Who Is Responsible if a Defective Part Caused My Car Accident?

Not all car crashes happen because someone makes a driving error. Plenty of auto accidents occur because of a vehicle defect. If an accident is caused by a defective part, who is responsible for your injuries and car damage?

Regardless of what steps a manufacturer or dealer says it takes in designing, assembling, or handling a motor vehicle, you can make a strict liability claim based on a motor vehicle defect. A vehicle might be defective because of faulty design. An example of this might be when a car manufacturer creates a wheel bearing design that’s likely to get stuck and spin the vehicle out of control. A vehicle defect can also exist because the manufacturer makes a mistake when they build the vehicle. For example, a manufacturer accidentally makes a door an irregular size and fails to notice the error before it is placed in a vehicle and sent for sale.

To recover for losses because of a personal injury that results from a vehicle defect, Florida law requires you to show that the design was unreasonably dangerous. The vehicle or one of its components had an “unreasonably dangerous” defect that injured you. The defect can come into existence either in the design of the vehicle, during manufacture, during handling or shipment (i.e. delivery from the manufacturer), or through a failure to warn consumers of a dangerous aspect of the vehicle.

Here are some of the most common car defects in the United States:

• Airbags that fail to deploy, deploy when they shouldn’t, or deploy too fast or with too much force
• Seatbelts that unbuckle or break during an accident
• Roofs that collapse during a rollover crash
• Electrical systems that cause vehicle fires
• Sudden unintended acceleration
• Power steering failure
• Tire failure

Auto defect claims can be complex. If you have been hurt in an accident that involved a defective vehicle, it is important to consult with a knowledgeable lawyer as soon as possible. Let the experienced personal injury attorneys at Suarez & Montero review the circumstances of your case and discuss your legal options. Our attorneys are ready to provide proven legal representation in pursuing your claim and stand ready to protect your rights.

Contact us today at 786 Lawyers for a free consultation!