Is Your Newburgh Auto Accident Really a Product Liability Case?

Defective vehicles can cause serious car accidents, and even in accidents caused by negligent drivers, crashworthiness defects can cause injuries to be far worse than they would have been if not for the defect. When a defective vehicle causes injuries, your auto accident claim becomes a product liability case. That changes the nature of your claim in many ways, including who can be held responsible for your injuries. A product liability attorney in Newburgh can help you determine if your auto accident involved a defective vehicle.

defective car

Defects Which Can Cause Accidents

Defects which can cause motor vehicle accidents include:

·         Design flaws, including those which lead to rollover

·         Unintended acceleration

·         Faulty tires

·         Defective brake system

·         Defective steering

·         Sensor defects

·         Airbags which deploy when there is no accident

Crashworthiness Defects

Crashworthiness is a vehicle’s ability to protect occupants in the event of an accident. Crashworthiness defects do not cause accidents, but cause injuries to be worse when an accident occurs. Examples of crashworthiness defects include:

·         Poor roof crush resistance

·         Defective seatbelts

·         Defective airbags

·         Fuel system defects leading to fuel-fed fires

Defendants in Defective Vehicle lawsuits

Potential defendants in a Newburgh product liability lawsuit, stemming from an auto accident include:

·         Auto manufacturer

·         Dealership

·         Parts manufacturer

·         Parts seller

·         Rental company

·         Repair shop

Defects are not always obvious and if they are not discovered it can appear that a driver was to blame in cases that did not involve driver negligence. An experienced product liability lawyer will thoroughly investigate to determine if a defect caused the accident or injuries, so that you can pursue all avenues of compensation.