What Constitutes a Safety-related Defect?

In the past few years, it seems that the number of auto recalls reported have been increasing. Even though the technology used within cars and to build cars is more advanced than ever before, problems at the manufacturing level have led to multiple injuries and fatalities. At the end of the day, residents of Connecticut and elsewhere,who have been negatively affected by auto defects will want to know who is or who can be held responsible for defective cars.

Vehicle safety laws have been passed on a federal level in an effort to keep dangerous and defective cars off the road. Despite the safety standards placed on manufacturers, safety-related defects are still a major problem. Manufacturers do have a responsibility to the public to not only warn of these problems, but to offer solutions as well.

So, what constitutes a safety-related defect? More Americans are hanging on to their vehicles for extended periods of time. As such, it may not always be easy to tell what problems are due to a defect and what are caused due to the age of the car. Common safety defects may include:

• Potential fires caused by problems with fuel system components
• Broken or stuck accelerator controls
• Unexpected air bag deployment
• Electrical fire due to wiring issue

If a problem with a vehicle arises and a defect is suspected, vehicle owners should report the problem as soon as possible. Those in Connecticut and elsewhere who have suffered an injury or lost a loved one due to that problem may seek compensation by filing legal claims against the car manufacturer. Defective cars are a serious issue that can cause significant losses for vehicle owners and innocent bystanders. Legal assistance is available to help these car owners, or other victims injured due to an auto defect, achieve compensation for any damages incurred.

Source: safercar.gov, “Motor Vehicle Defects and Safety Recalls: What Every Vehicle Owner Should Know“, Accessed on March 16, 2015