I Think I Was Hurt by a Defective Vehicle

Not every car accident is caused by driver error. In recent years, it seems to be more common for vehicle defects to lead to crashes or to exacerbate situations. There have been countless vehicle recalls over the past 10 years, many of which include defective airbags, seat belts, and other crucial vehicle components.

If you were hurt in an accident because of a vehicle defect, you should contact a products liability attorney. An experienced lawyer understands the difficulties you face following an accident and knows how important it is for you to recover in order to pay your expenses and move forward in life.

Types of Defects

Not every defect is categorized in the same way, and the type of defect involved in your accident matters. The type and origin of the flaw will influence who you go to for recovery, whether that includes a third-party insurance claim or filing a lawsuit.

There are three types of defects: design, manufacturing, and warning.

A design defect means the inadequacy was part of the vehicle’s intended plan. The actual design of the vehicle was flawed, which means the vehicle is dangerous even when used how it was intended to be used. Every vehicle of its type will have the same problem.

A manufacturing defect means a mistake occurred while the vehicle parts were made or while the vehicle was assembled. This flaw makes that particular vehicle dangerous.

A warning defect, also known as a marketing defect, occurs when the vehicle could be dangerous in a way that is not outwardly apparent to the driver. In this situation, the manufacturer is required to warn potential users of this danger.

Common Vehicle Defects

Cars, vans, SUVs, and trucks are all incredibly complicated, particularly now with an increase in computer technology in vehicles. The more important parts a car has, the more places there are for something to go wrong. While there could be a defect anywhere in a vehicle, certain defects are more likely to lead to accidents and cause injury, including:

• Airbag defects: Airbags can be improperly designed, manufactured, or installed incorrectly, leading to injuries or not preventing harm like they should. Airbags can inflate too quickly or not enough. They could be too small or too large for the intended space. Some airbags have gone off when it is not necessary and others have sent shards of plastic and other debris into the cabin of the car.

• Seatbelt defects: Seatbelts can also be designed or manufactured incorrectly. Seatbelts that become unbuckled or loose during an accident put people in great danger.

• Brake defects: If the brakes on a vehicle are installed incorrectly or one part of the mechanism was manufactured with a flaw, the brakes can fail causing serious collisions and injuries.

• Tire defects: If a tire is designed or built incorrectly, it can suddenly blow while a person is driving, causing a crash. Tire failures can also occur from slow leaks overtime, which if not noticed, can cause tires to wear down too soon and overheat.

Contact a Defective Vehicle Injury Attorney

If you believe your accident and injuries were caused by a vehicle defect, call an attorney right away. The lawyers at Cash, Krugler, & Fredericks LLC will know how to investigate your case to determine if there was a defect, and if so, who was responsible. You may be able to bring a lawsuit against the designer of the car, the manufacturer of the vehicle parts, the assembler, or the dealership.