Vehicle defects are the cause of many Los Angeles car accidents. Defective vehicle parts can cause car accidents or make a car accident worse. When we purchase a vehicle, we expect that it will keep us safe. However, every year car manufacturers discover manufacturing defects or faulty parts in millions of cars. A manufacturing defect or defective vehicle parts can contribute to a serious car accident.
If you or your loved one have suffered an injury from a car accident and suspect that a vehicle defect contributed to the accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Owners of motor vehicles have a duty to maintain their cars, but when a defective part causes an accident, victims can file a product liability claim against a car manufacturer. The sooner you speak with an experienced lawyer, the better. Contact SoCal Injury Lawyers today to schedule your initial consultation.
Common Types of Car Defects
Motor vehicle manufacturers must comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards set forth by the NHTSA. When motor vehicles and auto parts fail to meet these strict standards, the NHTSA recalls the cars or parts. As a result, millions of auto parts and motor vehicles are recalled every year because of defects. The following are just a few examples of safety defects that can lead to a recall:
- Wheels that break or crack, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle
- Airbags that deploy when they shouldn’t deploy
- Electrical system defects that can cause fires or a loss of lights
- Steering components that break down, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle
- Seatbelts that fail unexpectedly in a collision
- Tires that break, separate from the vehicle, or fall apart
- Accelerators that break or stick
- Windshield wipers that fail during rain, obstructing the driver’s view
- Defective breaks that fail unexpectedly
- Defects in the electrical system that cause dangerous vehicle fires
An Airbag Vehicle Defect Can Cause Severe Injuries in a Car Accident
Airbags and motor vehicles are essential safety devices that protect those involved in a motor vehicle collision. Most new motor vehicles include center airbags, head side-impact airbags, seat-mounted curtain airbags, side curtain airbags, rear knee airbags, and curtain shield airbags. When airbags are working correctly, they protect passengers and drivers from slamming into the steering wheel during an accident. Sensors cause the airbags to deploy when a vehicle decelerates suddenly.
When an airbag is faulty, passengers and drivers can become seriously injured or even die in a collision. In some cases, the airbag sensor is faulty and doesn’t trigger the airbag to deploy. Young children are at a high risk of suffering injuries due to faulty airbags. Unfortunately, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to know that an airbag is flawed until the car accident happens.
Defective airbags can cause damage to the brain, causing traumatic brain injuries. They can also cause broken legs, broken bones, hearing loss, blindness, paralysis, and death. If you or your loved one are one of the many people who suffer severe injuries due to defective airbags, you may have a claim to compensation from the car manufacturer.
Brake Failure Can Cause Devastating Car Accidents
When the brakes in a motor vehicle are defective, a driver can no longer prevent a collision with another truck, car, or pedestrian. When a driver loses the ability to brake correctly, accidents can happen that would have been prevented had the brakes worked correctly. Brake systems in motor vehicles are incredibly complex, and many different parts need to work together precisely for the brake system to operate effectively.
Design defects with the motor vehicle itself can cause defective brakes. When this happens, car manufacturers must recall an entire car model due to poorly designed brake systems. Sometimes car manufacturers try to save money by cutting corners resulting in less safe practices. When car manufacturers fail to test the brake systems properly, they may be unaware of dangerous design defects. Other times, car manufacturers fail to install the brake system properly. Brake system design defects can include the following:
- Brakes that overheat
- Calipers that crack
- Defective parking brakes
- Failure of the antilock brake system
- Leaking hydraulic lines
- Improperly installed discs
- Improperly installed hydraulic lines
Defective brakes can cause motor vehicles to come to a complete stop in the middle of a freeway, resulting in dangerous multi-vehicle pile-up accidents. Brake failure can cause motor vehicles to roll over when brake failure causes a vehicle to swerve to one side of the road at high speeds. When brakes fail to work entirely, the driver may slam into a stationary object or rear-end the vehicle in front of him or her.
Proving Liability In a Car Accident Caused By a Vehicle Defect
If you or someone you loved have suffered injuries in a car accident caused by vehicle defects, you may have the right to bring a product liability lawsuit to recover damages. Under California law, companies who manufacture or retail dangerously defective products are liable for any injuries caused by those defects. Depending on the facts in your specific case, you may have a right to bring a product liability lawsuit against the following responsible parties:
- The manufacturer of the defective motor vehicle or the defective auto part
- The car dealership responsible for selling you the defective vehicle
- The company that shipped your car to the car dealership or to you directly
- Any other company that was involved in the distribution of the vehicle
- The car mechanic or other company that installed the defective auto part
Contact Our Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney Today After a Car Accident Caused By a Vehicle Defect
Accidents involving defective automobiles or auto parts are often complex. If you suffered an injury caused by a vehicle defect, SoCal Injury Lawyers is here to help you. Our experienced personal injury lawyers have helped many clients throughout the greater Los Angeles area obtain the compensation they deserve for their injuries. Contact our law firm as soon as possible to schedule your initial consultation and learn how we can advocate for you.