Texas Auto Defects Lawyer
Have you sustained a serious injury as a result of an automobile defect or faulty auto part? Car accidents are not always caused by driver errors.
Automobiles and trucks are constructed of thousands of parts. If your vehicle has a design defect or a manufacturing defect, it can interfere with the vehicle’s performance and cause a serious accident leading to injuries or deaths.
The personal injury lawyers at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. represent victims of accidents caused by defective automobiles and auto parts and their families.
Our experienced Corpus Christi car accident attorneys will review the facts of your accident and explain your legal options free of charge during an initial consultation. We will treat you with compassion and respect.
If your injuries are severe and make it too hard for you to visit our office, we can meet with you at your home or other location convenient to you. If your auto defect is the type of case that we take, we will offer to handle your case on a contingency fee basis.
You will not owe a legal fee or expenses unless we are successful in obtaining money for you. Contact our personal injury attorneys for a free consultation.
How We Will Help If You Have Been Harmed by an Auto Defect
Product liability claims are complex to pursue. An auto defect may not be pinpointed by police as the cause of an accident during the initial investigation.
The identification of auto defects requires committed injury attorneys with experience investigating defective product claims and the resources to follow the investigation wherever it leads. At Herrman & Herrman, our attorneys have experience handling these types of injury cases. We have the resources to take on auto manufacturers and parts suppliers and hold them accountable.
Under Texas law, an injury victim must show that the automobile or automotive component in question was defective, that the product was not modified after it left the manufacturer, that the defect made the product unreasonably dangerous and that the defect caused your injury.
We do a thorough investigation of how the accident occurred. We may consult with automobile technical experts who can analyze why a component failed and provide evidence to support your claim. We will identify all the potentially responsible parties in the supply chain from parts maker to distributor to the auto manufacturer.
Our attorneys will develop an estimate of your total losses from the auto defect by calculating your medical bills, anticipated future medical costs, lost wages, and future losses if you are unable to go back to work. We will present a claim reflecting the total amount of your losses to the insurance company or companies representing the automaker.
We will negotiate vigorously for a settlement that reflects the full value of your claim. If we receive a settlement offer, we will discuss it with you. We will offer our opinion about whether the offer seems reasonable. It will be up to you to decide whether to accept it.
Our attorneys are effective in settling most cases without going to trial. If an insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement in a product liability case, our attorneys are committed to fighting for you. We will file a civil lawsuit, after discussing it with you, and seek justice through the court system.
Common Types of Auto Defects
Defects often exist in a group of vehicles of the same design from certain model years. Defects also may occur in numerous makes and models that contain the same component from a parts supplier.
The auto defects often identified in product liability lawsuits include:
- Defective airbags
- Faulty ignition switches that cause sudden loss of power
- Seat belt failure
- Defective tires that have tread separation or blow out
- Gas tank defects
- Steering components that break
- Accelerator controls that cause unintended acceleration
- Wiring system problems that cause loss of headlights or fire
- Seat backs that fail unexpectedly
If the auto manufacturer discovers a safety defect, the manufacturer must notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), auto dealers, and vehicle owners.
If the NHTSA receives similar reports from a number of people about an automotive problem, it may investigate whether a safety defect exists and a recall should be ordered. In many cases, the manufacturer will voluntarily initiate a recall. The manufacturer is required to correct the defect at no charge to the owner.
The problem is that many defects remain unknown until serious accidents have occurred and people have been seriously injured or killed. In some cases, the manufacturer fails to warn adequately of the danger of a safety defect that it is aware of or fails to issue a recall notice or warning.
Texas Lemon Law
The Texas Lemon Law protects consumers who have bought or leased a new vehicle that develops a defect that affects the vehicle’s safety or ability to be driven. The law covers cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, motor homes, and all-terrain vehicles. The law requires the manufacturer to repurchase the vehicle and provide a replacement or a refund, minus a mileage deduction.
The law requires a consumer to give the manufacturer an opportunity to make a reasonable attempt to repair the defect. You may qualify if you have taken your vehicle two or more times for the repair of a safety hazard within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles.
If you are injured by a car that is a lemon, you may have other legal options for seeking compensation. You may have an auto defect case.
Contact Us for a Courtesy Consultation about Your Auto Defect Claim
If you have been injured in an accident in Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, San Antonio, Houston, Ft. Worth or the Rio Grande Valley caused by an unsafe vehicle or defective auto part, call Herrman & Herrman P.L.L.C. Let our skilled attorneys review your accident and explain your legal options.
We focus on many types of product liability cases involving defective auto parts. We have assisted thousands of people. Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. has offices to assist clients throughout Texas.
Our firm has offices in the following locations: Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, San Antonio, Houston, and Ft. Worth, TX.
