The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a database of recalled vehicles, tires, and equipment. Vehicle defects can, at times, be one of the factors—or sometimes even the main factor, leading to a car accident or injury while driving. The Cooper Law Firm is a personal injury law firm in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson, Paris, and Marshall, Texas that may be able to assist you with making a claim if a vehicle defect resulted in your car accident or in your injury. Do you know if your vehicle is subject to a recall? You can check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s database of recalled vehicles, tires, and parts. While most car accidents are the result of negligence of one or both drivers involved, sometimes vehicle defects are to blame. If this is the case, you and your family might have the right to make a claim against the vehicle manufacturer. The Cooper Law Firm is a Texas personal injury lawyer who may be able to assist you with making a claim if you or someone you love was injured in a Texas car accident.
How Vehicle Defects Can Lead to Injuries in the Event of a Crash
In recent years and months, there have been several major recalls involving vehicle defects that can impact driver safety and that can lead to injuries, even in minor accidents. What are some types of recalls that can lead to injuries? Recalls involving airbag defects, brake defects, tire defects, and other issues can lead to serious injury or even death. Here are some types of recent recalls that could lead to a crash or serious injury even in the event of a minor accident:
- Recently, almost one million vehicles were recalled because of a defect in their airbag design that could result in an explosion when the airbags were deployed. This is related to the large-scale Takata airbag recall, where 41.6 million vehicles were recalled because of defective airbags. According to the NHTSA, the airbags could explode when they open up, which can result in serious injuries or death.
- Brake Issues. Over half a million vehicles were recalled because of issues which could result in unintended braking on one side of the vehicle. The vehicles affected are 2015 to 2020 Chevrolet and GMC SUVs.
- Electrical or Battery Issues. Some vehicles can have defects in their batteries that can lead to fires in the event of a crash. Recent reports indicate that the NHTSA is investigating Tesla’s batteries because of reports that the battery may be causing some of the vehicles to catch fire.
- Tire Failure. Problems with tires can be devastating and can lead to serious accidents. If a tire fails, it can deflate quickly, leading to loss of control of the vehicle, which can then lead to accidents.
- Steering or acceleration failures. Steering or acceleration failures and defects can be devastating because they can lead to lost control and accidents.
These are just some of the defects that can lead to crashes. If you suspect that a vehicle defect caused your accident or injuries, you may have the right to seek compensation from the vehicle manufacturer for your medical costs, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. While vehicle manufacturers have a duty to let consumers who have purchased their vehicles know that a vehicle has been recalled, sometimes car owners don’t always learn about recalls. In some cases, consumers may even purchase used cars without being informed that the vehicle they are purchasing has been recalled. There is currently no law barring used car dealerships or sellers from selling a car with a known recall.
Because car owners may not be aware their vehicle has a defect, sometimes defects are discovered only after someone has already gotten hurt. If this describes your situation, contact the Cooper Law Firm, personal injury attorneys in Texas today to learn more and to protect your rights. Our lawyers can review the details of your accident and may be able to fight to help you get the settlement you may deserve under the law.
Injured Because of a Defective Vehicle in Texas?
If you have been hurt because of a defective vehicle in Texas, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim for your losses and injuries. The Cooper Law Firm is a personal injury law firm in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson, Paris, and Marshall, Texas that may be able to assist you with your claim. Making a claim against an auto manufacturer can sometimes be more complex than making a claim against insurers or negligent parties. It can be helpful to have an attorney on your side. Contact the Cooper Law Firm, personal injury lawyers today, or reach out to USAttorneys.com to get connected with a lawyer at our firm.
