Defective Automobile

Defective automobiles put vehicle occupants at risk of serious, life-threatening injury. Although newer vehicles have enhanced safety features designed to protect occupants in the event of an automobile crash, there are still situations in which the safety features designed to protect drivers and passengers actually result in injury. Auto defect lawsuits have been filed against automobile manufacturers, alleging wrongful death and personal injury caused by problems with vehicles.

Defective automobile recalls can be issued for many reasons. Some examples of auto defects or design flaws that may result in automobile injury include:

• Door latch failure in which doors open during an accident resulting in passengers to be ejected from the vehicle.
• Gasoline fire caused by a defective gas tank or fuel line.
• Windshield glass breakage caused by weak glass glazing that results in occupants being ejected from the vehicle.
• Rollover accident caused by vehicles prone to rolling over.
• Roof crush caused by a poorly designed or weak roof that collapses into the occupant compartment during a rollover.
• Seat belt failure caused by seat belts that unlatch, tear, spool out or otherwise fail during an accident; and/or caused by weak seats that collapse backwards and cause injury to passengers or result in passengers being ejected from the vehicle.
• Defective airbags (read more below).

Thousands of defective automobiles are recalled every year. In some cases, the recalls are relatively minor, but in other cases issues with the vehicle are linked to a very real danger of serious injury and even death.

In January 2010, Toyota recalled approximately 2.3 million vehicles due to accelerator pedals that became stuck in position. An article in the Los Angeles Times (11/29/9) attributed 19 deaths to sudden, unexpected acceleration in Toyota vehicles.

In 2013, Chrysler agreed to recall certain Jeep Grand Cherokees after an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that the fuel tanks on those vehicles were more likely to leak and cause fires than the fuel tanks on other vehicles.

As technology has evolved, so has the technology designed to protect people in the case of an automobile crash. Airbags have become more advanced, but those advances may mean an increased risk of problems such as defective airbags. Airbags, including drivers airbags, side airbags and curtain airbags, have reportedly been linked to problems including not deploying in an accident, deploying unnecessarily or deploying late, each of which puts vehicle occupants at risk of injury.

Furthermore, some defective airbags have been linked to projectiles being thrown into a vehicle, posing a further risk to safety.

Despite the advances in technology, a report in AOL Autos (5/1/13) noted that 2013 is shaping up to be a record year for airbag recalls, with 15 recalls between the start of January and the start of May, more than half the 23 airbag recalls announced in all of 2012.

Other issues with car safety features include defective headrests, which can cause neck, spine and head injuries; defective car seat backs, which can cause head, neck and spine injuries, defective door latches, which can result in occupants being thrown from a vehicle; defective tires, which can cause fatal accidents; and roof crush issues, in which the roof fails to maintain structural integrity in a rollover accident, causing traumatic injuries.

Car crashworthiness refers to how well an automobile protects the occupants in a crash. This takes into account the many safety features of the vehicle. Many people purchase vehicles based on their perceived crashworthiness, believing that cars with enhanced safety features will keep them safer. When those safety features are defective, their ability to protect occupants is greatly reduced.

People who have been injured in accidents because of defective automobiles, or those whose loved ones have died as a result of the accidents, have filed lawsuits against a variety of defendants, including car manufacturers and the manufacturers of various component parts, alleging wrongful death and personal injury.

If you or a loved one was injured in an automobile accident and the vehicle involved was defective, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the companies involved in manufacturing and selling the vehicle

Defective Auto Legal Help

If you feel you qualify for damages or remedies that might be awarded in a possible class action or lawsuit, please click the link below to submit your complaint.

By submitting this form, you are asking lawyers to contact you. You are under no obligation to accept their services. Lawyers are usually paid out of the proceeds of the settlement or verdict rendered.
Last updated on Jan-3-14