Apart from drivers’ recklessness, many Florida car accidents have resulted from faulty car parts. Every party in the chain of distribution has a duty of ensuring that the buyer is safe from severe or fatal collisions.
Drivers are required to play their part in making sure that their vehicles remain safe. But when the person or company responsible for providing safe parts fails to do so, a Miami personal injury attorney can make them pay.
How Do Faulty Parts Contribute to Road Accidents?
Vehicle parts work together to make motorists safe on the road. But when they have some design defects, there is nothing the driver can do to prevent an accident, and a Miami car defects lawyer can help you seek compensation.
Faulty Steering and Suspension
It might be impossible to prevent a motor vehicle accident if either the suspension or the steering system is defective. You can veer off the road or into another vehicle if your car’s suspension fails. Turning can become impossible if the steering system malfunctions, especially while driving at high speed.
Faulty Ignition Switches
A faulty ignition switch can cause a vehicle to shut off suddenly while the car is still moving. This malfunction can result in a serious collision. What’s worse is that the airbags cannot deploy when the vehicle is switched off.
Faulty Headlights and Taillights
Functional headlights are supposed to make the roads visible at night and when it rains and make you visible to motorists in the oncoming traffic. On the other hand, taillights make you visible to vehicles behind you and allow them to see when you brake. If either of the lights malfunctions, an accident is prone to happen.
Tire Blowouts
Like most keen drivers, you could be changing your tires before they are worn out. But if the new tire is defective, it can still blow out and result in severe injuries. You can veer into a highway barricade, oncoming traffic, or another vehicle.
Brake System Defects
You cannot slow down or stop to avoid an accident if the braking system has defects. The injuries caused can be severe or even fatal.
What Standards Should a Case Meet to Recover Compensation?
Many accidents have happened because of the negligence of a supplier, a distributor, or a manufacturer. However, it is not always easy to recover compensation for your injuries because the negligent party will line up a defense team to frustrate your efforts. But a Miami car defects lawyer can stand up for you if your case meets the following requirements;
- A dangerous defect was present.
- There was no warning regarding possible defects.
- The accident happened while the car was being used as intended – you may not have a personal injury case if you, for instance, are riding in the bed of a pick-up truck.
Nobody had significantly altered the condition that the vehicle was sold in.
After proving that the circumstance around the accident was not out of the driver’s negligence, your defense team must prove that the car actually had a defect. The product liability claims include;
- Defectively manufactured vehicles or vehicle parts – These mistakes can happen at the dealership, shipping, or manufacturing facility. The defaults can come in the form of cracked gas lines, faulty tire treads, and a sticky pedal mechanism.
- Vehicles with unreasonably dangerous design – Even when manufactured correctly, a car or its parts can be unreasonably dangerous. An example is a car frame that cannot protect occupants in a collision or a gas tank prone to explosion.
- Marketing Defects – Users of vehicle parts have a right to be provided with sufficient information on using a product properly. Failure to give warnings about aspects like size or age limit can amount to negligence.
Who can I Sue After an Accident Caused by a Faulty Part
You can sue anyone involved in the storage, sale, and transportation of the defective motor vehicle part. What’s more, you can recover compensation from the various parties that contributed to the accident.
The Mechanic – Part of your responsibility as a driver is to service your vehicle when it’s time. If an accident happens soon after the car was serviced and the newly replaced car part malfunctions – the repair shop may be responsible.
The Automakers – Most manufacturers are big companies, and one would want to think that it is easier for them to compensate the victims of their defective car parts. However, that is never the case. Instead, they use their resources to hire experienced Miami personal injury attorneys that ensure you don’t get a penny.
Parts Manufacturer – Sometimes, a specific car part can cause an accident. It can be the tire, seatbelt, or airbag. In such cases, a Miami car defects lawyer can help you sue the particular manufacturer.
Auto Supply Shop or the Dealership – The shop or dealer that sold you the defective car part may have been negligent in their dealings and may owe you compensation.
The Shipper – The shipping company that was part of the distribution chain may also need to pay you damages.
Used Car Dealer – If you purchased a used car that had defects and it caused you injuries, an auto defects attorney can help you sue them.
What Evidence Do I Need for the Faulty Part Accident Claim
Victims of vehicle parts accidents need strong evidence to support their claims in Florida. But with an experienced car defects lawyer in Miami, FL, you are guaranteed expert representation.
Videos and photographs
It is vital to take pictures and record the broken car part. Remember to take as many as you can – together with other items for comparison purposes, close-ups, and shots from many angles.
Witness Statements
Friends and family are great witnesses but cannot compare to independent ones. The jury believes that the latter has no financial or personal interests in the victim and is likely to give their statements more consideration.
Medical Records
Your medical records not only prove that you were indeed injured, but it also aids with the calculations. Keep any document showing the treatment-related costs, transportation costs, and receipts of out-of-pocket expenses.
Lost Wages
Your employer must verify that you lost income due to the injuries. They should indicate the dates and the income lost in bonuses, overtime income, and wages.
Get Legal Guidance from a Professional Miami Accident Attorney
An intoxicated motorist isn’t always to blame for an accident. Car parts can sometimes malfunction and cause injuries or fatalities. And because it’s not easy to get compensation because the companies and individuals won’t readily accept your allegations, it’s crucial to get a skilled legal team for legal advice and representation.
The aggressive Miami accident attorneys at Lipcon & Lipcon can provide you with the tools you require to receive timely justice and restitution. Call us today at (786) 686-0658 for a FREE consultation.