Managing Partner
A defective product doesn’t ask permission before it hurts someone. A faulty airbag, a mislabeled medication, a power tool with a hidden wiring flaw—any of these can injure you or someone you love without warning.
If you’ve been hurt or lost a family member because a product failed to do what it was supposed to do, a Los Angeles product liability attorney at Glotzer & Leib LLP can help you figure out what happened and who should pay for it. Call us at 747-241-8288 for a free consultation, and let’s talk through what you’re dealing with.
California recognizes three main categories of product defects:
California courts apply strict liability to these cases, meaning you generally don’t have to prove the manufacturer was careless. Your attorney needs to show only that the product was unreasonably dangerous and caused your injury.
That’s good news for injured consumers because it shifts the burden away from proving corporate negligence and toward proving the product itself was unsafe.
A product recall doesn’t automatically win your case, but it can be a powerful piece of evidence. When the Consumer Product Safety Commission or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issues a recall for the exact product that hurt you, that recall notice often documents the defect in the manufacturer’s own words.
We pull recall histories, prior complaint databases, and safety bulletins early in every case because a pattern of similar failures tells a jury this wasn’t a one-time accident. Even when no recall exists yet, a string of consumer complaints about the same product can carry similar weight.
Products liability claims in Los Angeles often involve:
Take a look at these compelling real life stories to see how defective product claims unfold and what recovery can look like:
Los Angeles sits at the center of one of the busiest import corridors in the country, and that matters more than people realize. Products manufactured overseas and shipped through local ports sometimes reach store shelves before undergoing the safety testing required for domestic products.
When a defect traces back to an overseas manufacturer, establishing jurisdiction and pursuing that company can involve additional legal steps that a lawyer familiar with these supply chains knows how to work through, including pursuing a domestic importer or distributor who can be held accountable in California courts.
Hiring a lawyer puts someone in your corner whose only job is protecting your recovery, while the manufacturer’s team works to protect its own bottom line. That difference shapes every phone call, every document request, and every dollar on the table.
The moment you report an injury, a claims adjuster and often a retained defense attorney start building a file, not on your behalf, but against your claim. Their goals typically include:
A knowledgeable product liability lawyer in Los Angeles levels that imbalance. We request manufacturing records the company won’t hand over voluntarily, bring in engineers or safety experts to examine the product, and identify every party who may share responsibility, whether that’s the manufacturer, a distributor, or a retailer.
We also handle every conversation with the insurance company, so you’re not negotiating alone against people who do this for a living.
Sometimes, the product itself gets thrown away or altered before anyone realizes it’s evidence. Bringing in an attorney early preserves that evidence and keeps your case on solid footing from day one.
If a defective product hurt you or someone in your family, don’t wait to see how the manufacturer responds on its own. Call Glotzer & Leib LLP at 747-241-8288 for a free consultation, and let’s talk about what your next step should look like.
Manufacturers rarely admit fault outright, so most product liability defenses focus on shifting blame away from the product itself. Recognizing these tactics ahead of time helps you understand them if they come up in your own case.
One frequent defense is misuse, where the company argues you used the product in a way it wasn’t designed for.
We counter this by showing how a reasonable person would have used the product under ordinary circumstances, since the law only expects manufacturers to guard against foreseeable misuse, not every conceivable scenario.
Another common defense involves arguing that a substantial change happened to the product after it left the factory, such as a repair or modification made by someone else.
We address this by preserving the product promptly and documenting its condition before any repairs or alterations happen, which closes off that argument before it gets traction.
Finally, some manufacturers argue that your own comparative fault reduces or eliminates their responsibility. California allows for shared fault between parties, but a partial degree of responsibility on your part doesn’t bar you from recovering compensation for the portion attributable to the defective product.
California’s statute of limitations for product liability claims is generally two years from the date of injury, though exceptions exist when a defect isn’t discovered right away.
If a loved one died because of a defective product, California allows a wrongful death claim, also typically within two years of the date of death.
These deadlines matter because courts almost never make exceptions once the window closes. If you wait too long to gather evidence or speak with an attorney, physical evidence like the product itself can get lost, thrown out, or altered before anyone examines it. The sooner you reach out, the more options you preserve for building a strong claim.
Every case depends on its own facts, but compensation in a defective product case commonly addresses medical treatment, lost income, pain and suffering, and, in serious cases, long-term care needs.
