Vehicle accidents occur due to a wide variety of factors, often due to the negligent actions of other drivers on the roadway. However, sometimes, vehicle accidents happen because of a defect in the automobile.
Here, we want to review what you need to do if you have been involved in a car accident caused by an auto defect. A skilled product liability attorney in Phoenix may be able to help you and your family recover compensation for your losses.
Types of Auto Defects That Could Cause Injuries
An examination of government recall information shows that there are a wide variety of vehicle defects that can affect consumers, and these defects frequently lead to recalls. However, even though recalls are designed to increase consumer safety, they do not prevent every type of defective auto part from causing collisions.
Some of the main parts of a vehicle that can fail and lead to injuries to drivers or passengers include the following:
- Brake failure – Drivers have to have brakes that work, so any type of brake failure is likely to lead to serious injuries or property damage.
- Autonomous driving feature failure – More and more, drivers rely on autonomous driving features. Some of these features even take over most driving features, such as Tesla’s self-driving vehicle features. Any type of software failure of autonomous driving features will increase the chances of an accident occurring when they are engaged.
- Acceleration issues – There has been a significant history of acceleration pedal issues in vehicles across the United States, particularly with Toyota. The company recalled nearly 8 million vehicles more than a decade ago because the accelerator pedal would get stuck due to a design flaw, allowing the pedal to be trapped by the floor mats.
- Tire problems – Any type of tire defect could lead to a driver losing control of the vehicle.
This is certainly not a complete list of the failures that can affect driver and passenger safety on Arizona roadways. Additionally, there are several types of defects that can cause injuries if they fail to work properly when an incident does occur. For example, faulty airbags or defective seat belts can lead to drivers and passengers sustaining major injuries in a collision.
Preserve Any Evidence Related to the Incident
If you suspect your vehicle accident occurred because of a vehicle design flaw or a defective part, you need to preserve any evidence related to the claim. Relay your suspicions to your specialized Phoenix car accident attorney, and do not allow any mechanical work to be done on the vehicle or the part in question. Wait until there can be a thorough inspection of the vehicle, and your attorney will let you know how to proceed.
Other types of evidence that must be preserved include any photograph taken at the scene of the incident, vehicle maintenance records, statements from our witnesses, the police report, and any video surveillance footage.
Should You Contact an Attorney After a Crash?
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident caused by a vehicle defect, you need to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. These claims become very challenging, often because the insurance carriers involved will try to lay the blame elsewhere, away from their policyholder. For example, filing a traditional accident claim could lead to an auto insurance carrier blaming the vehicle manufacturer or parts manufacturer. This can delay compensation. A skilled Phoenix personal injury lawyer can examine the facts of the case and file the appropriate claim in order to help their client recover compensation.