Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73
§32508 Civil actions by owners of passenger motor vehicles
Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VI— - MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS › Part PART C— - INFORMATION, STANDARDS, AND REQUIREMENTS › Chapter CHAPTER 325— - BUMPER STANDARDS › § 32508
Summary
An owner may sue the vehicle maker if an accident harms them because the vehicle failed section 32502; the suit must be filed within 3 years in U.S. District Court in D.C. or the owner’s district, and if successful the court must award costs and a reasonable attorney’s fee.
Full Legal Text
Title 49, §32508
Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When an owner of a passenger motor vehicle sustains damages as a result of a motor vehicle accident because the vehicle did not comply with a standard prescribed under section 32502 of this title, the owner may bring a civil action against the manufacturer to recover the damages. The action may be brought in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or in the United States district court for the judicial district in which the owner resides. The action must be brought not later than 3 years after the date of the accident. The court shall award costs and a reasonable attorney’s fee to the owner when a judgment is entered for the owner.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3250815:1918.Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, § 108, 86 Stat. 955. The words “applicable Federal” are omitted as surplus. The words “when a judgment is entered for the owner” are substituted for “in the case of any such successful action to recover that amount” to eliminate unnecessary words.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 32508
Title 49 — Transportation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73