Defective Products Increase Risk of Car Accidents
Defective Products Increase Car Accident Risk
Dangerous and defective products cause thousands of injuries every year. When a vehicle is manufactured with defective parts or design, it may put drivers, passengers, and others on the road at risk because the vehicle behaves in a way that causes safety concerns. In some cases, the vehicle’s defect becomes obvious right away and in other cases, the problem(s) develop over time.
There are generally two ways that a vehicle component can be deemed defective:
- Design defects. Design defects make a vehicle unsafe to drive even when it is manufactured and driven the way it was meant to be. It means that the part’s design was defective and therefore unsafe no matter how smoothly it is installed into the vehicle.
- Manufacturing defects. Manufacturing defects are caused by mistakes made during the manufacturing process. Generally, in manufacturing defect cases, a properly designed part is installed incorrectly or becomes damaged during installation.
Examples of Vehicle Defective Products
Sadly, defective vehicles are not a rare thing. There are defective products recalls for vehicles often involving defective parts every year. While some defects are fairly minor, others can cause dangerous situations that lead to car accidents, injuries, and fatalities.
Parts or components that can increase the risk of a serious car accident if they are defective or manufactured incorrectly:
- Brakes
- Electrical systems
- Brakes
- Chassis
- Tires
- Transmissions
- Engines
- Wheels
- Cooling systems
Nissan Recalls 300,000 SUVs in U.S. for Defective Hoods
As reported by NBCnews.com, Nissan Motor Co is involved in the most recent vehicle recall. The Japanese automaker has recalled more than 300,000 SUVs in the United States and about 37,700 vehicles of the models in Canada because of an issue where their vehicle’s hood flies open, blocking the driver’s view and increasing the risk of a crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recalled vehicles are Pathfinder models from 2013 to 2016,
According to a safety recall report based on a filing to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nissan believes that an accumulation of dirt and dust on the secondary hood latch could cause it to stay open even if the hood is closed, potentially allowing it to fly up without warning.
Nissan says it is working on a fix for the issue and that it has begun sending out interim notifications.
Product liability law for car accidents
If you were involved in a car crash caused by a defective part, contact a product liability lawyer today; he or she may be able to help you recover damages for your injury.
In successful product liability cases, a product manufacturer, distributor or seller is held liable for the injuries caused by the defective or dangerous product. Product liability laws vary by state but generally require that a product meet ordinary consumer expectations that a product be free of defects or dangers. When a product fails to meet this threshold, it could end up as part of a product liability lawsuit.
Seek the help of a car accident lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
