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A defective vehicle can turn a routine drive through Denton into a life-changing event. Whether you are heading down I-35 toward the Denton County Courthouse or cutting across University Drive near UNT, you expect your car to work the way it was built to work. When a faulty airbag, a failed brake system, or a defective steering component causes a crash, the driver who got hurt is not always the one at fault. The vehicle itself, or the company that made it, may carry the legal responsibility. At Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, we help injured Denton residents understand their rights and hold manufacturers accountable under Texas law.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Defective Vehicle Accident?
- Texas Law on Defective Vehicle Claims
- Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective Vehicle Accident?
- Evidence and Expert Witnesses in Defective Vehicle Cases
- NHTSA Recalls and Your Right to Compensation
- What Damages Can You Recover After a Defective Vehicle Accident?
- FAQs About Defective Vehicle Accidents in Denton
What Is a Defective Vehicle Accident?
Not every crash happens because a driver made a mistake. Some accidents happen because a vehicle had a problem that should have been caught and fixed before the car ever left the factory floor. A defective vehicle accident is one where a flaw in the vehicle’s design, manufacturing, or warnings played a role in causing the crash or made the injuries worse than they should have been.
Think about a rollover accident on Loop 288 caused by an SUV with a dangerously high center of gravity. Or consider a rear-end collision on I-35E where the brakes failed without warning. In both situations, the vehicle itself becomes a factor in the legal case, not just the driving behavior of the people involved. These are the kinds of accidents that open the door to a products liability claim under Texas law.
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 82, a products liability action means any action against a manufacturer or seller for recovery of damages arising out of personal injury, death, or property damage allegedly caused by a defective product, whether the action is based in strict tort liability, strict products liability, negligence, misrepresentation, breach of express or implied warranty, or any other theory or combination of theories. This is broad language, and it works in your favor.
Common vehicle defects that cause accidents include faulty airbags, defective tires, failing brake systems, malfunctioning electronic stability controls, and flawed fuel systems. Delayed backup cameras, fire-causing leaking fuel systems, or broken accelerators could lead to injuries, property damage, or, in the worst cases, traffic fatalities. If any of these problems contributed to your crash, you may have a claim against the manufacturer, a parts supplier, or even a dealership, depending on the facts of your case.
The personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys work with accident victims in Denton to identify every possible source of liability, including vehicle defects that insurance companies often overlook. Call us at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.
Texas Law on Defective Vehicle Claims
Texas has a detailed legal framework for holding manufacturers and sellers responsible when a defective product causes harm. Three categories of defects matter most in vehicle accident cases: design defects, manufacturing defects, and marketing defects (also called failure to warn).
The burden of proof lies with the injured party, who must establish that the product was defective in one of three ways: design defects, manufacturing defects, and marketing defects (also known as failure to warn). Each type requires a different legal approach, and proving your case depends heavily on the facts, the evidence, and the quality of expert testimony.
For design defect claims, Texas CPRC Section 82.005 sets the standard. In a products liability action in which a claimant alleges a design defect, the burden is on the claimant to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that there was a safer alternative design and that the defect was a producing cause of the personal injury, property damage, or death for which the claimant seeks recovery. That “safer alternative design” standard is specific. A safer alternative design means a product design other than the one actually used that in reasonable probability would have prevented or significantly reduced the risk of the claimant’s personal injury, property damage, or death without substantially impairing the product’s utility, and was economically and technologically feasible at the time the product left the control of the manufacturer or seller.
For manufacturing defects, the question is whether a specific unit came off the line with a flaw, even if the overall design was sound. Texas law follows the doctrine of strict liability in many product liability cases, meaning that injured consumers do not need to prove that the manufacturer was negligent. Instead, they must show that the product was defective and that the defect caused their injuries.
The statute of limitations also matters. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury claim. Missing that deadline can end your case entirely. If you were hurt in a crash involving a defective vehicle near the Denton County Justice Center or anywhere else in the area, do not wait to speak with an attorney. Reach out to a car accident lawyer who understands both the personal injury and products liability sides of these cases.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective Vehicle Accident?
One of the most important questions in a defective vehicle case is who, exactly, is responsible. The answer is often more than one party, and Texas law allows you to pursue claims against multiple defendants at the same time.
