To have a case against a car parts manufacturer, your accident or injury must have been caused by the malfunctioning part. Your accident also needs to have resulted in an injury or other losses such as damage to your vehicle. If you were simply inconvenienced, there would be no grounds for a personal injury case.
Product liability cases can be challenging to prove because they require gathering evidence to demonstrate that the part was defective and did not function as it should, and that the defect led to your injury while you were driving your car responsibly.
For example, if you were driving the speed limit and tried to brake at a stop sign but couldn’t, it might be that your brakes failed due to a manufacturing defect. However, if you were driving 100 mph and were unable to stop quickly, user error would likely be at least partially to blame.
In other words, the circumstances surrounding your car accident have a significant impact on your ability to sue and prove product liability.
There are several different types of defects that can arise in product liability cases:
Design Flaws – If a part was designed in a way that created an unreasonable danger, you could have a case against the manufacturer. For example, if it could not withstand the heat of the engine or began to come loose while driving in normal conditions, these events could be due to a design flaw. Other design flaws involve a part wearing out too quickly, thereby putting you at risk. Electrical or computer parts could also be flawed and malfunction, leading to problems and potential accidents.
Manufacturing Defect – When a car part should work correctly but was simply damaged or shoddily made during the manufacturing process, you could have a manufacturing defect claim. This may include a small crack in the part, it not being the size it should be, and similar cases.
To prove this type of defect and liability claim, you need to work with an experienced attorney who has investigative resources available. For example, a mechanic that is familiar with your make and model of vehicle may need to conduct a full inspection. An expert may be able to identify things such as manufacturing defects or how design flaws could have led to your accident and injuries.
Occasionally, a car manufacturer or aftermarket parts provider will produce something with a known flaw or defect. Once the problem has been identified, it is their duty to issue a recall notice to keep drivers safe.
If they were aware of the problem but did not issue a recall, that would be negligent and they would be responsible for your injuries.
If you were injured in an accident that was the result of a defective car part, you need to get help from an experienced attorney. To schedule a free consultation with Lavent Law, PA, give us a call at 305-440-0450 or send us a message online.
