Auto Accident Attorney
There are many fine auto accident attorneys who focus only on the negligence of the person in the other vehicle. At our firm, we look deeper. We look for defects in cars and their parts to determine whether others who were not at the accident scene caused the auto accident or made the tragic situation worse.
David P. Willis is a board certified personal injury trial lawyer. He has focused his practice on auto defects. Call him at (713) 529-9377 or (800)-883-9858 to talk about whether your auto accident was caused by a defective product.
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Car Product Defect Lawsuit
Often the injuries in the car wreck can be due to a product defect, whether a design defect or a manufacturing defect of the vehicle. In the cases in which the plaintiff has severe injuries with damages in excess of the insurance limits, then additional avenues of recovery must be investigated. Our auto defect lawyers can help you file lawsuits against the auto manufacturer that include claims for:
- Seat belt buckle system
- Defective airbags
- Headrests or head restraints
- Seatback failures
- Door latches that open during collision or rollover
- Keyless ignition systems
- Fuel tanks that explode or catch fire
- Windshield and windows without glazing
- Defective tires
- Roofs that crush and collapse after a rollover
- Anti-lock brake failures
- Car seat or child safety seat defects
- Park-to-reverse accidents
- Seat belt buckles that open
- Lap only seat belts
Houston Car Accident Lawyer
Bus, car, and truck accidents happen frequently in Texas. Most of us have been involved in a car accident or we know someone who was seriously injured in an auto accident. Texas car wrecks have caused serious pain and suffering to many of our friends and family members.
An auto accident can cause severe injuries such as the loss of limb, soft-tissue injuries, back and neck injuries, paralysis, quadriplegia, paraplegia, brain injury, brain damage, spinal cord injury, bruising, broken bones, scarring, disfigurement, permanent physical disability and even death. Auto accident insurance coverage is usually available to pay for a car accident victim’s medical bills, pain, suffering, lost wages, and loss of quality of life. Sometimes a car accident victim’s family may have a right to compensation for loss of companionship, loss of support and wrongful death.
In Texas, an auto accident victim has two years from the date of the car wreck to file a lawsuit. In the case of a child or minor, the statute of limitations is tolled or extended. Talk to a car accident lawyer to get the exact date that a car wreck lawsuit needs to be filed in court. If you wait too long, the lawsuit may be dismissed. The filing deadlines are different in other states, so you should consult an attorney familiar with those states’ deadlines. A Texas car accident can involve many complex legal issues including product liability, employer liability, subrogation rights, comparative negligence, personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, minimum insurance coverage requirements and laws pertaining to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. If you don’t understand these issues and want to evaluate your options, you should consult a Texas accident lawyer to help you evaluate your claim.
What Should I do After a Car Accident?
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in Texas, there are a few steps you can take to make your auto accident case stronger and protect your right to recover money damages. These steps include the following:
- Report the auto accident to the police as soon as possible
- Report the accident to your own insurance company
- Do not give a recorded statement until after you have spoken to your car accident attorney
- Get the names and addresses of all witnesses that saw the car accident
- Take pictures of your injuries, bruises, casts and other medical devices and of the damage to your car. These pictures document the injuries and damages and could be useful if your auto accident case goes to trial. If you believe that a part of the car caused or contributed to your accident or injuries, then talk to an attorney about a possible product liability case too. In that case the vehicle would need to be preserved as evidence in a product liability lawsuit.
- See a doctor immediately after the car accident
- You need to put together all of the receipts and documents pertaining to your car accident
- You may need to retain a Texas lawyer to assist you in making a car accident claim on the auto insurance company for settlement of your personal injury
Results in Auto Accident Lawsuits
- $15,000,000 Railroad Crossing One Wrongful Death – One Brain Damaged
A speeding train hit a car full of teenagers traveling down a two-lane country road. The train crew failed to blow the train’s horn. Southern Pacific failed to install lights or gates at the crossing. One back seat passenger died and the other was brain damaged. After three weeks of trial, the court rendered a verdict for $25.5 million against the train company and crew. The clients settled the matter for $15,000,000 after appeals began. Expenses $37,481, Attorneys’ Fees $5,216,100, Net to Clients $9,746,419 - $3,500,000 SUV Rollover / Roof Collapse – Wrongful Death
A young married couple was driving down Interstate 35 outside Temple, Texas when the back left tire suddenly detreaded causing the driver to lose control. The SUV rolled on the highway and then onto the shoulder. The wife’s head was crushed when the roof collapsed, killing her. David Willis brought a products liability lawsuit against the SUV and tire maker that later settled for $3,500,000. Expenses $28,269, Attorneys’ Fees $1,400,000, Net to Client $2,071,731 - $3,000,000 RV and Motorhome Fire – Two Wrongful Deaths
Willis’ clients were a retired couple who were driving their motorhome. Suddenly the right front tire had a blowout from a road hazard. The tread struck the RV’s propane line located near the wheel well. It caused a rupture that suddenly engulfed the elderly couple’s home in flames, with the intensity at the front door of the RV. They burned alive because they could not escape the fire. David Willis brought a products liability lawsuit against the RV manufacturer and frame builder for negligent design and location of a propane line near the only exit. They settled for $3,000,000. Expenses $36,291, Attorneys’ Fees $1,200,000, Net to Surviving Family $1,763,709 - $2,200,000 Tire Sealant Explosion – Total Blindness & Partial Amputation of Hand
A retired Navy engineer was helping his neighbor fix a flat on his mobile home. The tire exploded, throwing the man back nearly eight feet and bending the tire’s rim in half. It blinded him and severed part of his hand. The manufacturer of the fix a flat made a non-explosive formula for the Canadian market but produced a dangerous formula for the United States market. Attorney David Willis brought a lawsuit against the canned tire inflator manufacturer and against the big box store that sold the product. In a deposition, the company’s president promised that the explosive formula would no longer be sold. This case was settled for $2,200,000. Expenses $29,433, Attorneys’ Fees $880,000, Net to Clients $1,290,567 - $1,000,000 18 Wheeler Accident – Wrongful Death
A truck driver who was high on drugs killed our client. Personal injury trial lawyer David Willis filed a trucking accident lawsuit against the 18 wheeler driver and his employer. They settled for the available insurance limits of $1,000,000. Expenses $17,325, Attorneys’ Fees $333,333, Net to Clients $666,666
Houston Car Accident Lawyer
It is possible that an automobile insurance adjuster will try to convince you to settle your car accident claim without using a personal injury attorney. Although you can try to settle your auto accident claim on your own, bear in mind that the adjuster’s primary goal may be to settle your claim for the absolute minimum amount possible. Though they may be friendly, do not drop your guard. Remember, they are on the other side and will use anything and everything you say against you if necessary to protect their interests.
This is why it is better to hire a personal injury lawyer speak on your behalf. Be careful what you say and who you say it to. Often the other side in an auto accident will hire private investigators to follow you and film or videotape you and attempt to “catch” you doing anything that their adjusters or attorneys can use to decrease the value or strength of your case.
Our injury law office has helped many critically wounded clients nationwide recover money for vehicle accidents, including victims that have sustained amputations, spinal cord injury, burns, traumatic brain injury, and death. David P. Willis is board certified as a personal injury trial law specialist. We’ve put in a lot of effort to get the best results for our clients, and we’ll do the same for you and your loved ones. Call us at 713-654-4040 or 1-800-883-9858. Schedule a free case review with our Houston injury firm today to learn how we can help your injury claim.