Wisconsin Car Accidents & Vehicle Defects
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Milwaukee, it’s important to consult with an experienced Milwaukee car accident lawyer to protect your rights and explore your legal options.
As drivers and passengers, we expect that the vehicles we use will work properly. We expect – and rightfully so – that they will be free from defects and will be designed with our safety in mind. Unfortunately, some vehicles are poorly designed or have manufacturing defects that render them unsafe to drive. The recent recall of millions of General Motors (GM) vehicles for ignition switch defects that the automaker has acknowledged as linked to at least 13 deaths is one such example of the danger that a defective auto part can pose.
At Cannon & Dunphy S.C., we handle auto product liability claims and lawsuits for clients across Wisconsin. If you were involved in a car accident and believed that a defective auto part was to blame, we can consider the liability of the automaker as we pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.
Our Milwaukee personal injury attorneys understand how to evaluate every aspect of a traffic collision to determine not only whether an automotive defect may have caused it but also whether poor design may have contributed to a victim’s injuries.
- Auto Manufacturing and Design Defects –Â If a vehicle is poorly designed, such as an SUV with a propensity to tip or roll over even in normal driving conditions due to a narrow wheelbase and high center of gravity, it may increase the likelihood of a serious accident. The same applies if a vehicle contains defective parts. In the GM ignition switch recall, the issue was related to the ignition slipping into the “off” position while vehicles were in use. Other potential defects may affect brakes, power steering, seat belts and various other systems or parts. These can cause or contribute to car accidents.
- Crashworthiness Concerns –Â Another serious concern related to auto product liability involves the “crashworthiness” of a vehicle. This refers to a vehicle’s ability to protect its occupants from harm in the event of a collision. Though an automotive defect may not have caused a car accident, if the injuries a victim sustained were more severe because the vehicle was defective or poorly designed, this may offer sufficient grounds for a lawsuit against the automaker. An example may be a faulty airbag that does not deploy in a collision.
Contact a Milwaukee Car Accident Lawyer
Auto manufacturers have a legal obligation to produce vehicles and vehicle parts that are free from defects. They should be properly designed by safety standards and should function properly. If manufacturers produce and distribute substandard products, they can be held legally responsible for any injuries associated with their use. Our legal team stands prepared to hold automakers, dealerships, distributors and auto part facilities accountable. We are currently accepting GM recall claims and can discuss other potential auto defect lawsuits with injured consumers.
Whether we are analyzing an auto product liability claim involving an accident that was caused by a defective vehicle part or are considering what role crashworthiness may have played in a victim’s injuries, our attorneys can provide experienced insight. For more information, please feel free to schedule a free consultation with a Wisconsin auto product liability attorney at our firm.
Our Milwaukee car accident lawyers will be happy to answer your questions and address your concerns on this issue – Call (262) 782-2700 today.