Texas Catastrophic Injury Claims from Defective Products

We live in a world surrounded by complex machinery, high-powered electronics, and chemical products that we trust to be safe. We trust that the cars we drive, the tools we use, and the appliances in our homes have gone through thorough safety testing. But when a manufacturer cuts corners or ignores a design flaw, the result isn't just a broken product—it is often a catastrophic, life-changing injury.

In Texas, product liability cases are some of the most complex in the legal system. If you or a loved one has suffered a permanent disability due to a product failure, you need to understand the unique legal avenues available to you under Texas law.

 

Holding Manufacturers Accountable: You Don’t Have to Prove Intent

In many injury cases, you have to prove that someone was being "careless." However, Texas has special rules for defective products. Under a concept often called "strict liability," the focus is on the product itself rather than the company’s intent.

If a product is dangerous because of a flaw in its design or construction, the manufacturer can be held responsible for the products harm. You don't have to prove they meant to hurt anyone or even that they were being "negligent" in the traditional sense. If the product was defective and that defect caused a catastrophic injury, the law provides a path for you to seek justice. This level of accountability provides an avenue forward for families, but it still requires a deep investigation into exactly how and why the product failed.

Three Ways a Product Can Be Considered Dangerous

To protect your rights after a catastrophic injury, a catastrophic injury lawyer at Ali Law Group will look at how the product failed. In Texas, these failures usually fall into one of three categories:

1. A Flaw in the "Blueprint"

Sometimes a product is dangerous from the very beginning, with the actual design unsafe. In these cases, we aim to demonstrate that a safer way to build the product existed. A personal injury lawyer will look for evidence that the manufacturer could have used a different design that would have prevented the injury without making the product too expensive or impossible to use.

2. A Mistake During Production

Other times, the design is fine, but something went wrong at the factory. A production mistake is often called a "bad batch." A worker used the wrong type of metal, or a machine on the assembly line missed a bolt. In these situations, the specific item that caused the injury is different—and much more dangerous—than the others made that day.

3. Missing Warnings or Instructions

A product can be excellently designed and built, yet still dangerous if it doesn’t come with proper warnings. If a manufacturer knows a tool or chemical is dangerous but doesn’t tell you how to use it safely, they can be held responsible. When a company stays silent about a "hidden" danger, and that silence leads to a life-altering injury, the law allows you to hold them accountable.

Common Products Involved in These Life-Altering Cases

Certain products are more likely than others to cause permanent injuries like paralysis, severe burns, or brain trauma when they fail. These include:

• Vehicle Failures: Airbags that deploy too hard, roofs that collapse during a rollover, or seatbelts that don’t lock during a crash.
• Workplace Machinery: Industrial presses, forklifts, or heavy tools that are missing safety guards or emergency "off" switches.
• Battery Explosions: Lithium-ion batteries in laptops, e-cigarettes, or electric cars that catch fire or explode.
• Medical Equipment: Implants or surgical tools that fail and cause serious infections or internal organ damage.

The 15-Year Rule: A Critical Texas Deadline

Most people know they have two years to file a claim after an injury. However, Texas has a second, "hidden" deadline for defective products. In most cases, you cannot take legal action against a manufacturer if the product was first sold more than 15 years ago.

Even if the product was well-maintained and failed because of a design flaw, this clock is almost always absolute. This deadline is why it is so important to have a lawyer immediately check the equipment's manufacturing date.

Focusing on the "Human Harms"

When a product fails, the impact is rarely minor. At Ali Law Group, a personal injury lawyer will help you build a case that focuses on how the injury has truly changed your life:

• Mapping Out Future Care: Determining every medical need you will have for the next several decades, from future surgeries to around-the-clock nursing support.
• Career and Financial Impact: If an injury ends your career in a field like construction or the oil field, a personal injury attorney will fight to address the loss of that lifelong career path and the security it provided your family.
• The Emotional Toll of Disfigurement: Especially in explosion or burn cases, we focus on the psychological impact of permanent scarring and the loss of the "normal" use of your body.

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Why a Deep Investigation is Essential

Success in a case against a major manufacturer requires more than just showing that an injury happened. It involves a team of specialists to prove exactly what went wrong. A thorough investigation typically involves several critical stages:

• Protecting the Evidence: The defective item itself is the most crucial part of any claim. Someone must be responsible for keeping the item in the exact condition it was in at the time of the injury. If the product is lost, repaired, or destroyed, it becomes much harder to prove that a flaw existed.
• Engineering the Truth: Experts and engineers often study the product to see how it failed. In many cases, they may even recreate the failure in a controlled, safe environment. This controlled product testing helps show precisely how the design or the manufacturing process did not work as it should have.
• Checking the Record: The legal process allows a review of a company’s internal files and safety records. This search often uncovers whether the manufacturer knew about a danger beforehand but chose to keep the product on the market anyway.

How Companies Respond to Product Claims

Large manufacturers often have significant resources to defend against claims of product failure. A common tactic is to suggest that "user error" or poor maintenance caused the injury, rather than a defect in the product itself.

The legal process provides ways to counter these defenses. By reviewing a company's past safety records, it is possible to find evidence that the same product has injured others. If evidence shows that a company ignored these early warnings and allowed a dangerous item to stay on the market, the law provides for a higher level of accountability. This "additional justice" is designed to punish reckless behavior and encourage companies to prioritize safety over profit.

Protect Your Rights

If a defective product has left your family facing a permanent disability, the road ahead is difficult. You aren't just fighting a company; you are fighting for the support and resources your family needs to move forward.

At Ali Law Group, we have the experience to take on big corporations. We handle the technical investigations and the legal requirements so you can focus on your recovery.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, get a free case evaluation today.