You want to feel safe in your car. Your vehicle protects you from other drivers, and it gets you and your family wherever you need to be. Although car crashes are not unusual, no one expects the road hazard to be caused by a defect in their own car. If your accident was caused by a defective vehicle, through no fault of your own, you may be able to file a claim against the automobile manufacturer.
In any collision involving another car, person or property, there is a chance you will be viewed as liable for damages. When your car crash is caused by a defective motor vehicle, your responsibility for the wreck and resulting costs may be absolved. Furthermore, you could be entitled to damages.
You need an experienced car accident lawyer Bronx with a record of successfully handing auto accident and injury cases to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Products liability and duty to care
The manufacturer of any product must provide a duty of care, meaning that they are in fact making and selling a product that will work and operate properly without injuring someone. Manufacturers must prove that their products are safe and when a defect comes to light, address it quickly and completely.
But everyone makes mistakes, and when motor vehicle manufacturers make mistakes, they issue recalls, or notifications that problems with a specific part of a model have been discovered and all of those models need to have a part checked or replaced. It is the owner’s responsibility to comply with these recalls, but usually the recalls happen because a driver or car owner has reported a problem first, prompting an investigation.
To learn more about defects and recalls, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website here. NHTSA also provides a list of current vehicle recalls, so you can make sure you are always up to date with your car’s maintenance and safety.
Common vehicle malfunctions and car defects
New cars have a lot of bells and whistles. They are full of high-tech options and overly designed safety features, and with the wave of new manipulations to motor vehicles come the possibility for failure. But new cars are not the only vehicles with problems. In fact, there are many common defects a vehicle could have.
These include:
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- Wiring defects
- Fuel system defects
- Computer defects
- Faulty brakes
- Defective tires
- Airbag defects
- Steering and steering column defects
- Seatbelt malfunctions
- Defective seats
- Design flaws
- Inaccurate dashboard gauges and controls
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Proving negligence in your car malfunction claim
Part of car ownership is to make sure you take proper and regular care of your car and that you were not negligent. Your products liability case depends on being able to prove that you were responsible in your ownership and therefore had nothing to do with your car’s malfunction. To build a case against the manufacturer for a car malfunction, you will also be expected to provide paperwork that you took your vehicle for regular maintenance and for any announced recalls
Damages you win could cover any injuries and property damage caused by the car or truck defect, as well as vehicle repair costs, medical expenses, court fees, cost of alternate transportation, and emotional damages.
Quality legal representation protecting your right to a safe journey
The The Law Offices of Evan W. Kohn proudly serves the five boroughs and the surrounding areas including Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, and Nassau Counties, as well as New Jersey. Attorney Kohn has represented clients in all areas of personal injury for more than 30 years.
Call us at 718-409-5500 or contact us online to schedule your risk-free initial consultation.