How Defective Auto Parts Can Lead to Catastrophic Crashes
Imagine driving down the road, confident in the safety and reliability of your vehicle, when suddenly the brakes fail or a tire blows out. These terrifying scenarios are more common than many people realize and are often caused by defective auto parts. While auto parts manufacturers have strict safety standards to comply with, defective parts still manage to enter the market from time to time due to lapses in quality control, cost-cutting measures, or simple oversights.
The Unique Dangers Associated with Defective Auto Parts
Car accidents caused by negligence – whether it is speeding, running red lights, or driving under the influence – can be prevented if drivers choose to follow the rules of the road and exercise reasonable care. Accidents caused by defective auto parts, on the other hand, present a unique and often unavoidable danger.
A defective part can fail without warning and catch even the most cautious drivers off guard. A car’s brakes could malfunction, a steering system could fail, or an airbag might not deploy during a crash – all of which can lead to serious accidents, even if the driver did not do anything wrong.
Moreover, in many cases, drivers are not aware of the defects in their vehicles until it is too late. It’s beyond their ability to foresee or prevent these dangers, which is what makes defective auto part accidents particularly devastating.
Common Auto Part Defects That Can Lead to Accidents
Brake Failures
Faulty brakes are among the most dangerous defects, as they can prevent you from stopping in time to avoid a collision. Common issues include brake pad wear, hydraulic fluid leaks, or defective anti-lock braking systems (ABS).
Tire Blowouts
Defective tires, such as those with weak sidewalls, tread separation, and other issues, can result in sudden blowouts. A blowout at high speeds can cause you to lose control, which can increase the risk of a serious accident.
Steering System Failures
Defects in the power steering pump, steering rack, tie rods, and other steering components can result in a complete loss of vehicle control, which can be particularly dangerous at high speeds or when maneuvering around obstacles.
Transmission Issues
Problems with the transmission, such as slipping gears or failure to shift properly, can result in loss of power, unexpected acceleration, or erratic vehicle behavior, all of which can increase the risk of an accident.
Faulty Airbags
Defective airbag systems, whether they fail to deploy, deploy incorrectly, or deploy randomly without any trigger, can cause serious injury or death. Problems might arise from faulty sensors, poor manufacturing, defective inflators, or other issues.
Three Types of Defects in Auto Part-Related Accident Claims
Defective auto part accidents fall under the doctrine of product liability, which differs significantly from negligence claims. Under product liability, the focus is on the defectiveness of the product itself, not the behavior of the parties involved. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers can be held strictly liable if a defective product leads to an accident, regardless of whether they acted negligently. These claims typically involve one of three types of defects: design, manufacturing, or marketing.
Design Defects
A design defect occurs when the product’s design is inherently unsafe, even if manufactured correctly. These defects exist before the product is even made and affect every unit produced.
Manufacturing Defects
A manufacturing defect arises when a product deviates from its intended design due to errors during the production process. This could include the use of substandard materials, assembly errors, or poor quality control.
Marketing Defects
Marketing defects, often referred to as ‘failure to warn’ defects, occur when a product lacks adequate warnings or instructions regarding its proper use or potential dangers.
Common Defenses of the Negligent Parties in Defective Auto Part Claims
Comparative Negligence
The manufacturer might argue that your actions or your failure to take action, such as failing to maintain your vehicle properly or ignoring clear warning signs of a malfunction, contributed to the accident. For example, if a defective brake system failed, the manufacturer might claim you were aware of ongoing issues but chose to drive the vehicle anyway, thereby contributing to the crash.
This kind of defense can be particularly complex in Pennsylvania, where the state follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Under this rule, you can recover damages as long as you are found to be less than 50% at fault for the accident. If you are found to be 50% or more at fault, you are barred from recovering any compensation. This means if you are found to be, for instance, 49% at fault, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. However, if your fault rises to 50%, you will receive nothing.
Misuse of the Product
The manufacturer might argue that you misused the defective auto part in a way that was unforeseeable or against its intended purpose. They might claim that the part was installed incorrectly, it was used in conditions it was not designed to handle, or it was tampered with in a way that caused the failure. For instance, if your vehicle’s airbags failed to deploy in an accident, the manufacturer might claim that you modified or tampered with the airbag system, leading to its malfunction.
Assumption of Risk
The manufacturer might argue that you were aware of the defect in question but consciously decided to continue driving without addressing the issue. They might assert that by doing so, you voluntarily accepted the danger and therefore partially responsible for the resulting accident.
How an Experienced Pennsylvania Product Liability Attorney Can Counter the Manufacturer’s Defenses
A skilled Pennsylvania car accident lawyer can use a combination of compelling evidence and statements or testimony from expert witnesses to counter the manufacturer’s defenses and establish their liability. Here’s how they can do it:
Countering Comparative Negligence
- They can bring in mechanics or auto engineers to review your vehicle’s maintenance history and confirm that the defect was not caused as a result of any negligence on your part.
- They can gather evidence including repair receipts, inspection reports, and service records showing that your vehicle was properly maintained before the accident.
- They can argue that the defect in question was a latent issue that could not have been identified or prevented by regular maintenance and shift the focus entirely onto the manufacturer or another liable party.
Refuting Allegations of Misuse
- They can work with automotive engineers and product safety specialists to analyze the vehicle and establish that you operated it as it was intended to be operated and that there was no misuse on your part.
- They can gather accident reconstruction reports, the vehicle’s black box data, maintenance records, and other evidence to rule out the possibility of any misuse or mishandling on your part.
Challenging Assumption of Risk Claims
- They can bring in accident reconstruction experts to demonstrate that the defect occurred suddenly or progressively worsened, which made it impossible for you to fully understand the danger in advance.
- If you used the vehicle despite being aware of the defect in question due to an emergency or under exceptional circumstances, your lawyer might argue that continuing to use the vehicle was reasonable under the circumstances, such as needing to get to a safe location or lacking immediate access to repairs.
Expert Witnesses That Can Be Used in a Defective Auto Part Claim
Automotive Engineers
Automotive engineers are experts in vehicle design and mechanics. They can analyze the defective part to determine whether it was improperly designed, manufactured, or assembled. Their testimony can help demonstrate how the defect caused the accident and why it is the manufacturer’s responsibility.
Product Safety Experts
Product safety experts can determine whether the defective part met industry safety standards. They can identify flaws in the manufacturing process, inadequate quality control measures, or deviations from accepted safety practices that contributed to the defect.
Accident Reconstruction Experts
Accident reconstruction experts use scientific methods to recreate the events leading up to the crash. They can show how the defect affected the vehicle’s performance and caused the accident.
Material Scientists
Material scientists analyze the materials used in the defective part to determine whether they were substandard or inappropriate for their intended use. Their insights can reveal whether the defect was due to poor material quality, manufacturing shortcuts, or cost-cutting measures.
Industry Regulation and Compliance Experts
These experts specialize in industry standards and government regulations. They can testify about whether the manufacturer or other at-fault parties violated laws, such as failing to issue recalls, provide adequate warnings, or meet compliance requirements.
Injured in a Defective Auto Part Accident? Get Legal Help from Our Highly-Rated Car Accident Lawyers in Pittsburgh
If you have been injured in a defective auto part accident, you need a lawyer who has extensive experience in handling product liability claims. At Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, L.L.C., we have served clients in Western Pennsylvania and throughout the country for over five decades. We have the knowledge, skills, commitment, and resources to ensure that our clients recover maximum compensation.
Call us today at 412-253-2925 or toll-free at 866-565-4949 for a free consultation and case assessment. We are ready to go to work for you!
