This past week both Toyota Motor Corp. and the Chrysler Group announced significant vehicle recalls due to safety issues. Cars affected by the recall include Tacoma Trucks, Camry sedans and Venza vehicles. Problems include airbag defects that prevent the airbag form deploying in the event of an accident. Additionally, Chrysler is recalling over 200,000 Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicles due to problems with its rear lower arms that may cause drivers to lose control of the vehicle. The number of injuries caused by these defects is unclear.
If you have been injured in a car accident or other motor vehicle accident as the result of a defect, several different avenues of recovery exist. Filing a product liability lawsuit may be possible to recover compensation for your injuries. Consulting with an experienced Stockton product liability attorney is important to determine your rights.
Product liability lawsuits fall into three main categories.
• Design Defects – these occur when foreseeable risks of harm could have been reduced or eliminated by using another design, and failure to do so makes the product unsafe.
• Manufacturing Defects – these occur when the product is being made. Usually an. error in the manufacturing process causes just a few products out of all those of the same type to be defective. Products are designed to be used for certain purposes and if someone uses them for another purpose, there may be danger of harm. Therefore, the manufacturer has to include clear, visible and concise warnings describing the danger and failure to do that can cause the product to be considered defective.
• Marketing Defects — the distributor and seller of the product may also be liable in a strict liability case, if there is found to have been misleading marketing.
Although every case is different, injuries that occur from recalled products typically result from design or manufacturing defects and by filing a negligence lawsuit, an experienced Stockton personal injury lawyer may be able to obtain the money necessary to pay for your harm.
For more information or if you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a defective product, contact a top Stockton accident lawyer at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate, confidential consultation.