Auto Defect Accident Claims

Victims of car accidents often believe the other driver is at fault, and most often that is the case. However, auto defect accident claims are not uncommon, and that could mean more parties than you realize should be paying for your losses.

If you believe your car accident was due at least in part to an auto defect, speak to an Orange County car crash attorney about what happened. Do not simply settle your claim.

Types of Auto Defect Accident Claims

An auto defect occurs when a vehicle’s parts or components do not operate properly, in a safe way, or as expected. If a part or component of a vehicle does not meet manufacturing or design standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the manufacturer could be responsible for any injuries and losses caused by that accident.

Some of the most common safety-related vehicle and automobile defects, including those recalled by manufacturers, include:

• Accelerators that stick or break
• Unexpected or unnecessary deployment of airbags
• Failure of seat belts to work properly
• Failure of steering components that leads to the loss of control of the vehicle
• Electrical fires
• Fuel system failures leading to fires and explosions
• Electronic battery failures and fires
• Wheel failures

Defects can happen suddenly, often causing serious injury to victims when they occur. One of the most important factors in this process is demonstrating that the incident was not unique to your vehicle, but also occurred in others.

Even if a vehicle component is not recalled, and your technician can show that the incident was related to manufacturing or design flaws, you may be able to seek compensation from the manufacturer.

How to Know If Your Accident Is Due to a Defective Component

It may not be clear what caused your accident. Many times, victims do nothing to prevent the incident from happening. Two common types of accidents can happen when a vehicle defect occurs.

1. The part caused the accident. A defective part is directly linked to the cause of the accident. For example, the brakes failed, eliminating your ability to stop the car, and causing the accident. The transmission failed, the steering wheel failed, or some other specific situation occurred that led to the accident.
2. The part caused a more serious accident. Another way that you could face legal action against the manufacturer is if an auto defect did not cause the accident but worsened the outcome of the accident in some way. For example, you were in a car accident and the airbags failed to deploy, though they should have, leading to serious injuries that may have been avoided.

Because these injuries and accidents can be devastating, it is always wise to speak to a car accident lawyer with product liability experience. Let your lawyer investigate what occurred.

With an attorney’s extensive knowledge and resources, they can find others who have suffered similar situations or demonstrate, through accident reconstruction efforts, why the manufacturer is to blame.

Schedule a Free Consultation to Learn More

Turn to DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo if you believe you have an auto defect accident claim. Let our Orange County legal team investigate and build a strong case for you that demonstrates who should pay for your economic and non-economic losses.

Reach out today for a free consultation.