Auto Defect Lawyer

With the average price of a new car in 2024 nearing $48,000, most drivers hope their vehicle is safe from auto defects. Unfortunately, ineffective designs or manufacturing errors can quickly turn a commute into a catastrophe. If you or a loved one were injured in a car, truck, SUV, or other motor vehicle accident resulting in injuries, you may have a defective product claim. At Munley Law, our auto defect lawyers will hold the auto manufacturer, designer, or other liable party accountable for your losses.

To file a motor vehicle defect claim, call an auto defect lawyer from Munley Law today for a no-obligation, free consultation.

When Auto Manufacturers Put Profits Over Safety

Unfortunately, auto manufacturers often prioritize profits over safety, cutting corners on designs and durable materials. When an auto defect causes you to get into a motor vehicle accident, you’ll need support as you recover from the physical pain and financial strain that accident caused.

At Munley Law, our product liability lawyers have received national recognition in vehicle defect litigation, earning Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America accolades. Our firm is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and has an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible peer and client review rating in the legal industry.

Our dedicated team of personal injury lawyers has a track record of securing multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients, including complex cases against major vehicle manufacturers. The auto defect lawyers of Munley Law believe that finances should not hold you back from seeking legal representation when you’ve been hurt. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless we win.

Further, you’ll never have to question who handles your case as you’ll have direct partner involvement from start to finish.

Auto defect cases can be challenging as several parties may be responsible. Our auto defect attorneys know this and will utilize our legal knowledge and extensive experience in auto defect litigation to seek compensation for you and any injured vehicle occupants.

If you were hurt by a defective car, call Munley Law today and receive your free case review within 24 hours.

The Types of Auto Defects We Handle

Auto defects are a type of product liability claim. When we think about product liability claims, we categorize them by defect type. This includes:

• Design Defects: When elements of a vehicle’s design are inherently flawed and can or have caused harm, these are known as design defects. Any part of the motor vehicle, from the internal components to the frame and safety features, may have a design defect.
• Manufacturing Defects: Sometimes, the design of the motor vehicle is safe, but somewhere in the manufacturing process, an error occurs, making the vehicle unsafe. This is known as manufacturing defects. Manufacturing defects may occur in every vehicle run or a select lot.
• Marketing Defects/Failure to Warn: In some rare situations, a motor vehicle defect may not be within the vehicle at all but rather in its marketing. Should the marketing and warning of a vehicle fail to warn of potential harms that may occur in its use? For example, a vehicle may not have the appropriate airbag warnings should it be deployed, leading to a passenger getting hurt.

While these speak to product liability broadly, when it comes to motor vehicle defects, we handle claims related to critical safety systems and structural failures. If a defective vehicle has caused you harm, contact Munley Law.

Critical Safety Systems

Critical safety systems are installed in motor vehicles to prevent accidents and protect vehicle passengers. These include the engine and transmission, braking, and more. When one of these systems fails, the result can be catastrophic, resulting in loss of vehicle control, accidents, and serious injuries.

Common critical safety-related defects we see in personal injury cases include:

• Brake failures
• Airbag malfunctions
• Steering defects
• Electronic stability issues

If a critical safety system in your vehicle failed and caused you and your passengers to suffer from personal injury, call Munley Law for a no-obligation, free initial consultation.

Structural Failures

Sometimes, structural failures in a defective car cause an accident and harm. This includes issues with the vehicle’s frame, chassis, and other critical components. Common vehicle defects that are connected to the structure of the vehicle include:

• Roof crush incidents
• Seat back collapses
• Door latch failures
• Fuel system leaks

These defects make the car unsafe to drive, increase the risk of a car accident, and lower the vehicle’s value.

While you hope after purchasing a vehicle that it is free of a safety defect, you may not know until the worse happens. Call Munley Law to explain your vehicle’s problems and begin an auto defect case.

Understanding Auto Recalls

According to the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), between 28,000 and 59,000 crashes occur annually due to defective vehicles. When a motor vehicle defect occurs and is found to impact more than one vehicle, the manufacturer may issue an auto recall. These recalls are issued when the vehicle does not meet minimum safety standards, and the manufacturer will fix the issue to ensure the vehicle is safe to operate.

Either the manufacturer or the NHTSA can issue a recall that notifies registered owners about the vehicle defects. Once notified, the owner can take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for free repair.

In some situations, the manufacturer may offer to replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price depending on the severity of the defect.

The NHTSA website allows you to check for current recalls on vehicles, car seats, tires, and equipment.

You have the right as a consumer to have prompt service for your recalled vehicle or, if you’ve already paid to have the vehicle repaired, to be reimbursed for your repair costs. You may have a legal claim if the dealer charges you for recall-related repairs or fails to provide service. You can file a claim directly with the NHTSA for recalls-related complaints.

If you are involved in a car accident before a recall is issued or shortly after, the manufacturer may be liable for the costs associated with the accident.

It’s important to know that both you, the manufacturer, and the auto dealer have obligations you must uphold. The manufacturer must issue the recall when they know the vehicle is defective, and the dealer must provide service to those vehicles. But, if you fail to follow the recall, do not get your vehicle services, and are involved in an accident, you may not have a claim against the manufacturer.

If you suspect you have a defective vehicle, you can check if your vehicle has any open recalls. For questions regarding your legal rights in a defective vehicle claim, the auto defect attorneys of Munley Law are here to help.

Our Auto Defect Expert Network

In many car accident claims, your insurance company and involved law firms will call upon their expert network to build a case. This allows both parties to have an accurate case valuation and establish liability.

