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If your vehicle had a defect that caused or worsened a crash, you may have a claim against the manufacturer, not just the other driver. Defective vehicle accidents happen every day across Dallas and the surrounding Denton County area, and victims often do not realize that a faulty part, a bad design, or a missing warning could be the real cause of their injuries. At Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, we help people in Denton, Dallas, and across North Texas understand their rights and fight for the compensation they deserve. If you were hurt because a car, truck, or component failed you, call us at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Defective Vehicle Accident Claim in Texas?
- Texas Law on Design Defects and Your Burden of Proof
- Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective Vehicle Accident?
- Deadlines and Time Limits for Defective Vehicle Claims in Texas
- What Compensation Can You Recover After a Defective Vehicle Accident?
- Why Choose Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys for Your Defective Vehicle Case in Dallas and Denton?
- FAQs About Defective Vehicle Accident Attorney in Dallas
What Is a Defective Vehicle Accident Claim in Texas?
A defective vehicle accident claim is a type of products liability case. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 82, a products liability action covers any claim against a manufacturer or seller for 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, negligence, misrepresentation, breach of warranty, or any other theory. That means if your brakes failed without warning, your airbag did not deploy, or your steering suddenly gave out on US-75 near downtown Denton, you may have a valid claim against the company that made or sold your vehicle.
Texas law recognizes three main types of product defects in vehicle cases. A manufacturing defect occurs when one specific unit leaves the factory with an error, while other vehicles of the same model are fine. A design defect means the entire product line was built around a flawed concept. A marketing defect, also called a failure-to-warn claim, applies when a company knew about a danger but did not give drivers proper instructions or warnings. Each type requires different proof, and all three can result in serious crashes on busy roads like I-35E or the Dallas North Tollway.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tracks these problems closely. In 2023, NHTSA processed 1,000 recalls that included over 39 million vehicles and items of motor vehicle equipment. That number shows just how common vehicle defects are. Many drivers never receive recall notices, or they receive them too late. If you were injured before a recall was issued, you can still pursue a claim. The fact that a recall was issued later can actually support your case by showing the manufacturer knew the problem existed.
The personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handle defective vehicle cases throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Denton County courts located right off Locust Street in downtown Denton. We know how to identify which type of defect applies to your situation and how to build a case that holds manufacturers accountable.
Texas Law on Design Defects and Your Burden of Proof
Design defect claims are some of the most common, and most contested, defective vehicle cases in Texas. The law sets a specific standard for what you must prove. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 82.005, in a products liability action alleging 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.
What does “safer alternative design” mean under Texas law? It 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 by the application of existing or reasonably achievable scientific knowledge. In plain terms, you must show that a better design existed, that it was affordable and realistic, and that using it would have kept you from getting hurt.
Think about a real-world example. Suppose you are driving through the University of North Texas area near Fry Street and your SUV rolls over because the vehicle’s center of gravity was poorly engineered. If engineers could show that a modified suspension design would have reduced rollover risk without making the vehicle less useful or unreasonably expensive to build, that evidence supports a design defect claim. Proving this typically requires expert testimony from automotive engineers and accident reconstruction professionals.
These cases are complex, but the law gives injured Texans a real path to recovery. A skilled car accident attorney who understands products liability can identify the right experts, gather vehicle data, and present the evidence needed to meet this legal standard. Do not try to handle a design defect claim on your own. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 to talk through your options.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective Vehicle Accident?
Many people assume the only defendant in a vehicle defect case is the automaker. Texas law casts a wider net. Liability can extend to manufacturers, dealerships, parts suppliers, and even repair shops under certain conditions. The key question is what role each party played in putting a dangerous vehicle or component on the road.
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 82.003, 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. So if a Denton-area dealership sold you a car while knowing about a steering defect, that dealership could face liability. If a repair shop installed a faulty aftermarket part that later caused a crash on I-35E near Loop 288, that shop could also be on the hook.
Texas law also protects manufacturers from being left out of the picture. 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 if you sue the dealership and the dealership was not at fault, the manufacturer must step in and cover those losses. The law is designed to make sure the party truly responsible for the defect bears the financial burden.
In some cases, multiple defendants share responsibility. A parts manufacturer might have produced a defective airbag, an automaker might have installed it without adequate testing, and a dealership might have failed to disclose a known recall. Texas proportionate responsibility rules under CPRC Chapter 33 allow the court to assign a percentage of fault to each party. Your compensation is then calculated based on the total fault assigned to all defendants combined. Working with an experienced car accident attorney means having someone who can identify every responsible party and pursue each one.
Deadlines and Time Limits for Defective Vehicle Claims in Texas
Time is a critical factor in any defective vehicle case. Texas law sets two separate deadlines you need to know about. Missing either one can permanently bar your right to recover damages, no matter how strong your case is.
The first deadline is the standard personal injury statute of limitations. In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. If you were injured in a crash near Rayzor Ranch or on Highway 380 in Denton and a vehicle defect contributed to that crash, the two-year clock starts running from the date of the collision. Waiting too long to contact an attorney puts your entire claim at risk.
The second deadline is the products liability statute of repose. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.012, the Texas Statute of Repose creates an absolute deadline, barring any product liability claim filed more than 15 years after the product was originally sold by the manufacturer, regardless of when the injury occurred. This is a hard cutoff. Even if you discover a defect after the 15-year window closes, your claim may be barred. There are limited exceptions, but they are narrow and difficult to apply.
