Defective Vehicles

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When a vehicle or one of its parts does not work the way it should, the consequences can be serious. Defective seatbelts, airbags, tires, steering systems, and other components may play a role in an accident or make injuries worse. Lovell, Nalley & Nalley helps clients evaluate whether a vehicle defect may have contributed to their injuries. If you have concerns about what caused your accident, we can help you take a closer look and understand your options.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Defective Vehicle?

Determining responsibility in a defective vehicle case can be complicated. Depending on the facts, more than one company or party may have played a role in the condition of the vehicle or the part that failed. Lovell, Nalley & Nalley can help review the available evidence, identify the parties involved, and explain what options may be available.

1.

Car Manufacturer

A car manufacturer may be responsible when the vehicle itself was designed or built in a way that created an unsafe condition. This may include problems with the structure of the vehicle, safety systems, crash protection, or other features that failed to perform as expected.

2.

Parts Supplier

A parts manufacturer may be involved when a specific component contributed to the accident or injury. Defective airbags, brakes, tires, seatbelts, steering components, or electrical systems can all raise questions about the company that designed or produced that part.

3.

Car Dealership

A car dealership may be responsible in some situations involving vehicle maintenance, repair work, inspections, or representations made at the time of sale. If a dealership knew or should have known about a safety issue, or if service work contributed to the problem, that information may be important to the claim.

4.

Shipper

A shipper or transportation company may be responsible if the vehicle was damaged while being moved from the plant, auction, storage facility, or dealership. Damage during transport is not always obvious right away, so it may be important to review records, reports, and the condition of the vehicle before and after shipment.

What Constitutes a Car as Defective?

A vehicle may be considered defective when a design issue, manufacturing problem, faulty part, or handling issue creates an unreasonable risk of injury. These cases can involve many different parts of a vehicle, including airbags, seatbelts, brakes, tires, steering systems, windshields, electrical systems, or other components that are meant to keep drivers and passengers safe.

 

Defective vehicle cases often require a careful review of the vehicle, the accident, maintenance records, recall information, and the chain of events leading up to the injury. Lovell, Nalley & Nalley can help evaluate whether a defect may have played a role and what information should be preserved.

Defective Design

 

A design defect may exist when a vehicle or one of its systems was designed in a way that creates a safety concern, even if the vehicle was manufactured exactly as intended. These issues can affect an entire model or product line and may involve features such as seatbelts, airbags, roofs, fuel systems, tires, or crash protection.

Defects Due to the Manufacturing Process

 

A manufacturing defect may happen when something goes wrong while the vehicle or one of its parts is being made. This can result in a vehicle or part that does not match the intended design and may not perform safely in normal use or during an accident.

Negligence Upon Car Delivery

 

A vehicle can also be damaged or affected during transportation, inspection, storage, or delivery. If a vehicle is mishandled before it reaches the buyer, important parts or safety systems may be compromised. In those situations, it may be necessary to review where the issue occurred and who was responsible at that point in the process.

Defective Vehicle

Case Results

$3.2 Million

 

Seatbelt & Seat Back Defect

$1.8 Million

 

Defective Steering System

$1.3 Million

 

Defective Door

$460,000

 

Seatbelt & Seat Back Defect

Proud to Serve Clients in Arkansas

for 40+ Years

If you need a lawyer for personal injury, insurance claims, probate law, or warranty claims for ATVs, UTVs, and boats, reach out to us. We would be glad to have a conversation with you and talk about next steps.

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