The vehicle manufacturer is the most obvious target. If the defect was built into the car at the design or assembly stage, the manufacturer carries primary responsibility. But liability can extend further down the supply chain. A parts supplier who produced a faulty brake caliper, a dealership that modified a vehicle before selling it, or a repair shop that installed a defective component could all share in the blame.
Under CPRC Section 82.003, sellers who did not manufacture a product are generally protected from liability, but there are important exceptions. Sellers who did not manufacture a product are generally not liable unless they were involved in product design, modified the product, provided inadequate warnings, made incorrect representations, or knew of a defect. If a Denton-area dealership knew about a defect and sold you the vehicle anyway, that changes the legal picture significantly.
Section 82.002 requires the manufacturer of an allegedly defective product to indemnify an innocent seller for any loss arising out of a products liability action. This means that even if a seller ends up in the lawsuit, the manufacturer may ultimately be required to cover the losses, provided the seller did not cause the defect themselves.
Texas also uses a proportionate responsibility system under CPRC Chapter 33. If multiple parties share fault, including the driver, each party’s percentage of responsibility affects how damages are allocated. You can still recover as long as your share of fault does not exceed 50 percent. A skilled car accident lawyer can help you build a case that accurately reflects where the real responsibility lies, especially when a vehicle defect is part of the picture.
Evidence and Expert Witnesses in Defective Vehicle Cases
Proving that a vehicle defect caused your accident requires more than your word against the manufacturer’s. These cases depend on hard evidence, technical analysis, and qualified expert testimony. Building that case takes time, which is one reason why acting quickly after a crash matters so much.
The first step is preserving the vehicle. If your car is towed after an accident near Teasley Lane or Carroll Boulevard, you need to make sure it is not repaired or destroyed before an expert can inspect it. The physical condition of the vehicle at the time of the crash is often the most important piece of evidence in a defective vehicle case. Photographs, data from the vehicle’s event data recorder (the “black box”), and inspection reports from qualified engineers all play a role.
Expert witnesses are essential. Under the standard established in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, 509 U.S. 579 (1993), federal courts require that expert testimony be based on sufficient facts, reliable methodology, and a valid connection to the facts of the case. Texas courts apply a similar standard. This means your attorney needs to work with engineers, accident reconstruction specialists, and automotive safety experts who can withstand scrutiny in court.
The official crash report (CR-3 form) from the Denton Police Department or the Texas Department of Public Safety is also a key document. Under Texas Transportation Code Section 550.065, anyone directly involved in a crash has the right to obtain a copy of the crash report. That report can contain details about the vehicle’s condition, the officer’s observations, and witness statements that support your claim.
In 2025, over 30 million vehicles in the U.S. were recalled due to nearly 1,000 separate vehicle and equipment issues that posed safety risks. If your vehicle was subject to a recall that the manufacturer failed to adequately communicate, that recall history becomes powerful evidence. A car accident attorney at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys can help gather, preserve, and present this evidence effectively.
NHTSA Recalls and Your Right to Compensation
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the federal agency responsible for vehicle safety standards and recalls. A recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle, equipment, car seat, or tire creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet minimum safety standards. When a recall is issued, the manufacturer has a legal obligation to notify owners and fix the problem at no cost.
Manufacturers will notify registered owners by first class mail within 60 days of notifying NHTSA of a recall decision. But the reality is that millions of recalled vehicles stay on the road because owners never receive the notice, ignore it, or cannot get to a dealership in time. In 2025, over 30 million vehicles in the U.S. were recalled due to nearly 1,000 separate vehicle and equipment issues that posed safety risks. That is a staggering number of potentially dangerous vehicles still being driven on roads like I-35 through Denton every day.
If your vehicle was under an active recall and the defect covered by that recall contributed to your crash, that recall record becomes a central piece of your legal case. It shows that the manufacturer already knew about the problem. You can check your vehicle’s recall status using the NHTSA’s VIN lookup tool at nhtsa.gov. If a recall applies to your vehicle, document it immediately and do not let the dealership make repairs before your attorney and an expert have had a chance to inspect the vehicle.
