Yes, in many cases you can. If a product hurt you because it was designed badly, built wrong, or sold without a warning you needed, California law may let you hold the people in that chain responsible.
Product liability covers three basic problems. A design defect means the product was dangerous before it ever left the drawing board. A manufacturing defect means something went wrong when that specific unit was made. And a warning defect means the maker failed to tell you about a risk you couldn't have seen coming. Depending on the facts, you may be able to bring a claim against the manufacturer, the distributor, or the store that sold it.
One thing that helps people here: California uses strict liability for many product cases, so you often don't have to prove the company was careless, just that the product was defective and it caused your injury. That said, comparative fault still applies. California is a pure comparative-fault state, so if you used the product in a way that contributed to the harm, your recovery can be reduced.
Deadlines matter. The general personal injury filing deadline in California is two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and evidence like the product itself can disappear fast, so it's worth acting early.
This is general information, not legal advice, and every case turns on its own facts.
A defective product case can overlap with a broader personal injury claim, and if a product failure caused a death in your family, see wrongful death. Joe Crudo will look at what happened and tell you straight whether you have a case. Call (858) 622-7280 or reach out through our contact page for a free, confidential consultation.