Buffalo Auto Defect Injury Lawyer

Representing Victims of Defective Automobiles & Vehicle Parts in Western New York

One of the most common—and most deadly—types of defective products is defective automobiles and auto parts. Whether these auto defects cause or exacerbate car accidents, they play a major role in countless catastrophic injuries and deaths every year. Even when manufacturers issue auto recalls, they are still liable for the harm and devastation these defects cause.

If you or someone you love was injured in an automobile accident or due to a defective auto part, it is crucial that you reach out to an experienced Buffalo auto defect injury lawyer, as manufacturer defect lawsuits are often very complex cases.

At Richmond Vona, LLC, we know how to conduct exhaustive investigations into automobile accident claims and what to look for in order to determine if a faulty part played a role in the crash and/or the victims’ injuries. We have considerable experience in this area of law, as well as a proven legacy of success. Over the years, our skilled personal injury attorneys have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients.

Common Car Defects and Malfunctions

Motor vehicles comprise hundreds of parts, all of which must work properly in order to keep motorists and their passengers safe. When any one of these parts is defective, it can cause a chain reaction that may lead to a devastating accident or exacerbate a passenger’s injuries when a crash occurs. While any auto part can be defective, some have been the subject of complaints and recalls more frequently than others.

Some of the most common auto defects include:

• Tires: Faulty tires can lead to shredding, blowouts, and other serious problems that can—and do—lead to serious and sometimes deadly collisions.
• Seatbelts: A defective seatbelt may come unlatched, fail to “lock” on impact, or otherwise not do what it is supposed to: keep passengers safe.
• Airbags: Airbag recalls have involved airbags that fail to inflate upon impact, those that project debris when inflating, and those that cause asphyxiation after inflating, among other problems.
• Brakes: When braking systems are defective or fail, motorists are unable to prevent collisions or, in some cases, even slow down, leading to devastating crashes.
• Steering Components: The steering components of a motor vehicle are critical to maintaining control and avoiding collisions; defects can be deadly.
• Fuel Pumps: Defective fuel pumps can lead to cars that won’t start or which lose power when the driver accelerates. This, in turn, can lead to major accidents.
• Headlights and Taillights: Malfunctioning headlights and taillights can cause other motorists to fail to see a vehicle, which may lead to head-on and rear-end collisions.
• Engine Systems: Defects involving the engine systems are not uncommon; they are also potentially deadly when they give out while a motorist is operating his or her vehicle.

These are just some examples of common auto defects and recalls, but there are many other working parts of any given vehicle, all of which can be faulty. If your car has been recalled, it is absolutely critical that you have it repaired or the faulty part replaced immediately. If the default led to an accident in which you were injured, you may have grounds for a defective vehicle lawsuit with the help of a savvy Buffalo attorney.

Who Is Liable for Auto Defects?

Determining who is liable for a given auto defect typically involves first determining what type of defect the auto or auto part has.

There are three main types of defects:

• Design defects
• Manufacturing defects
• Failure to warn defects

A design defect means that the actual design of the product or part itself is faulty. This means that it is inherently unreasonably unsafe for normal use or that the design is such that foreseeable dangers are unreasonable in nature. Meanwhile, a manufacturing defect occurs when a product or part is not manufactured correctly, is missing parts, or becomes contaminated during production. A failure to warn defect, also known as a marketing defect or labeling defect, occurs when the liable party fails to provide adequate warnings to consumers regarding the safety of the product or part, as well as its potential hazards. A failure to warn defect could also involve missing instructions or similar warning labels.

Our auto defect attorneys in Buffalo conduct exhaustive investigations in order to determine what type of defect an auto or auto part had, what role this played in the accident, and who is liable for your resulting injuries and/or damages.