My Car Malfunctioned and Crashed, Can I Recover Damages?

Personal injury claims in Albuquerque, New Mexico arise when someone else causes an accident and you want to recover from the injuries.  This also means if you cause an accident, you may be facing a lawsuit from the victims in the other vehicle.  However, there are some situations in which your vehicle may cause an accident and you still can file a claim and recover.  The most common scenario is when a vehicle part was defective or malfunctions, which causes a car collision or truck accident.  The most common defective parts on a car that caused accidents from 2011-2013 in New Mexico included:

• Brakes
• Tires
• Airbags
• Steering Columns
• Windshield Wipers
• Acceleration Controls
• GM Ignition Defects

Manufacturers have a duty to make sure products are reasonably safe for their intended everyday use.  If a manufacturer breaches that duty and the defect in the product causes an automobile accident, the company could be held liable for the costs, damages, and other losses (including attorney fees) that are a direct result of the defect.  A few specific ways a car part manufacturer could be held negligent:

• Defective Design-The vehicle or vehicle parts were designed poorly.
• Defective Manufacture-The product was designed properly; however, the manufacturer made errors while in the manufacturing stage of the development (poor quality of materials or poor workmanship).
• Defective Assembly-Parts were made correctly; however, there were mistakes made in the assembling of the product which caused an accident.
• Failure to Warn-The manufacturer or another party in the development process was made aware of a defect or faulty part and didn’t warn the consumer who in turn purchased the product and sustained injuries due to a car accident.
• Failure to Inspect-Manufacturer failed to inspect a vehicle or vehicle parts for defects or malfunctioning parts.

If a defective car part causes an accident, you can bring a claim against the vehicle manufacturer or motor vehicle distributor to get reimbursed for the damages and injuries sustained by you, your vehicle, and any loved ones riding as passengers with you in the defective car or truck.  Ron Bell personal injury lawyers are dedicated to providing Albuquerque, New Mexico residents with compassionate legal representation.  Contact our injury attorneys today for free legal advice and a free manufacturer defect injury consultation.