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Were Your Injuries Caused by a Defective Car That’s Part of an Auto Recall?

On Behalf of | Sep 11, 2014 | Auto Accident Injuries

When you’re injured in an auto accident, it can change your life. You’ll have to endure pain, disabilities, medical treatment, time off work, and more. It can be even more frustrating when your insurance company decides it’s your own fault, even though you tried to tell them that there was something wrong with the car.

Perhaps your brakes went out or your car accelerated or stopped suddenly, causing an accident. Vehicle defects cause accidents regularly. They might even make the news, but unless you check the records for an auto recall involving your make and model, you might never be able to prove that an accident wasn’t your fault.

It can be difficult to set the record straight on your own. That’s why you need a personal injury attorney working on your behalf. They will do their best to uncover any auto recall information relevant to your case and push the auto company to take responsibility.

Auto Defects Cause Accidents

If you’ve ever paid attention to auto recall information in the media, you may have realized that the recall came only after the manufacturer received notice of a number of accidents, complaints, and sometimes injuries and deaths. Often recalls are a direct result of government action, as the vehicle defect was in violation of The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Auto recalls have been in the news recently due to the sheer numbers of vehicles involved. Here are a two you should be aware of:

General Motors Ignition Recall 

ConsumerAffairs explains that, as early as 2005, consumers began filing complaints with General Motors about their power shutting down while driving. GM admitted to having notice of the defect, which is known to have caused at least 13 deaths.

Unfortunately, it took nearly a decade for the auto recall to be put into effect. GM has now recalled 3.16 million cars to repair the defective ignition system. They apologized for their delay, and they have agreed to pay a $35 million dollar fine. They have also announced additional recalls involving air bags, power windows and other problems.

Takata Air Bags

A recent article in the International Business Times, “Takata Airbag Recall: Does Your Car Have One If These Dangerous Shrapnel Spitting Airbags” discussed a big problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is still investigating Takata’s safety products, but one known problem is that their airbags shoot out bits of metal, causing injuries when deployed.

Toyota has recalled 3.6 million vehicles due to the problem, Honda has recalled 2 million vehicles, and BMW has issued a recall for 220,000 cars.

You Need a Professional to Help

If you were injured in an accident due to a safety issue for a vehicle with a pending auto recall, you may be entitled to payment for your damages. The recalling manufacturer will probably pay for the vehicle repairs, but you may need help if you decide to present an injury claim.

A personal injury attorney can help ease the frustration of being considered at fault when your accident was caused by a vehicle defect. They can investigate your claim, determine liability, and present a personal injury claim to the auto manufacturer on your behalf. They might even be able to get the insurance company to change their mind.