Common Car Design Defects and the Danger They Pose to Drivers

Posted in Accident & Injury on February 11, 2014

By Arthur Elk

You might think that car accidents are only caused by a driver’s negligent or poor operation of his or her vehicle. However, many car accidents are caused by design or construction defects within the car itself. Car crashes kill more than 40,000 people each year, and a significant number of these are caused by defective automobiles.

A car accident lawyer can assist you in obtaining a refund, settlement payment, or other compensation if a defect in your vehicle causes a car accident. Some of the most common defects that lead to accidents or injuries include malfunctioning airbags, broken door latches that eject passengers during an accident, fire caused by defective gasoline tanks, rollovers caused by vehicles that are prone to rolling over, weak or defective roofs that cave in and crush passengers, and seat belt failure caused by defective seatbelts.

One example of a vehicle design defect that made national news is the Toyota Prius’s acceleration issues. The car accident attorney team working on behalf of Toyota customers reached a settlement of more than $1 billion with the Toyota car company, showing that design defects can have serious consequences for vehicle manufacturers.

In some instances, the vehicle may be built with the defect already present; as was the case with the Toyota Prius. Other times, the defect develops after the driver purchases the vehicle. Regardless of which scenario happens to you, you can obtain compensation for your injuries with the help of a qualified car accident attorney.