What this means practically is that you should contact an attorney as soon as possible after a crash involving a suspected vehicle defect. Evidence disappears fast. The vehicle may be repaired or scrapped. Electronic data from the vehicle’s onboard systems can be overwritten. Witnesses move away. A prompt investigation by a qualified legal team protects your ability to prove what happened and why.
Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys serves clients across Denton County and the Dallas area, and we know how to move quickly to preserve evidence and meet every deadline. Call us at (940) 800-2500 or reach out through our website to get started. Attorneys at this firm are licensed to practice in Texas.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Defective Vehicle Accident?
Victims of defective vehicle accidents in Texas can pursue multiple categories of compensation. The damages available depend on the facts of your case, the severity of your injuries, and the conduct of the manufacturer or seller. Every case is different, and past results in other cases do not guarantee the same outcome in yours, but understanding the categories of recovery helps you see the full picture.
Economic damages cover your measurable financial losses. These include past and future medical bills, lost wages while you were unable to work, reduced earning capacity if your injuries affect your career long-term, and the cost to repair or replace your vehicle. If your crash happened near Golden Triangle Mall or on the Denton County side of the Dallas North Tollway and left you unable to return to your job, those lost earnings are a real part of your claim.
Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other harms that do not come with a receipt. These can be substantial in serious injury cases involving spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, or permanent scarring. Texas law allows juries to award these damages based on the evidence presented at trial.
In cases where a manufacturer acted with gross negligence, such as knowingly selling vehicles with a dangerous defect and hiding that information from the public, punitive damages may also be available. These are designed to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future. 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, and evidence of a delayed or concealed recall can be powerful in a punitive damages argument.
If a defective vehicle accident resulted in a death, surviving family members may bring a wrongful death claim under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.002. Eligible family members include spouses, children, and parents of the deceased. These claims can recover damages for loss of companionship, grief, and financial support. The car accident lawyer team at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handles both injury and wrongful death cases with the same commitment to results.
Why Choose Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys for Your Defective Vehicle Case in Dallas and Denton?
Defective vehicle cases are not like typical rear-end collision or intersection accident claims. They require a deep understanding of products liability law, access to qualified engineering experts, and the ability to take on large corporations with substantial legal resources. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys has the knowledge and drive to handle these cases for clients across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including right here in Denton.
We work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront and owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. There is no financial risk to calling us and learning whether you have a case. We advance the costs of investigation, expert witnesses, and litigation so that your financial situation never prevents you from pursuing justice.
Our firm is based in Denton, Texas, and we know this community. We know the roads where crashes happen, from the busy interchange at I-35E and US-380 to the stretch of Highway 77 running through the heart of Denton County. We know the Denton County courts and the Dallas County courts where these cases are filed. That local knowledge matters when building a case and presenting it to a jury.
We also understand that defective vehicle cases often involve other layers of fault. Maybe the other driver was also negligent, or maybe a commercial vehicle was involved. Texas proportionate responsibility rules under CPRC Chapter 33 allow us to pursue all responsible parties at once, maximizing your potential recovery. Under that framework, you can still recover damages as long as your own percentage of fault does not exceed 50 percent. Your damages are simply reduced by your share of responsibility if any is assigned to you.
If you were hurt in a crash near Denton, Dallas, or anywhere in North Texas and you suspect a vehicle defect played a role, do not wait. Contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 for a free, no-obligation consultation. You can also connect with our car accident attorney team serving Lewisville and surrounding communities. We are ready to listen, investigate, and fight for the compensation you need to move forward. Attorneys at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys are licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
If you were injured outside of Denton or Dallas, our car accident lawyer team also serves clients in Irving and the surrounding DFW communities, so help is never far away.
FAQs About Defective Vehicle Accident Attorney in Dallas
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 your vehicle caused or contributed to your crash and injuries. You may also be able to sue the dealership, a parts supplier, or another party in the distribution chain depending on the facts of your case. An attorney can review the evidence and identify every responsible party.
What if there was already a recall on my vehicle, but I never received notice?
A recall does not automatically resolve your legal claim. Manufacturers will notify registered owners by first class mail within 60 days of notifying NHTSA of a recall decision, but many owners never receive those notices. If you were injured by a defect that was the subject of a recall, the existence of that recall can actually strengthen your claim by showing the manufacturer knew about the problem. You can check your vehicle’s recall status using the VIN lookup tool at NHTSA.gov.
How long do I have to file a defective vehicle accident claim in Texas?
You generally have two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas. There is also a separate products liability statute of repose under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.012 that bars claims filed more than 15 years after the product was first sold by the manufacturer. Both deadlines are strict. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your crash to protect your right to file.
Does it matter if I was partially at fault for the accident?
Not necessarily. Texas follows a proportionate responsibility system under CPRC Chapter 33. You can still recover damages as long as your percentage of fault does not exceed 50 percent. Your total compensation is reduced by your share of responsibility. For example, if a jury awards you $500,000 but finds you were 20 percent at fault, you would receive $400,000. A defendant may try to argue you misused your vehicle to push your fault percentage higher, which is why having strong legal representation matters.
What types of vehicle defects most commonly lead to accident claims?
Common defects that lead to accident claims include faulty brakes, defective airbags (including the ongoing Takata airbag crisis), steering failures, tire blowouts caused by manufacturing errors, defective electronic stability control systems, and fuel system leaks that cause fires. Rollover accidents are also frequently linked to design defects involving a vehicle’s center of gravity or roof crush resistance. If any part of your vehicle failed during or immediately before your crash, a defect investigation is warranted.