When a Defective Vehicle Causes an Injury in Austin, Texas

You’ve been injured in a car accident and you’re sure it wasn’t your fault. Something went wrong with the car, but you don’t know what. And, now you have to deal with the consequences: medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering.

It’s possible a defect in your car is to blame for your accident and injuries. But, going up against a gigantic car or auto parts company and proving that they’re at fault seems impossible.

It doesn’t have to be. The Law Offices of George Salinas may be able to help.

Proving Liability for an Auto Defect in Texas

In Texas, there are two basic ways to hold auto manufacturers or sellers accountable for a defective car or car part: strict liability and negligence.

In a strict liability case, a car or car part manufacturer or seller can be held liable in some cases if their product was unreasonably dangerous at the time it was sold because of one of three kinds of defect: a defect in the design of the product, a defect in how the product was manufactured, or a defect in warnings given about the product.

In a negligence case, a car or car part manufacturer or seller can be held liable in some cases if it failed to exercise reasonable care in relation to the product in a way that led to the victim’s injuries.

To be sure, these are never easy cases to prove. It can be very important to gather detailed evidence about the accident, how your injuries occurred, when and from whom you acquired your car, and when and who manufactured and/or worked on your car. Oftentimes, it may be necessary to retain experienced auto accident investigators to help sort through the evidence.

Also, in a case under Texas law, even after you’ve gathered evidence, it can be harder to prove a manufacturer or seller is liable for your injuries than the same case might be in other parts of the country. That’s because Texas law contains rules that partially protect manufacturers and sellers from liability to victims of their products if, for example, they can show they followed federal safety standards in designing or labeling their products. Texas law also protects franchised car dealers from certain types of liability for a defective vehicle.

The Importance of Experienced Legal Help

Because of the complexity of these sorts of cases, and the Texas rules that partially shield some manufacturers and sellers from liability, it can be important to have an experienced defective auto attorney on your side to help guide you through the process. It may be critical for you to find an attorney who understands how to navigate the legal pitfalls, identify responsible parties, and pursue them under legal theories that have the best chance of success in a Texas courtroom.

At the Law Offices of George Salinas, we understand the ins-and-outs of Texas product liability law, especially how those laws affect auto accident injury cases. If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident in which it seems like “something went wrong” with the car, contact us today at (512) 851-1004, or online, for a free consultation to discuss your Texas legal options.