Defective auto parts are a serious safety issue. In 1966, The National Highway and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was enacted, giving the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the legal authority to recall unsafe vehicles and issue safety criteria for manufacturers.
Since then, the NHTSA has recalled over 390 million motor vehicles, including cars, trucks, buses, and more, as a result of safety defects. These defects include faulty brakes, failed air bags, and defective seat belts. Even with safety guidelines in place, defective car parts sometimes still end up in vehicles and cause injury to consumers today.
If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident involving a defective auto part, contact William Mattar today. We can advocate on your behalf to get you the maximum compensation. To schedule a free case consultation, complete our online consultation form or call us at (844) 444 - 4444. Our legal team is available 24 hours a day to hear about your case.
Types of defective automotive parts
A defective automotive part can be the result of a manufacturing or design issue. Typically, a manufacturing defect arises during the manufacturing process and only affects one or a few specific vehicles. A design defect, on the other hand, is an intentional part of a vehicle’s blueprint and will likely affect a line of cars of the same make or model.
Auto parts that are commonly impacted by defects include:
- Airbags
- Seat belts
- Tires
- Brake Systems
- Gas Tanks
- Steering Systems and Components
- Fuel Systems
- Wiring Systems
- Engine Cooling Fans
- Automatic Roofs
- Accelerator Controls
- Car Seats and Booster Seats
If you’ve been injured in a vehicle with one of the above defective parts, you may have a claim for compensation.
Injuries from a car product defect
A defective car product can cause injury to a crash victim by either contributing to a motor vehicle crash or failing to execute a critical safety function. For example, a defective airbag may not directly cause a car accident. However, if during a car accident the airbag does not deploy to protect the vehicle’s passengers, it may be defective. Without the protection of an airbag, a driver or passenger can suffer serious injuries.
Car product defects can cause a range of injuries, depending on the type of product defect. Some common injuries in product liability cases include:
- Head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crushed body parts
- Internal organ damage
- Amputation
- Broken bones
- Severe burns
- Lacerations
- Wrongful death
If you’ve suffered a serious injury in a car accident, contact an experienced accident attorney right away. The product liability attorneys at William Mattar can help determine if a defective product was involved in your car crash.
Who is liable for a defective auto product?
Determining liability is crucial to receiving compensation for an injury. In many car accident cases, one or multiple motorists may be at fault. However, a defective auto products case is different, and it may be difficult to know who is liable for your car accident.
Manufacturing companies have a legal responsibly to ensure that their products, such as cars and vehicle parts, are safe. Therefore, the liable party is contingent on which company made the product that was defective. Depending on the details of the accident, there may be several potentially liable parties:
- Vehicle Manufacturer: The manufacturer of a car may be liable if they fail to identify a safety defect or issue a recall notice for a potential danger caused by the car.
- Part Manufacturer: Many car manufacturers will use products built by other companies to construct their vehicles. If a parts manufacturer is responsible for the defective part, they may be liable for any resulting injuries.
- Intermediary Party: A intermediary party, or “middleman”, in the chain of distribution may also be liable for a defective auto product. This may be a shipper, retailer, or used car dealership.
In a product liability case, more than one party may be liable for a car crash. For instance, you may file a lawsuit against the vehicle manufacturer and the parts manufacturer if both companies failed to identify or warn consumers about a particular safety defect.
Compensation for a defective auto part claim
After sustaining a serious injury, you may be experiencing physical, emotional, or financial problems that make life challenging. For this reason, if you’ve been injured because of a defective auto part, you may be entitled to compensation. You may be able to seek damages for lost wages, medical expenses associated with your injury, or pain and suffering.
A defective auto product attorney can fight for you to receive maximum compensation for the damages suffered. It’s a good idea to seek legal representation right away, as your personal injury lawyer will likely need to investigate your case and gather evidence for your claim.
Class action lawsuit for Defective auto parts
Because a design defect impacts multiple vehicles of the same make or model, there are often many individuals affected by one defective auto part. In some of these cases, there may be a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer involved.
A class action lawsuit is a legal action that joins a group of people together who have been injured or harmed by a company’s product. Usually, this type of lawsuit is represented by a member of the group.
Visit this website to see a list of existing class action lawsuits.
Contact an experienced product liability attorney
Defective car parts can cause serious, life-threatening injuries. When that happens, the product liability attorneys at William Mattar are here to help injury victims achieve a financial recovery. Our firm offers No Fee Until We WinSM, which is a promise that you will not owe attorney’s fees unless we settle or win your case. Call (844) 444 - 4444 to get started on your claim.