On September 29, 2014, Hien Tran was driving home from her family’s Orlando nail salon. Unfortunately, the 51-year-old woman never arrived at her destination. She crashed her car in her 2001 Honda Accord and died three days after the collision near Orlando.
A mail was sent to her a week after Ms. Tran died from her injuries. It was a letter from Honda urging her to have her airbag replaced because it was defective and potentially explosive.
Yep, the cause of Ms. Tran’s death was the airbag. Instead of protecting, the airbag exploded and sent shrapnel flying into her neck when Ms. Tran crashed her car.
This is really a sad but true story. In fact, hundreds of car accidents take place in the United States every day that cause injuries or death. In most cases, accidents are caused by a driver’s negligence. But as it turns out, there are a number of other reasons that cause accidents and today we’re going to speak about one of them. Ready?
Types of Vehicle Defects and Car Accident Liability
Auto manufacturers have to ensure the products they sell are safe for use by consumers. Unfortunately, however, many vehicles are made with defective parts or with design flaws that can lead to serious accidents and other hazards. Some examples of vehicle malfunctions include:
- Airbag malfunctions,
- Transmission failures,
- Electrical defects,
- Defective seat belts,
- Design flaws,
- Defective ignition switches,
- Defective tires,
- Malfunctioning anti-lock brake systems,
- Defective steering components, etc.
If an auto company sells a vehicle with a defective part that causes a car accident, the company should be held liable for its negligence. On top of that, if a company discovers a defective part that can cause an accident, it is required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a timely recall. If the manufacturer fails to do so and more injuries occur, victims can file lawsuits against the corporation.
Does Your Car Have a Defect? Find Out Now
Vehicle manufacturers in the United States have to tell owners about vehicle recalls by a certified mail. However, in some cases, you may not get a recall notification (for example, if you buy a vehicle that’s pre-owned). Thus, as a consumer, you’re responsible to stay up to date on recalls of your vehicle too. The first thing to do is very simple. You should:
- Go to the car manufacturer’s website and enter your vehicle identification number
- Go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website and enter your vehicle identification number to see if your vehicle has been subject to a recall. That’s it!
Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney For a Free Consultation
If you believe that your defective vehicle has caused a car accident, pick up the phone and call for a FREE consultation at (818) 553-1000 as soon as possible. At the Margarian Law Firm, our attorneys will ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted and that the right evidence is gathered to help you reach favorable results in your case.
