While technological advances in vehicles have included increases in safety measures, such as seatbelts, airbags, and enhanced braking technology, the motor vehicle is still not completely perfect.
Even though each vehicle undergoes rigorous testing and safety trials, the mass production of vehicles may ultimately result in some vehicles with defective parts or components released into the stream of commerce. These defective vehicle parts and components can lead to deadly car accidents.
If your loved one died due to a manufacturing defect in your vehicle, or due to the manufacturing defect in another vehicle involved in the accident, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 to learn how a Los Angeles deadly defective vehicles lawyer might be able to help you receive possible compensation for the wrongful death of your loved one.
You might be entitled to compensation for losses including:
- Funeral costs
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Transportation costs
- Property damage
Types of Vehicle Defects
While many types of serious defects occur on motor vehicles, many common parts and components of vehicles consistently receive safety recall notices from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Some types of automotive defects that lead to national safety recall notices include the following:
- Defective or faulty tires
- Failure of airbags to deploy correctly
- Emission standard failures
- Steering wheel defects causing loss of control
- Accelerator pedal defects causing the vehicle to freeze, or failure to function correctly
- Electric system defects
- Fuel leaks, causing fires in the vehicle
- Electrical wiring flaws, causing fires in the vehicle
- Brake defects
This is not an exhaustive list, and any part on a vehicle could potentially be defective. The automobile industry does have the technology to ensure that safer vehicles enter the marketplace. However, every year, accidents occur due to defective parts and components inside of vehicles.
Types of Product Liability Claims
If a vehicle has a dangerous design or has defective parts, a victim of an accident or his or her family may bring a personal injury claim or wrongful death claim under product liability law.
Product liability claims need a victim, or their family in a wrongful death claim, to prove that the product was defective and placed into the stream of commerce. The threshold is much lower than other personal injury claims. There are three different types of product liability claims under the law.
Design Defect
When the product itself has an inherent design flaw that causes danger or harm, and a company manufactures the product and places it into the stream of commerce, the company is liable for the design defect. Automobiles may have design defects in seatbelts, airbags, tires, and any other part or component of the vehicle.
Manufacturing Defect
A manufacturing defect is one in which the original design is safe, but when the processing or assembly makes the product defective. For example, if an airbag is structurally sound in its design, but the way the manufacturer assembles and creates the airbag causes a defect that could lead to catastrophic injury or loss of life, the manufacturer could be liable for the manufacturing defect.
Advertising or Marketing Defect
In some cases, a company either advertises that a product may exist for a purpose that it is unsuitable for, or fails to include appropriate warnings or instructions with the product. If a vehicle has components that were advertised or marketed fraudulently, or the vehicle did not come with appropriate instructions or warnings, the company in charge of the advertising might be responsible and liable, along with the manufacturer of the part or component.
For a free legal consultation with a Deadly Defective Vehicles Accidents Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Determining Liability
Some of the possible defendants you may file a claim against as a family member of a victim that died due to a deadly defective vehicle include the following entities.
Vehicle Manufacturer
The manufacturer of the defective vehicle that caused an accident could be liable for the product defect. Many manufacturers have large teams of attorneys and the resources to fight a product liability claim. If your loved one died due to a defective vehicle part or component, a Los Angeles deadly defective vehicles lawyer might be able to find out how you can receive compensation on behalf of your loved one.
Parts Manufacturer
If an investigation determines that a specific vehicle part or component caused the accident directly, or caused the vehicle accident to be more severe, you may file a claim against the manufacturer of that specific part or component, if it is a separate entity from the vehicle manufacturer.
Car Dealership
In many product liability cases, every entity involved in the stream of commerce of the defective product remains liable and responsible for any resulting injuries. Depending on your case’s specifics, you might also be able to file a lawsuit against the dealership you bought the car from. You might benefit from consulting a lawyer on whether this is a worthwhile path to follow.
Los Angeles Deadly Defective Vehicles Accidents Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
How a Los Angeles Deadly Defective Vehicles Lawyer May Assist You
If someone you love suffered catastrophic injuries or death due to a defective part or component in a vehicle, you may face funeral costs, remaining medical bills, loss of income, property damage, and loss of consortium following their death.
Consider calling a member of our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 to learn how a Los Angeles deadly defective vehicles lawyer can help you with your wrongful death claim.
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