannot prove the product’s condition because it was discarded or repaired.
Preserving the product and its packaging, instructions, components, receipts, photographs, electronic data, and repair records is critical because destructive testing or lost evidence can weaken a claim. We also investigate similar incidents, internal safety materials, regulatory records, design alternatives, and supply-chain documents to identify every responsible manufacturer, distributor, and retailer.
California personal-injury claims generally must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, although the discovery rule may delay accrual when the injury and its product-related cause could not reasonably have been discovered earlier. Different deadlines can apply to property damage, warranty claims, government defendants, minors, and wrongful-death cases, so we investigate timing immediately.
California’s Comparative Negligence in Product Liability Cases
California follows pure comparative negligence, including in strict product-liability cases. If a jury finds that your own conduct contributed to the injury, your damages may be reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not automatically barred from recovery even if your share exceeds 50 percent.
A manufacturer may point to ignored warnings, unsafe handling, unauthorized modifications, or product misuse, but foreseeable misuse can itself be relevant to whether a design or warning was reasonably safe. We separate conduct that actually contributed to the incident from ordinary, predictable product use and challenge attempts to shift responsibility away from a defective product.
What to Do in the First 72 Hours After a Product Liability Incident in Burbank
Get appropriate medical care and explain exactly how the product caused your injury, whether through a fire, electrical shock, toxic exposure, mechanical failure, unexpected movement, or missing safety warning. Prompt treatment protects your health and creates medical records connecting the product failure to burns, fractures, brain or spinal injuries, organ damage, lacerations, or other harm.
Preserve the product, its packaging, instructions, receipts, serial and model numbers, photographs, and any broken or detached parts. Do not repair, alter, test, return, or discard the product because destructive testing or a lost component can prevent an expert from identifying a manufacturing defect, unsafe design, or inadequate warning.
Record the scene, obtain witness information, and save emails, advertisements, warranty documents, recall notices, and communications with the seller or manufacturer. We can then investigate the product’s distribution chain, secure evidence before it disappears, and coordinate inspection by qualified engineering, medical, or safety experts.
California Statute of Limitations for Product Liability Claims
California generally gives you two years to file a product liability lawsuit seeking compensation for personal injury or wrongful death. A claim limited to damage to personal property is generally subject to a three-year limitations period.
Under California’s discovery rule, the filing period may begin when you knew or reasonably should have known that you were injured and that wrongdoing involving the product may have caused the injury. This can matter in cases involving latent disease, toxic exposure, implanted devices, or defects that are not immediately apparent, but suspicion of a product-related cause may start the clock before every technical fact is known.
Different deadlines or procedural rules can apply to asbestos exposure, claims involving public entities, warranty theories, minors, and other special circumstances. California has no single general statute of repose covering every defective product, but you should not delay because evidence can disappear and a court may reject an asserted exception or delayed-discovery argument.
The California Rules That Govern Product Liability Cases
California recognizes strict liability for manufacturing defects, design defects, and inadequate warnings or instructions. A manufacturing defect exists when the unit differs from the manufacturer’s intended design or from otherwise identical products, while a design defect may be shown through the consumer-expectations test or by establishing that the design’s risks outweigh its benefits.
A strict failure-to-warn claim generally requires a risk that was known or scientifically knowable when the product was distributed, an inadequate warning, and a causal connection between that omission and the injury. Separate claims may arise for negligence, breach of warranty, negligent recall or retrofit conduct, and misrepresentation when the evidence supports those theories.
Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers may be responsible when a defective product reaches the user without a substantial change and the defect substantially contributes to the injury. Comparative fault, foreseeable misuse, later modification, federal preemption, the sophisticated-user doctrine, and special rules for prescription drugs, medical devices, or component parts can affect liability and damages.
Evidence That Wins Product Liability Cases in Burbank
The physical product is often the most important evidence because experts can examine its materials, circuitry, guards, warnings, fracture surfaces, and failure patterns. Packaging, manuals, purchase records, model and serial numbers, photographs, video, maintenance history, and chain-of-custody documentation help prove what the product was and whether it changed after leaving the defendant’s control.
Strong cases may also use design drawings, specifications, testing data, quality-control records, internal risk analyses, consumer complaints, prior incidents, warranty claims, recall materials, and communications among manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. An engineering or human-factors expert can compare the product with feasible safer designs and explain how the defect caused the incident.
Medical records, treating-provider opinions, employment records, and testimony from you and other witnesses establish causation and damages. We also document future treatment, lost earning capacity, disability, disfigurement, pain, and the ways the injury has changed your daily life.
