Defective product injury in Dallas: who investigates, who is liable and what to keep

In Texas the maker is the main target. A store that only sold the product is usually protected unless an exception applies. For a design defect you must show a safer alternative design. After a fire in Dallas, Dallas Fire-Rescue's fire investigators work out the cause. The deadline to sue over a defective product is generally 2 years.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (29)

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Map of Dallas showing Harry Hines Boulevard, where Parkland Health, home of the burn center, has its records office
Texas sellers that did not make a product are usually protected. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Who investigates a product fire in Dallas?

Dallas Fire-Rescue. Its Fire Investigation and Explosive Ordnance Division determines the origin, cause and circumstances of fires in the city. You can ask for a copy of the fire report online, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 214-670-4312.

Damaged or defective e-bike and e-scooter batteries can overheat, catch fire or explode, Dallas Fire-Rescue warns. If a charger, battery or heater started a fire, do not let anyone throw it away. The investigator's finding and the device itself matter a great deal.

For burns, Parkland's Burn Center is the first adult and pediatric burn center in North Texas verified by the American Burn Association.

Who is liable for a defective product in Texas?

WhoWhat Texas law says
The makerA product claim is an action against a maker or seller for injury from a defective product. To win on design, you must point to a safer way the maker could have built it.
The store that sold itUsually protected if it did not make the product. The exception applies if the maker is insolvent or out of the court's reach, or if the seller actually knew of the defect.
The maker, when a seller is suedThe maker must back the seller up.
A product that met federal standardsCompliance creates a rebuttable presumption of no liability.

What proof should you keep after a defective product injury in Dallas?

  • The product, its packaging, the receipt and any manual. Do not fix it, wash it or discard it.
  • Photos of the product, the scene and your injuries.
  • The fire report, if there was a fire.
  • A SaferProducts.gov report. Family members and parents can file one.

CPSC sends a report to the company within five business days when practicable, and posts it on the 10th business day after sending it to the maker. CPSC posts safety complaints only, never ones about cost or quality. A report is not a recall. A recall is the public announcement that a product is hazardous or defective. On the recent recall list, fire is the first hazard named.

How long do I have to sue over a defective product in Dallas?

For a product claim, the general limit is 2 years from when the claim accrues. Texas also cuts off most product claims 15 years after the defendant sold the product. A child's years under 18 do not count against the clock. You are barred if you are more than 50 percent at fault.

For a smaller property loss, Dallas County justice courts hear money claims of $20,000 or less. Medicare must be repaid from a settlement if it paid for your care.

What should you do first after a defective product hurts you in Dallas?

  1. Get care at an emergency room. Dallas's Level I trauma centers include Parkland, Baylor University Medical Center and Methodist Dallas.
  2. Leave the product just as it was when it failed. Put it in a box and do not use it.
  3. If there was a fire, request the Dallas Fire-Rescue report.
  4. Report the product to SaferProducts.gov.
  5. Write down the date, the store and the model or lot number.
  6. Talk to a lawyer before you let an insurer or the maker take the product.

Questions

Can I sue the store that sold me a defective product in Dallas?

Usually not, unless an exception applies, such as a maker that cannot be reached or a seller that knew of the defect.

Does a CPSC report start a recall?

No. A report does not mean a recall will follow.

What does CPSC cover?

Appliances, toys, clothing, ATVs and more.

Who gets my SaferProducts.gov report?

CPSC sends it to the company, and it is posted on the 10th business day after that.

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Sources (29)

  1. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.003, checked 2026-11-09. “A seller that did not manufacture a product is not liable for harm caused to the claimant by that product unless the claimant proves”
  2. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.003, checked 2026-11-09. “(A) insolvent; or (B) not subject to the jurisdiction of the court”
  3. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.005, checked 2026-11-09. “there was a safer alternative design”
  4. Dallas Fire-Rescue, Prevention and Investigation Bureau, checked 2026-11-09. “is responsible for determining the origin, cause, and circumstances of fires that occur in the City of Dallas”
  5. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  6. Dallas Fire-Rescue, Fire Investigation Reports, checked 2026-11-09. “Email: [email protected]”
  7. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.012, checked 2026-11-09. “before the end of 15 years after the date of the sale of the product by the defendant”
  8. SaferProducts.gov, checked 2026-11-09. “SaferProducts.gov is the CPSC-owned website where the public can file and read safety-related complaints about consumer products”
  9. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “does not mean that the Commission will conclude automatically that a corrective action is necessary”
  10. Dallas Fire-Rescue, E-Bike and E-Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-09. “Damaged or defective batteries can over heat, catch fire, or explode.”
  11. Parkland Health, Burn Center, checked 2026-11-09. “Burn Center is the first adult and pediatric burn center in North Texas verified by the American Burn Association”
  12. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.001, checked 2026-11-09. “any action against a manufacturer or seller for recovery of damages arising out of personal injury, death, or property damage allegedly caused by a defective product”
  13. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.003, checked 2026-11-09. “the seller actually knew of a defect to the product at the time the seller supplied the product”
  14. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.002, checked 2026-11-09. “A manufacturer shall indemnify and hold harmless a seller against loss arising out of a products liability action”
  15. Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.008, checked 2026-11-09. “complied with mandatory safety standards or regulations adopted and promulgated by the federal government”
  16. SaferProducts.gov FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “family members, relatives, parents, guardians, friends”
  17. 16 CFR part 1102, checked 2026-11-09. “within five business days of submission of the completed report of harm”
  18. 16 CFR part 1102, checked 2026-11-09. “prior to posting on the 10th business day after transmittal”
  19. SaferProducts.gov FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “relates solely to the cost or quality of a consumer product, will not be posted”
  20. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “Recalls are the public announcement of a hazardous or defective product.”
  21. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “Fire - Use of the product may lead to a fire”
  22. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
  23. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  24. Dallas County JP 1-1, Small Claims Procedures, checked 2026-11-08. “for $20,000 or less”
  25. CMS, checked 2026-11-09. “it must be repaid to Medicare when a settlement, judgment, award, or other payment is made”
  26. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “PARKLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 7/1/2028 E DALLAS 75235”
  27. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER 4/1/2028 E DALLAS 75246”
  28. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “METHODIST DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER 12/1/2027 E DALLAS 75203”
  29. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “including appliances, toys, clothing, ATVs, and more”

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