When a Defective Auto Part Causes a Crash, We Hold the Maker Accountable
A defective airbag, brake line, tire, or seatbelt can turn an ordinary drive into a life-changing crash. When a faulty auto part causes injury, North Dakota law lets you seek compensation from the company that made or sold it. The North Dakota product liability attorneys at Pringle & Herigstad, P.C. have represented injured people across the state since 1909, from our offices in Grand Forks and Minot. We investigate what failed, identify every responsible party, and pursue the full value of your losses.
Why Injured North Dakotans Choose Pringle & Herigstad, P.C.
Auto part cases pit you against national manufacturers and their insurers, so you need a firm with the resources to push back. Pringle & Herigstad, P.C. has represented injured North Dakotans since 1909, and we bring that experience to every defective product claim from our Grand Forks and Minot offices. Our law firm offers clients:
- 117 years serving injured people across North Dakota, giving us deep roots and a long memory of how these cases play out
- A trial-ready team with a record of significant verdicts and settlements, including some of the largest in North Dakota history
- A proven record against major corporate defendants, having taken on national manufacturers, retailers, and insurers, so we know how they operate and how to counter them
- Free consultations with no obligation, available in person, by phone, or by video
- Contingency representation, so you owe nothing unless we recover
- Local knowledge of North Dakota roads, juries, and courts, because we know the people and the communities we serve, and we live and work here too
Our attorneys handle the full range of personal injury claims and know how to build a strong defective product case. When you’re up against a manufacturer with a national legal team, you deserve a firm that won’t be outmatched, and that’s exactly what a century of North Dakota trial experience gives you.
What Counts as a Defective Auto Part?
An auto part is legally defective when something about it makes the part unreasonably dangerous to an ordinary user. Under North Dakota law, the problem must have existed when the part left the manufacturer or original seller, not because a later owner altered or misused it. Defects generally fall into three groups.
- Design defects: The part is dangerous because of how it was designed, so every unit in the line carries the same risk. A fuel system that ignites on impact is one example.
- Manufacturing defects: The design is sound, but something went wrong in production, affecting a single unit or one batch.
- Warning or labeling defects: The part lacks the instructions or warnings needed to use it safely.
We see these failures in airbags that do not deploy, seatbelts that unlatch, brake systems that fade, tires that come apart, accelerators that stick, and ignition switches that cut power. Unfortunately, we also see the severe injuries and devastation these defects can cause.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective Auto Part?
More than one company may share responsibility for a defective part. North Dakota law lets you bring a claim against the part manufacturer, the company that built the vehicle, and the distributors or retailers that sold it.
A seller that did not make the part can ask the court to dismiss it from the case by identifying the actual manufacturer. That dismissal does not hold if the seller helped design the part, knew about the defect, or created it. We trace the supply chain so the right parties stay in the case, especially when a defective part contributed to a car accident and the at-fault driver alone cannot make you whole.
How North Dakota’s Product Liability Law Affects Your Claim
A product liability claim can rest on more than one legal theory, including strict liability, negligence, and breach of warranty. You do not always have to prove the manufacturer was careless, only that the part was unreasonably dangerous and that it caused your injury.
Timing is critical. A personal injury claim in North Dakota generally must be filed within six years of the injury. A wrongful death claim must be filed within two years.
Product cases carry an added limit called a statute of repose. North Dakota sets an outer deadline on product claims. There is generally no recovery unless the injury happens within ten years of the product’s initial purchase for use, or within eleven years of the date it was manufactured. One important exception applies when a manufacturer or seller issued a recall or knew about a defect and failed to warn users. That is why a documented safety recall on file with federal regulators can be powerful evidence in your case.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Depending on your case, you may be able to recover money for medical bills, future care, lost income, reduced earning ability, and the pain and lasting effects of a severe injury. When a defect takes a life, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim of their own.
North Dakota follows a modified comparative fault rule, so being partly at fault does not automatically end your claim. You can still recover as long as your share of the fault is not as great as the combined fault of everyone else, though your damages are reduced by your own percentage. Manufacturers often argue that misuse or a later modification of the part caused the harm, and we build each claim to answer that defense.
Talk to a North Dakota Defective Auto Parts Lawyer
If a defective auto part injured you or someone you love in Grand Forks, Minot, or anywhere in North Dakota, do not let a manufacturer and its insurers decide what your claim is worth. Pringle & Herigstad, P.C. will investigate the failure, identify every liable party, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact Pringle & Herigstad today for a free consultation. We work on contingency, so you owe nothing unless we recover for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a defective auto part claim in North Dakota?
North Dakota generally gives you six years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim, and two years for a wrongful death claim. A separate statute of repose can bar a product claim once the injury occurs more than ten years after the part’s initial purchase, or eleven years after it was made, unless the maker knew of the defect and failed to warn. These deadlines are strict, so talk with a lawyer soon after an injury.
Can I still recover if the crash was partly my fault?
Often, yes. North Dakota uses a modified comparative fault rule, so you can recover as long as your share of the fault is not as great as the combined fault of everyone else involved. Your damages are then reduced by your own percentage of fault.
What if the defective part was already recalled?
A recall can help your case. When a manufacturer issued a recall or knew about a defect and failed to warn, North Dakota’s outer deadline on product claims does not automatically bar your lawsuit. A recall is also strong evidence the part was dangerous, though you still must show it caused your injury.