Burbank Product Liability Statistics
There is no reliable public database that reports how many Burbank injuries or lawsuits were actually caused by defective products. Court filings, hospital records, recall data, and federal injury estimates use different categories, and a product-related injury does not by itself establish a legal defect.
National consumer-safety data nevertheless show that product-associated injuries result in millions of emergency-department visits each year, involving items such as appliances, batteries, furniture, tools, recreational equipment, children’s products, and household chemicals. Those figures provide context, but each California claim still requires evidence that a manufacturing defect, unsafe design, inadequate warning, or other actionable conduct caused the particular injury.
Talk to a Burbank Product Liability Lawyer Today
If a dangerous product injured you or caused a family member’s death, we can identify the responsible companies and determine which California liability theories fit the evidence. We act quickly to preserve the product, investigate recalls and prior incidents, retain appropriate experts, and calculate the full value of your losses.
Manufacturers and insurers often argue that the user misused the product, altered it, ignored a warning, or cannot prove the precise defect. We build the technical and medical record needed to answer those defenses and pursue compensation through negotiation or trial while protecting every applicable filing deadline.
Related California injury help: our injury blog, truck accident lawyer, motorcycle accident lawyer, pedestrian accident lawyer, car accident lawyer, bicycle accident lawyer, brain injury lawyer, burn injury lawyer, slip and fall lawyer.
More ways we help injured Burbank residents: Burbank truck accident lawyer, Burbank motorcycle accident lawyer, Burbank pedestrian accident lawyer.
Joseph Shirazi
Managing Partner — Compass Law Group, LLP
State Bar: #265403
Joseph Shirazi is the co-founding Managing Partner of Compass Law Group, LLP and one of California’s most recognized personal injury attorneys. With offices throughout Burbank, Beverly Hills, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, Long Beach, and Bell Gardens, Joseph has built a statewide practice dedicated to recovering maximum compensation for accident victims. He has helped clients recover more than $250 million in verdicts and settlements.
Joseph earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School and has been recognized by the National Top 100 Trial Lawyers, earning an Avvo 10.0 Superb rating and a Top 40 Under 40 distinction. His practice covers the full spectrum of personal injury law — car and truck accidents, motorcycle collisions, pedestrian injuries, premises liability, brain and spinal cord injuries, wrongful death, and sexual abuse civil claims.
In Burbank, Joseph and his team at 633 W 5th Street, 26th Floor represent clients throughout Downtown LA, Toluca Lake, Magnolia Park and surrounding communities. The firm handles all cases on a strict No Win, No Fee basis — clients pay nothing unless Compass Law Group wins. Call (213) 320-1001 for a free 24/7 consultation.
Joseph is licensed to practice before all California state and federal courts and is an active member of the California Bar Association and American Bar Association. Verified profiles: Avvo · Super Lawyers · Justia · Elite Lawyer · LinkedIn · CA Bar.
Legal review by
Partner & Co-Founder — Compass Law Group, LLP
State Bar: #275307 · Loyola Law School, J.D.
Simon Esfandi co-founded Compass Law Group and reviewed this page for legal accuracy. His verified professional profiles:
The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Contacting Compass Law Group does not create an attorney-client relationship. Compass Law Group, LLP is licensed to practice law in California.
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National Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Avvo 10.0 Superb. Loyola Law School graduate. Recognized for his $14,500,000 truck accident verdict and a $13,000,000 trial verdict.
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Super Lawyers Rising Star. Southwestern Law School graduate. Led the firm’s $9,870,000 motorcycle accident settlement and a $2,250,000 rideshare recovery.
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Jerry
After 10 accidents and 9 attorneys, the client met Simon, who stood out for his honesty and clear communication. Years later, after another accident, the client called Simon and was impressed by his professionalism and follow-through. Simon explained everything, connected him with top doctors, and kept every promise. It was the first time the client felt truly supported—highly recommending Simon and Joseph for their integrity and dedication.
Jacob
Jacob was rear-ended by a big rig and left nearly paralyzed for a year. He found Compass Law Group, and Joseph and Simon personally helped him through the legal process. Over two years, they ensured he got the medical care and surgeries he needed, helped repair his car, and secured the compensation he deserved. He highly recommends them for truly fighting for their clients.
Blandine
During the early days of COVID, Blandine was hit by a car while biking to work. Alone and unsure of what to do, they found Compass Law Group. Joseph was the first to respond with care and clarity. Throughout the case, the team—Joseph, Simon, and Julie—provided support, regular check-ins, and made the client feel safe and cared for. They now consider the firm like family and highly recommend them for their compassion and competence.
