Can Vehicle Defects Cause a Car Accident?

While most car accidents are caused by another driver’s negligence, carelessness, or recklessness, there is another common cause of collisions. Vehicle defects can compromise essential safety systems, which can cause a driver to lose control of a vehicle and collide into an object or other vehicle on the road. Specifically, car accidents caused by defective tires, brakes, steering wheels, airbags, and other components can be very dangerous. In these cases, it’s crucial to ensure the responsible party, such as a manufacturer or distributor, is held accountable for any injuries a victim suffered.

Key Takeaways

Common Types of Vehicle Defects

Although many motor vehicle accidents are caused by driver error, there are many situations when a crash can be the result of a defect in the vehicle itself. These types of issues can make a vehicle unsafe to drive. However, in many instances, a defect may not be known until an accident happens. In other cases, a driver may have discovered the defect and brought the vehicle for repairs, which were ultimately unsuccessful.

Critically, there can be a wide range of vehicle defects that cause serious car accidents, such as multi-vehicle pileups, rollovers, rear-ends, and even single-vehicle accidents. Some common types of vehicle defects can include the following:

• Broken accelerators
• Defective tires
• Airbags that deploy spontaneously
• Electrical problems
• Wheels that crack or break
• Leaking fuel system components
• Seats that unexpectedly fall back
• Defective windshield wipers
• Faulty seatbelts

There are two common ways a vehicle defect can play a role in a car accident. The vehicle defect itself may have directly caused the accident. However, in a collision caused by other factors, a defect can cause injuries that are more serious than they would have been had the defect not been present.

Who is Liable for Accidents Caused By Vehicle Defects?

There can be several parties who might be held accountable for a car accident caused by a defective vehicle. Critically, manufacturers of vehicles and auto parts have a duty to ensure that their products are reasonably safe. They must also warn consumers of known and foreseeable dangers associated with their vehicles. If they fail to comply, they may be held liable for a victim’s injuries in a personal injury action.

In addition to the automobile manufacturer and parts manufacture, the company that distributed the vehicle and the car dealership may also be held responsible for the harm a victim suffered in a personal injury lawsuit. For example, if the distributor or car dealership negligently maintained the vehicle prior to selling it, or sold a vehicle with a known defect, they might incur liability for an accident.

However, liability in car accidents is complex and there may be other factors, apart from the vehicle defect, that contributed to the accident. For instance, a municipality may share liability in cases where poor road maintenance was the primary cause of the accident, but the injuries were far more severe due to a faulty seatbelt. Similarly, in a multi-vehicle pileup accident, there can be several parties named in a personal injury action, even if the chain reaction was initially caused by a vehicle defect.

Compensation for Car Accidents Caused by Vehicle Defects

A victim in a car accident caused by defective tires, faulty brakes, a broken steering wheel, or another vehicle component, may be entitled to compensation for any injuries suffered as a result. Those involved in car accidents caused by defective tires may face especially severe injuries due to sudden loss of traction or control. By filing a personal injury action, a victim may be eligible to recover both their economic and non-economic damages. While economic damages are meant to compensate for the monetary losses incurred due to the accident, non-economic damages address intangible losses that are much more difficult to quantify.

Compensation in car accidents caused by vehicle defects can include:

• Unreimbursed medical expenses
• Future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Future loss of earnings
• Out-of-pocket costs
• Pain and suffering damages
• Emotional distress
• Physical pain and mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium

Car accident cases involving vehicle defects can be complicated. An experienced personal injury attorney can help investigate a claim and collect the evidence necessary to hold the responsible party accountable for their negligence.

Contact an Experienced Washington Personal Injury Attorney

If you suffered injuries in a car accident caused by a defective vehicle, it’s essential to have a knowledgeable personal injury attorney by your side who can assess your case, determine liability, and help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. With locations in Burien and Bellevue, Herron Law Office, PLLC is committed to helping car accident victims in Washington secure their rightful monetary recovery. We welcome you to contact us for a consultation to discuss your case by calling (425) 600-2580.