Have You Been Injured Due to Vehicle Defect?

Fifty million cars and trucks were recalled this year, making 2014 the worst year in U.S. history for automobile recalls caused by vehicle defects.

With more than one out of every five cars and trucks at at risk of critical, sometimes deadly, defects, that means three times as many vehicles are being recalled this year than were sold the year prior.

Auto manufacturers often look at known defects as an inconvenience until enough injuries are reported to support a recall, yet these defective cars, trucks, and other vehicles, kill and seriously injure thousands of Californians every year.

If you have been injured or suffered other kinds of damages because of a defective car, truck, SUV, motorcycle, ATV, or a vehicle part, you may be able to file a suit for financial damages. It’s important to contact a knowledgeable vehicle defect attorney to help you with your case.

Who To Hold Responsible

Vehicle manufacturers are responsible for the research and testing of their vehicles for defects, before their cars and trucks are placed on the market. This responsibility is shared between vehicle designers, the factories where vehicles are assembled, or parts are made, or even the dealership, where additional parts are added, or checks are performed.

Understanding who is liable for your injuries can be complicated for consumers because vehicle defects cases can be complex. There may be multiple liable parties, including the designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer.

If your injury was caused by a vehicle defect, your claim will fall into one of two categories:

1. Injuries due to defective vehicle manufacturing: If a vehicle malfunctions because it, or it’s parts, weren’t manufactured correctly, this can occur at any point along the supply chain, from the factory where the parts are made, or the vehicle was assembled, to an incorrect addition made at the dealership. The right parties have to be identified.

2. Vehicles that were poorly designed: Sometimes a vehicle includes design oversights that put the occupants in unreasonable danger during an accident, or safety features that simply weren’t tested to the highest standards. This can include malfunctioning seatbelts, collapsing roofs or fire hazards.

Often, individuals in an accident don’t know that their injuries were aggravated by a vehicle defect. Some examples of motor vehicle defects that have been the subject of lawsuits in recent years include:

• SUVs that are prone to rolling over
• Cars sold with tires that are prone to blowouts
• Motorcycles that “wobble” when driven at high speeds
• ATVs that are prone to rolling over
• Airbags that do operate as they were designed
• Vehicle fires following a collision
• Seatbelts that trap people in their vehicle

Compensation For Your Vehicle Defect Injury

If you or someone you love has incurred a serious injury due to a vehicle defect, it can have serious financial impact.

The Mann Law Firm will work closely with you to understand the compensation you need to cover both current treatment, and future economic and medical care needs. Our attorneys have decades of experience to best help you obtain the financial security you need to recover and preserve your quality of life.

If you have suffered injury or had a car accident due to a vehicle defect, contact The Mann Law Firm today for a free consultation at (408) 287-1600, so that we may learn more about your claim.