What To Do if a Faulty Part Caused Your Crash
The most common cause of car accidents, by an enormous margin, is driver error. Sometimes, however, the cause of an accident is a part of the car failing or breaking. If this happened to you, or someone you know, or if a failing part made the accident worse, then there is a real potential to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the part. Of course, filing a lawsuit is never a simple matter. This guide will explain some of the basic things you should know, but you should also speak to a lawyer for more information about your case.
Types of Part Failure
To be viable for a lawsuit, the accident must be caused or made worse by a part being inherently flawed. Remember, if you do not maintain your car and a part fails because of bad upkeep, the manufacturer is not liable.
Most commonly, defective parts involve the airbags or seatbelts. For example, if your airbags failed to go off in a crash, then you probably have a very strong case. Likewise, an airbag going off prematurely can cause an accident or even cause injuries directly. Another strong product liability lawsuit case would be the seatbelts breaking or unlatching. Product liability lawsuits also commonly revolve around the brakes, tires, or power steering.
What To Do
If you suspect that a faulty part caused an accident, here are some tips to help improve your case:
- Take as many picture of the faulty part and any injuries or damage as you can. You will need strong evidence that the part was not functioning how it is supposed to.
- Do not repair your vehicle until you have spoken to a lawyer. If the faulty part is fixed, you may no longer have the evidence you need.
- Hire a lawyer as soon as possible. Product liability lawsuit are among the more complicated, so you need a good attorney to help you through the complicated process.
- Keep track of the location of your vehicle. It may be taken to an impound lot, but you should always be aware of its location.
- Keep the contact information of everyone you speak with. Car experts who inform you about the faulty part may be valuable witnesses in your case.
Do not fret if you have already failed to follow some of these tips. Speak to a Car Accident Lawyer who specializes in car accidents to get more detailed information that relates to your specific case before you do anything else.