Most car accidents are caused by driver error. Another driver chooses to speed, runs a red light, or follows too closely. However, defective vehicle parts can contribute to accidents, making the legal process of obtaining financial compensation more difficult than in a standard case in which blame can be easily settled on one of the drivers.
Texas law gives accident victims the right to hold manufacturers and other parties responsible when defective products contribute to the crash. An experienced San Antonio auto accident attorney can help guide you through this legal process and ensure your rights are protected.
How Defective Parts Contribute to Motor Vehicle Accidents
When an automotive part is defective, it can fail during a critical moment, cause the vehicle to maneuver in unexpected ways, or fail to protect the vehicle occupants. Any auto part can potentially have a defect, but those that are more likely to result in injury include:
- Tires
- Brake systems
- Sterring components
- Electrical systems
- Engines
- Airbags
- Seat belts
If any of these or other auto parts are defective, the driver could lose control of the vehicle, the vehicle could catch fire or have an explosion, or the crash could be more severe than it otherwise would have been.
In these situations, the focus of the San Antonio injury claim is on who is responsible for the defect.
Common Types of Auto Defects
Motor vehicle accidents can occur due to design flaws, faulty manufacturing, or inadequate warnings. This is what these distinct types of defective product claims mean:
- Design defects: A design defect, such as a vehicle being more prone to flip over or explode if involved in an accident, occurs at the inception of the product. It is inherently dangerous, based on the design.
- Manufacturing defects: A manufacturing defect, such as if the wrong type of screw was used with an auto part, occurs when there is a problem during the manufacturing process that applies to a batch of affected parts.
- Warning defects: A warning defect, such as the failure to include adequate instructions regarding a vehicle system, applies when adequate warnings are not provided to the consumer, rendering it unsafe.
Texas Product Liability Law
Texas product liability law operates under a strict liability system. Under this type of system, you don’t have to prove the manufacturer was negligent in causing the defect. Instead, if a product was unreasonably dangerous and caused harm when it was used as intended, the manufacturer can be held legally liable for the resulting damages.
To prove a San Antonio defective vehicle case, you must prove the following:
- The auto part was unreasonably dangerous due to a defect.
- The part reached the victim without substantial change from its original condition.
- The auto defect caused or contributed to your injuries.
- You suffered damages as a result of the defect.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for Car Accidents Caused by Defective Products in Texas?
Texas product liability law allows accident victims to hold anyone involved in the stream of commerce responsible for their injuries. This could include:
- Manufacturers
- Distributors
- Wholesalers
- Car dealerships
- Third-party suppliers
- Auto repair shops
Contact Our George Salinas Injury Lawyers for Legal Assistance
If you suspect a product defect contributed to your car accident, George Salinas Injury Lawyers can help. Contact us today at 210-225-0909 to schedule a free case review.