A recall does not automatically guarantee you compensation, but it does shift important evidence in your favor. It demonstrates that the manufacturer identified a defect and acknowledged that the vehicle posed a safety risk. Combined with proof that the defect caused your accident and your injuries, a recall history can significantly strengthen your claim. Manufacturers are required to fix the problem by repairing it, replacing it, offering a refund, or in rare cases repurchasing the vehicle, but that does not cover your medical bills, lost income, or pain and suffering from an accident the defect caused.
If you were hurt in a crash involving a recalled or defective vehicle anywhere in the Denton area, from the UNT campus to the Rayzor Ranch shopping district, contact a car accident lawyer at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys right away. Call (940) 800-2500 to speak with someone today.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Defective Vehicle Accident?
When a vehicle defect causes your accident, you may be entitled to compensation from both the at-fault driver (if there was one) and the vehicle manufacturer or seller. Texas law allows injured victims to pursue several categories of damages, and a defective vehicle case can significantly expand the pool of responsible parties and available compensation.
Economic damages are the measurable financial losses you suffered. These include past and future medical bills, lost wages from time missed at work, reduced earning capacity if your injuries are long-term, and the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. If your injuries are serious, such as a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord damage, future medical costs can be substantial and must be carefully calculated with the help of medical and financial experts.
Non-economic damages cover the losses that do not come with a receipt. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the impact on your personal relationships all fall into this category. Texas does not cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases, which means a jury can award what it believes is fair based on the evidence presented.
In some defective vehicle cases, punitive damages (called exemplary damages in Texas) may also be available. These are awarded when a manufacturer acted with fraud, malice, or gross negligence, such as when a company knew about a dangerous defect and concealed it to avoid a costly recall. Exemplary damages are designed to punish that kind of conduct and deter it in the future.
If a defective vehicle accident resulted in a death, surviving family members may have a wrongful death claim under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71. Under Section 71.002, a person is liable for damages arising from an injury that causes an individual’s death when that injury was caused by wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, or default. Spouses, children, and parents of the deceased may bring this action.
Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee the same outcome in your case. What we can tell you is that having a knowledgeable attorney on your side makes a real difference in how these claims are handled. Contact a car accident attorney at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500. The consultation is free, and we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
FAQs About Defective Vehicle Accidents in Denton
Can I sue a car manufacturer if my vehicle had a defect that caused my accident?
Yes. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 82, you can bring a products liability claim against a manufacturer if a defect in the vehicle’s design, manufacturing, or warnings caused or contributed to your accident and injuries. You do not need to prove the manufacturer was careless. Under strict liability, you must show the product was defective and that the defect was a producing cause of your harm. An attorney can help you evaluate whether your case meets this standard.
What if my vehicle was under a recall but I never received notice?
A lack of notice does not eliminate your claim. If your vehicle was subject to an NHTSA recall and the recalled defect contributed to your crash, the manufacturer’s failure to adequately notify you may actually strengthen your case. You can check your vehicle’s recall status at nhtsa.gov using your VIN number. If a recall applies, document everything and contact an attorney before allowing any repairs to be made to the vehicle.
How long do I have to file a defective vehicle accident claim in Texas?
In most cases, you have two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury claim under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. However, Texas also has a statute of repose under CPRC Section 82.008, which can bar product liability claims filed more than 15 years after the product was first sold by the manufacturer. Because these deadlines can interact in complex ways, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.
What if both a driver and a vehicle defect contributed to my crash?
Texas uses a proportionate responsibility system, which means multiple parties can share fault for the same accident. You can pursue claims against both the at-fault driver and the vehicle manufacturer at the same time. As long as your own share of responsibility does not exceed 50 percent, you can still recover damages. Your total award is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not barred from recovery simply because more than one party played a role in the crash.
Do I need an expert witness to win a defective vehicle case?
In almost every defective vehicle case, yes. Proving that a specific defect caused your accident requires technical knowledge that goes beyond what a judge or jury can assess on their own. Engineers, automotive safety specialists, and accident reconstruction experts are typically needed to analyze the vehicle, explain the defect, and connect it to the crash. These experts must meet legal standards for reliability and relevance under both federal and Texas court rules. A qualified attorney will identify and retain the right experts for your specific case.
Content prepared by Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, principal office located in Denton, Texas. This page is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.