
Fighting for Safety Against Dangerous Products in Austin
Consumers have a right to expect that the products they buy are safe. When a defective product causes serious injury, companies must be held accountable.
The Austin product liability attorneys at LGR have the experience and resources to take on large corporations and fight for the justice you deserve. Let us be your advocates. Contact LGR today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
Common Causes of Defective Products in Austin, TX
A specific failure on the part of the manufacturer or designer often causes a product-related injury in Terrell or Austin.
Under Texas law, a product is considered “defective” if it falls into one of three categories, each of which can make an otherwise useful item unreasonably dangerous for consumers. Proving which type of defect caused the harm is the key to a successful product liability claim.
Design Defects
The danger is inherent in the product’s very design. Even if manufactured perfectly, the entire product line is unsafe. A classic example is an SUV model designed with a high center of gravity, making it dangerously prone to rolling over during routine turns.
Manufacturing Defects
This is a flaw that occurs during the production or assembly process. The product’s design is safe, but a mistake makes a specific unit or batch dangerous. For instance, a single car that comes off the assembly line with incorrectly installed brake lines is a manufacturing defect.
Marketing Defects (Failure to Warn)
The product is dangerous in a way that is not obvious to the user, and the manufacturer fails to provide adequate warnings or instructions. A common example is a powerful medication sold without a clear warning label detailing its potentially dangerous side effects or drug interactions.
Who Is Responsible for Defective Products in Austin?
Financial liability for injuries caused by a defective product in Austin rests on the entire chain of distribution, not just the single company that built it.
Texas product liability law often applies a strict liability standard, meaning the survivor doesn’t need to prove negligence—only that the product was defective and caused the injury while being used as intended.
Texas’ law ensures multiple parties with commercial insurance can be held accountable, increasing the survivor’s chance of a full financial recovery.
Parties who may be held financially responsible:
- Manufacturer: The company responsible for the product’s design, assembly, or final production.
- Component Part Manufacturer: The company that produced a specific, defective part (e.g., a faulty airbag or brake component).
- Distributor/Wholesaler: Any intermediary company that transported or supplied the defective product.
- Retailer/Seller: The store or online platform that sold the product to the consumer.
- Designer/Engineer: Individuals or firms responsible for a fundamentally flawed or dangerous product blueprint (design defect).
Do I Need an Austin Products Liability Lawyer for My Defective Product Claim?
When you are injured by a product you believed was safe, the ensuing legal battle is often against a multi-billion dollar corporation and its dedicated legal team. Hiring an Austin defective product attorney is essential due to the specific, high-stakes nature of these cases.
The Strict Liability Advantage
Texas law offers a consumer protection theory called strict liability. This means you do not have to prove the manufacturer was negligent or careless. You only need to prove the product was defective and that the defect caused your injury while being used as intended.
Navigating this legal standard requires experience of a dedicated product liability attorney in Terrell and Austin.
The Scientific and Financial Hurdles
Manufacturers immediately deny liability and often destroy evidence. Our Austin defective products lawyers act quickly to preserve the faulty product and engage specialized engineering and safety experts. Our consultative experts analyze the product failure, providing the scientific evidence needed to prove the defect in court.
Furthermore, we calculate lifetime damages, ensuring the compensation covers future medical costs and lost earning capacity against the deep pockets of the corporate defendant.
LGR’s Austin Defective Product Lawyers Fight for You
At LGR, we level the playing field. Our Austin product liability lawyers have a specific, aggressive strategy designed to deconstruct a product’s failure, prove corporate responsibility, and secure the maximum compensation you deserve for your injuries.
- Preservation of Evidence: We issue immediate demands to prevent the manufacturer from altering or destroying the defective product itself.
- Expert Reliance: We coordinate engineers and technical experts to prove the defect existed when the product left the factory.
- Countering Defenses: We defeat common defenses like “product misuse” or “assumption of risk” with objective evidence of safe usage.
- Maximizing Recovery: We pursue compensation from every liable entity in the chain of distribution (manufacturer, distributor, seller) to maximize the final settlement.
Compensation in Austin Defective Product Claims
Compensation in an Austin defective products case is determined by the severity of the injury and the success of the legal team in demonstrating the defect’s causal link to the harm under Texas strict liability law.
Since manufacturers typically have deep resources, securing maximum compensation requires expert analysis and aggressive negotiation. A defective product settlement in Austin can help you recover all your losses.
Economic Losses
These compensate the survivor for all calculable financial harm. Texas law places no cap on economic damages.
- Medical Expenses: Emergency treatment, surgeries, hospital stays, specialized rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, and ongoing future medical care.
- Lost Income: Wages and bonuses lost during recovery, as well as compensation for diminished future earning potential (especially for catastrophic injuries)
- Property Damage: Costs to repair or replace the damaged product, vehicle, or other property
Non-Economic Losses
These damages address the non-monetary, subjective impact of the injury.
- Pain and Suffering: Physical discomfort, chronic pain, and permanent physical impairment
- Mental Anguish: Emotional distress, PTSD, anxiety, depression
- Disfigurement: Compensation for permanent scarring, burns, or amputation
- Loss of enjoyment of life: Diminished quality of life and inability to participate in activities previously enjoyed
Punitive Damages
In rare instances, if the survivor proves the manufacturer acted with gross negligence (e.g., knowingly selling a product while concealing a fatal defect), punitive damages may be awarded to punish the corporation. Texas law generally caps these damages based on a formula tied to compensatory damages.
Types of Defective Product Cases We Handle in Austin, Texas
Our products liability law firm in Austin handles a wide range of these complex, evidence-intensive lawsuits. The following are common types of product liability cases we take:
- Auto Defects: Faulty airbags, defective tires, brake failure, and sudden acceleration issues
- Medical Devices: Defective hip/knee replacements, faulty surgical mesh, and contaminated implants
- Pharmaceuticals (Dangerous Drugs): Medications with undisclosed or improperly labeled severe side effects
- Industrial Equipment: Malfunctioning machinery, unsafe power tools, and construction equipment failures
- Children’s Products: Unsafe cribs, faulty car seats, and toys with choking hazards or toxic materials
- Consumer Goods: Defective appliances causing fires or electrocution, and products with insufficient safety warnings
Serious Injuries Caused by Defective Products in Texas
When a product fails, the results can be catastrophic because the danger is unexpected, giving the user no time to react. Common severe and catastrophic injuries from defective products include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
A defective vehicle component, such as an airbag that fails to deploy, a seatbelt that unlatches, or an SUV design prone to rollovers, can cause severe head trauma, resulting in permanent cognitive damage and memory loss.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The failure of a product designed for safety, like a defective vehicle roof that collapses in a rollover or a faulty construction harness that breaks, can cause devastating damage to the spinal cord, leading to permanent paralysis.
Severe Burn Injuries
Defective electronics with exploding lithium-ion batteries, appliances with faulty wiring, or flammable chemical products sold without adequate warnings can cause horrific burns, requiring multiple surgeries and resulting in permanent disfigurement.
Amputations and Limb Loss
Defective industrial machinery that lacks proper safety guards, power tools that malfunction, or even dangerous household appliances can cause the traumatic amputation of fingers, hands, or limbs.
Organ Damage and Poisoning
Dangerous pharmaceuticals with undisclosed side effects, faulty medical implants that leach toxins, or contaminated food products can cause severe, often fatal, damage to internal organs.
Defective Product FAQ
I was injured by a recalled product. Can I sue the company?
What if I don't know what caused the product to fail?
What is the most critical first step after being injured by a defective product?
