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Dangerous Drug Lawyer in Los Angeles: Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

Legal help for people injured by a prescription drug, over-the-counter medication or medical device that was defective or sold without adequate warnings.

4.5 ★ Google Rating  ·  No Fee Unless We Win  ·  Available 24/7

At a Glance

  • What it is: a product liability claim for a defectively designed or made drug or device, or one sold without adequate warnings.
  • Where we help: Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Pasadena and the rest of Los Angeles County.
  • Why us: David Lederer and John Nojima spent years defending insurers and know how these defenses are built.
  • Proof: rated 4.5 stars from 41 Google reviews, with verified results on our case results page.
  • Next step: call (310) 312-1860 for a free consultation. No fee unless we win.

Quick Answer

A drug or medical device claim can arise when a manufacturer sold a product with a design defect, a manufacturing defect, or inadequate warnings about risks it knew or should have known. In California the duty to warn about a prescription drug usually runs to the prescribing doctor (the learned intermediary rule). Most claims have a two-year deadline, but the clock can depend on when you discovered or should have discovered the connection, so a recall or news report does not mean time is unlimited.

Dangerous drug lawyer in Los Angeles from Lederer & Nojima is for patients who developed a serious injury after taking a prescription drug or using a medical device and want to know whether the product or its warnings were to blame, so you can decide on a claim before the deadline passes.

Drug and device injury claims are product liability claims. The legal theories are a design defect (the product is unreasonably dangerous as designed), a manufacturing defect (this batch or unit was made wrong) and a failure to warn (the risks were not disclosed to doctors and patients in time). A claim can reach the manufacturer, and in some situations a distributor or other company in the chain.

These cases are document-heavy and technical. They turn on clinical trial data, adverse event reports, FDA submissions and label changes, the medical records showing when the medication was taken and what happened next, and sometimes on whether a brand-name or generic manufacturer is involved, because different legal rules apply to each. Some injuries are part of larger consolidated litigation. Which path fits depends on the product and your facts.

David Lederer and John Nojima spent years defending insurers. They know how a defendant's lawyers approach a case that depends on expert testimony and large volumes of records, and they decide early whether a claim is worth bringing.

01

Former Insurance Defense

David Lederer and John Nojima used to defend insurers. Now they use that knowledge to pressure carriers that try to delay, discount, or deny injury claims.

02

No Fee Unless We Win

You pay no upfront fee. Our fee comes from the recovery, and if we do not win, you owe us nothing.

03

Free Consultation 24/7

Call any time after an injury. We can protect evidence, deal with insurers, and explain your next move before deadlines pass.

What do we look for first in a dangerous drug case?

Keep the evidence

Hold on to pill bottles, packaging, lot numbers, pharmacy receipts, instructions and any device itself. Do not throw away a device that was removed.

Medical timeline

We reconstruct when the drug was prescribed, the dose, when symptoms began and what your doctors knew. That timeline ties the injury to the product.

What the label said

Whether the manufacturer warned doctors of the risk, and when, is often the center of the case. We compare the label history with what was known.

Deadlines

The clock may start when you knew or should have known the drug caused the harm. We calculate it early so a good claim is not lost.

What does California law say about defective drug claims?

California recognizes strict product liability for design defects, manufacturing defects and failures to warn. For prescription drugs and devices, courts apply the learned intermediary doctrine, so the manufacturer's duty to warn generally runs to the physician rather than directly to the patient. Federal law also affects what a manufacturer must do, especially for generic drugs, so the type of product matters.

Most personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1), and a wrongful death claim within two years of the death. When the injury or its cause was not reasonably discoverable, the discovery rule can change when the clock starts. Because that analysis is fact-specific, speak with a lawyer rather than assuming you have time.

What can a dangerous drug claim recover?

  • Medical bills and the cost of treating the injury
  • Future medical care and monitoring
  • Lost income and lost earning capacity
  • Pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life
  • Wrongful death damages when a drug injury is fatal
  • In some cases, punitive damages where a company knowingly hid a risk

What should I do if I think a drug or device hurt me?

  1. 1

    Talk to your doctor before you stop a prescribed medication

    Some medications are dangerous to stop suddenly. Get medical advice first, and get the injury documented.

  2. 2

    Keep the product and the paperwork

    Save the medication, packaging, lot numbers, receipts, patient information sheets and any recall or safety notices.

  3. 3

    Get your records

    Request medical records and pharmacy records that show prescriptions, doses and dates.

  4. 4

    Report it

    You can report an adverse reaction to the FDA through its MedWatch program. A report does not replace a legal claim.

  5. 5

    Call Lederer & Nojima

    We can review your records, explain whether a claim looks viable and protect the deadlines. The consultation is free.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to hire Lederer & Nojima?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency, so our fee comes from the recovery. If we do not win, you owe us no attorney fee.
What is a dangerous drug claim?
A claim that a drug or medical device caused injury because it was defectively designed or made, or because the manufacturer did not give adequate warnings about known or knowable risks.
Do I need a recall to have a claim?
No. A recall can help show a problem, but a claim can exist without one. The question is whether the product was defective or inadequately labeled and whether it caused your injury.
Can I sue if my drug was a generic?
Possibly, but different legal rules apply to generic and brand-name manufacturers, and some claims are limited by federal law. We review the specific product.

Where is the Lederer & Nojima office?

Our office is at 12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 480, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Call (310) 312-1860 to schedule a free consultation, or see our Google Business Profile for directions and reviews.

Related Practice Areas

Lederer & Nojima, LLP
12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 480, Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 312-1860

Results may vary. Every case is unique. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Hurt by a drug or device? Call Lederer & Nojima.

Former insurance defense attorneys. No fee unless we win.