For a car defect case, your car defect attorneys will call upon auto experts to fully understand the most common vehicle defects, how they impact your car accident, and the long-term ramifications.

Common expert witnesses that may be called upon in a car defect case include:

• Automotive engineers
• Safety specialists
• Accident reconstructionists
• Industry whistleblowers
• Medical experts

While you don’t always need a lawyer to handle car recalls and vehicle defects, having one by your side can make a significant difference and maximize your financial compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.

Discover the strength of our resources at Munley Law for your safety-related defect claim today.

The Financial Impact of Auto Defects

When defective auto parts cause a serious accident, you can seek justice for the injuries. This often envelopes financial costs you and the other vehicle owners had not anticipated. Of course, this also leads to unexpected costs for automakers, hopefully keeping them in check to better manufacture vehicles.

Victims of serious accidents caused by defective cars face immediate and long-term costs, all of which the at-fault parties should be held liable for.

Immediate Costs

Immediate costs of a manufacturing defect-related accident include:

• Medical expenses
• Vehicle replacement
• Lost wages
• Transportation costs

Long-term Considerations

Long-term costs that victims may incur from an auto defect accident include:

• Future medical care
• Diminished earning capacity
• Ongoing therapy needs
• Family impact

The legal team at Munley Law has a successful track record of securing maximum compensation for auto defect accidents. Connect with our team today to calculate your potential compensation.

Taking Action After a Suspected Auto Defect

If an accident caused by an auto defect, such as failed fuel systems, faulty steering components, or inadequate electrical systems, has caused you harm, there are steps you need to take to preserve your claim.

Immediate Steps

Like any auto accident, the immediate steps following an accident are about safety. You should first call the police and wait for help to arrive. If you can move your vehicle to a safe location, do that. If not, utilize hazard lights and road flares to alert other drivers of your disabled vehicle.

Check on your passengers and other vehicles involved if you are unhurt. Offer assistance if needed. Once medical personnel arrive, get medical attention. This will be critical to proving that the accident caused you harm.

You will also need to collect the appropriate documentation, including a police report, witness statements, etc. In the days following the accident, check to see if your car or the other drivers involved were recalled. This will be important if a vehicle defect is suspected.

If it is found that there is a defect, communicate it with the manufacturer to alert them that there may be a larger issue in their supply chain.

These immediate steps will be the building blocks of your auto defect case. If you plan to seek financial compensation for your losses, you should consider contacting an auto defect attorney right away before conversing with the insurance company.

Evidence Collection

Once the immediate steps are taken, you and your legal team must narrow in on evidence. Preserve the vehicle and have photos of it, as this will be critical in showing that defective manufacturing took place.

Witness statements from the accident scene will also be crucial as they can prove that leading up to the accident, you were not engaging in reckless behavior that may have caused the collision to occur.

If you can, collect any maintenance records you may have from your vehicle, which will help to build your case.

The Investigation Process

With your health in check and evidence collected, the investigation process begins. Here, vehicle inspection protocols will begin, and the insurance company will review your vehicle.

Your legal team, such as auto experts and medical professionals, will likely call upon expert analysis to substantiate your claim.

If evidence is missing, it will be crucial for you to get it, as evidence can quickly disappear and witness memory can fade.

The manufacturer’s history will be reviewed, and any safety testing procedures will be to see how the auto defect occurred and was able to reach consumers.

With the guidance of an auto defect lawyer from Munley Law, you can rest assured knowing your case is being handled with the dedication it requires. Call today to learn how we can help you.

Auto Defect FAQs

Auto defect cases can be challenging. Munley Law is here to help.

How Do You Identify a Defective Car Claim?

To identify a defective car claim, consider the health of your vehicle. Is there a recurrence of issues that won’t go away despite repairs? Is there an issue with the vehicle’s usability and safety? Have any system critical components malfunctioned, like the airbags, brakes, steering, electrical systems, fuel leaks, engine, or transmission?

If you answer yes, you may have a defective car claim. Further, you can check the NHTSA for any recall alerts.

What is the Difference Between a Product Liability Claim and a Car Accident Claim?

In a car accident, you typically deal with a personal injury claim. But when the accident was caused by a defective vehicle, the accident changes in the legal landscape to be a product liability claim. This means that instead of just a driver being at fault, another third party, such as the manufacturer, can be liable for expenses.

What Evidence is Needed to Prove My Defective Product Claim?

To prove liability in an auto defect case, you must show that the vehicle’s design, manufacturing, or marketing was somehow harmful, which led to your injuries and harm. This can be done with accident scene photos and videos, mechanic reports, and recalls.

How Long Does an Auto Defect Lawsuit Last?

Depending on the severity of the injuries involved and the type of auto defect, it can take weeks to well over a year to settle an auto defect case.

A lawyer from Munley Law can help you streamline the process to get you the compensation you need to move forward.

What’s the Difference Between a Class Action Claim and a Personal Lawsuit?

When an auto defect only impacts one person, they may file an individual claim against the negligent party. But when the defect impacts numerous people, these individual claims may be consolidated into a class action lawsuit.

This can impact the amount of compensation victims are rewarded depending on the number of people involved in the class action.

What Compensation Can I Recover?

In an auto defect case, you may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Wrongful death

To maximize your compensation, call the auto defect attorneys of Munley Law and start your vehicle defect investigation.

If a defective motor vehicle caused you to suffer injury in an accident, call an auto defect attorney from Munley Law.

Don’t take on the auto manufacturers alone. Call Munley Law today for a no-obligation, free consultation.