Can I file a personal injury claim if I was injured by a defective product?

Yes. Under California’s strict liability laws, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers can be held liable for injuries caused by defective products — even if they weren’t negligent. There are three types of product defects:

• Design defects: The product’s design is inherently dangerous (e.g., a seatbelt that fails on impact)
• Manufacturing defects: An error during production makes a specific unit dangerous
• Marketing defects (failure to warn): The product lacks adequate warnings or instructions about known risks

This applies to everything from dangerous drugs and defective medical devices to consumer products and vehicle components. Preserve the defective product and its packaging as evidence, and contact an attorney promptly.