Some clients also obtain compensation for property damage, particularly when a defective product damaged a home or vehicle in addition to causing personal injury.
For catastrophic injuries, such as burns from a malfunctioning appliance or traumatic injuries from a failed vehicle component, compensation may also account for future medical needs, home modifications, and the loss of earning capacity if you can no longer perform the same type of work.
These are the damages that require careful documentation from treating physicians, vocational experts, and sometimes life care planners, since a settlement or verdict needs to reflect costs you’ll face years down the road, not just what you’ve already paid out of pocket.
Recent results our attorneys have obtained for clients include:
Past results don’t guarantee a particular outcome in your case, since every set of facts is different, but they reflect how our attorneys approach negotiations and, when necessary, trial.
Our attorneys bring more than 50 years of combined legal experience to product liability matters in Los Angeles. We hold a 10.0 rating on Avvo, we’re members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Super Lawyers has recognized our firm as a Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney in Los Angeles, CA.
None of that matters as much as what our clients say about working with us, though.
“Mr. Josh Glotzer is a great attorney. Over the last 15 years he has helped me on a number of cases with professionalism, and more importantly a positive outcome in my favor. I have referred him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of which have been equally as happy with his legal representation. I trust him and confident in legal ability. I highly recommend his law firm.”
“Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”
Sometimes, a client comes to us not knowing whether they even have a case. That first conversation is where we sort through what happened, what evidence exists, and what your options look like. From there, our process generally follows these steps:
Our knowledgeable product liability lawyers in Los Angeles understand that these cases often move slower than a typical car accident claim, largely because manufacturers fight harder to avoid admitting a design or manufacturing flaw. We stay focused on the long game so you don’t have to track every procedural detail yourself.
Once litigation begins, cases filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court typically move through written discovery, depositions of company representatives and expert witnesses, and often a period of expert testing on the product itself.
We handle each stage while keeping you updated in plain language, so legal filings and court dates don’t become one more source of stress while you’re recovering from your injury.
Yes. Keep the defective product exactly as it was at the time of the injury, including packaging, instructions, and any parts that broke off. This physical evidence often makes or breaks a product liability claim, so store it somewhere safe and don’t attempt repairs.
That’s fine, but stop giving recorded statements or signing anything from the company or its insurer until you’ve talked to an attorney. Manufacturers sometimes use early statements against injured consumers later in the case.
Yes. California product liability law doesn’t require you to be the original purchaser. If a defective product injured you, regardless of who bought it, you can pursue a claim against the responsible manufacturer or seller.
A free consultation means we review the facts of your case, answer your questions, and tell you honestly whether we believe you have a viable claim, all without any cost or obligation. We only get paid if we recover compensation for you.
Most product liability cases settle before trial, but we prepare every case as though it will go in front of a jury. That preparation often leads to stronger settlement offers because insurers know we’re not afraid to argue the case in a courtroom.
Every day that passes after a defective product injury is a day evidence can disappear and deadlines can creep closer. Our team at Glotzer & Leib LLP has spent years holding manufacturers accountable for products that hurt people who trusted them to be safe.
If a defective product injured you or took someone from your family in Los Angeles, call us at 747-241-8288 for a free consultation. We’ll listen to what happened, explain your options in plain language, and help you decide what to do next.
Glotzer & Leib LLP
714 West Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015
GLOTZER & LEIB, LLP 714 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
“Mr. Glotzer represented me after I was involved in a car accident. I was badly injured,but the insurance company refused to offer me a reasonable settlement. I decided to find an attorney and decided to hire Josh.
His law firm did a great job on my case. They were very responsive to all my questions and obtained a great resolution for me. I received way more money than was originally offered. I would recommend their firm to friends and family.”
“Mr. Josh Glotzer is a great attorney. Over the last 15 years he has helped me on a number of cases with professionalism, and more importantly a positive outcome in my favor. I have referred him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of which have been equally as happy with his legal representation. I trust him and confident in legal ability. I highly recommend his law firm.”
“Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”
“My wife was in a car accident last year and Josh did an amazing job representing her. It’s very refreshing to see someone in his profession that actually cares and puts his clients first. He’s the best in the business and I feel so fortunate that I was referred to him. Keep up the great work and thanks for everything you did for my family!”
“I was in a rear end car accident last year and hired Mr. Glotzer’s office. It wasn’t a big case but their office helped me with my property damage claim and did a good job resolving the injury portion of the case as well.”
