Articles Posted in Vehicle Safety Recalls

Earlier this year, General Motors announced a recall affecting 6.3 million vehicles. The problems affected many of the company’s models including the Cobalt, Cruze, Acadia, Traverse, HHR, Solstice, and Sky. Unlike many other recalls, the recent GM recall was not isolated to one problem with the automobiles. The current recalls affect many parts of the cars, including the:

• Ignition switch;
• Axels;
• Steering system;
• Side airbag wiring; and
• Instrument panel

In a recent article by USA Today, it is reported that the recalls may be responsible for 31 crashes and 13 deaths.

What is especially tragic about this particular recall and the accidents it has caused is that there is evidence that GM knew the parts were faulty years ago, and delayed issuing the recall until the most recent series of serious accidents.

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Advances in automotive electronics over the past several decades have truly made a significant impact in the safety of cars, trucks and even motorcycles. From the introduction of anti-lock braking systems (ABS) in the 1980s to front and side-impact airbag systems and vehicle stability control systems of today, it’s no exaggeration to say that passenger cars and light trucks offer greater safety now than back in the heyday of the American automobile industry.

And while car accidents and commercial trucking wrecks still take place on our highways and surface streets, the carnage from these sometimes tragic traffic collisions has been reduced to a great extent by the advanced electronics found in automobiles. As Maryland auto accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues know that a car, or any product for that matter, is only as good as its design and manufacture allow it to be. Product defects still occur these days and that’s where trouble can begin.

Relying on a modern automobile to protect you and your family is only part of the equation. Safe driving is another key part of staying alive and safe in the dense, sometimes high-speed traffic environments of cities like Baltimore and Washington, D.C. When a crash does happen, fewer injuries and hopefully no fatalities will result thanks to advanced auto safety devices. This, however, will only be the case when everything in the vehicle is in tip-top condition. Whether through regular maintenance or initial design, every critical vehicle safety system must be working properly in order to save lives and avert injuries in roadway accidents.

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Once again, owners of Toyota vehicles have reason to worry about their safety now that more than 750,000 Corolla and Matrix models (2003-2004) have been recalled due to a problem with those vehicles’ airbag control systems, which could result in sudden and unexpected airbag deployment or seatbelt pretensioner operation. It doesn’t take an engineer to understand the implications of a front airbag going off in a driver’s face while operating a car at highway speeds, so for most people this recall is easy to understand: If you own one of the affected models, contact Toyota immediately and get the problem fixed.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, our firm’s aim is to help people who have been injured or severely hurt as a result of a car, truck or motorcycle accident. Vehicle safety recalls usually occur after a problem has been reported to the manufacturer or to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by one or more vehicle owners. With problems like the one announced by Toyota today, there is a high likelihood that someone could be hurt or killed by this apparently serious defect.

Individuals affected by this type of product-related problem may have grounds for a products liability lawsuit, depending on the circumstances and the injuries or property damage resulting from the defect. In general, products liability law starts from the premise that manufacturers of products sold to the public are usually in a much better position than most to prevent faulty products from coming onto the market. Because of their unique position, businesses that allow a dangerous product to enter the marketplace have a responsibility to those injured or otherwise hurt by that item.

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It seems not much time passes these days before we see yet another automotive recall in the news. Some of these involve obviously serious defects that can easily be identified as potentially life-threatening problems. Other issues, such as the one mentioned here, appear on their face to be merely minor, almost cosmetic in nature, but which could actually lead to a serious roadway accident.

As Maryland injury attorneys, I and my colleagues have the skills and training to represent victims of auto, truck and motorcycle wrecks caused by another negligent driver or by another party, such as an automotive parts distributor or original equipment (OE) manufacturer like Ford, General Motors or Toyota. Whatever the source of the problem or product defect, the potential for injury or death can often be real and immediate; certainly these recalls are nothing to be taken lightly by owners of the affected car or truck models.

Automobile safety recalls usually involve a part of a car or a vehicle system that has failed on one or more vehicles, and which the manufacturer or the government regulators feel could be a danger to owners of the particular vehicle model. Quite often the result of a manufacturing defect, incorrect material selection or poor engineering design, a recalled part or component, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant, can cause injuries or deaths.

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For those who have ever been involved in products liability lawsuit due to a manufacturing defect or a product that was intentionally marketed in a faulty manner, it may already be clear that it is possible to claim damages for injuries suffered as a result of the defect or improper marketing. As Baltimore personal injury lawyers, we come across instances of faulty product design, incorrect manufacturing processes, and incorrect labeling here in Maryland and across the U.S. Some of these instances can result in severe physical injury and occasionally wrongful death.

Here in Maryland, our state’s liability statutes clearly state that businesses which manufacturer and/or provide products to the public are usually better suited than anyone to make certain that any faulty or mislabeled products not enter into the consumer market. Because of this, the law holds that any company that does allow a faulty or poorly produced product to go into the marketplace, and which harms an individual or group of individuals, should be held responsible.

It’s important to mention here that over the years, the law covering products liability has evolved to the point that it has become a very complex matter to mount a claim, but not impossible. This is why, for those victims or their families, it is important to consult a personal injury attorney to better understand your rights as they apply to the particular case.

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Many claims of product liability involve negligence, breach of warranty, strict liability, and other consumer-related claims against a manufacturer, distribution company or industrial corporation. In the area of products liability law, there are three main categories of liability claims. These are manufacturing defects, faulty product design, and failure to warn consumers and the general public about the shortcomings discovered in a certain product (also referred to as “marketing” defects).

As auto accident lawyers, my firm understands the impact that a defective vehicle safety component can have on a person or an entire family. Faulty safety devices and components designed to save lives can ironically result in the serious injury or death of an innocent person. Whether the victim is a child, older sibling, parent or grandparent, the incident is never easy for a family to deal with, especially in the case of wrongful death.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys who deal on a daily basis with the carnage wrought by negligent drivers of automobiles, light trucks and commercial delivery vehicles, our primary goal is to help our clients and assist those victims who have been hurt, maimed or killed due to another individual’s negligence. Occasionally, car, truck or motorcycle wrecks can be caused by a defective part or component, usually a safety-related device, that fails unexpectedly resulting in a highway collision or serious crash.

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As consumers we all expect the products we buy to work as advertised and to be safe for us and our families. When it comes to cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles and other light trucks and passenger vehicles, admittedly the complexity of these products makes safety a much more involved effort, however for the prices that automakers charge for many new motor vehicles, buyer should expect that the quality of safety-related compounds is more than up-to-snuff.

In months past we have heard about numerous safety-related recalls, both from the manufacturers themselves and from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in Washington, D.C. These recalls have involved products from Honda, General Motor and Toyota, to name a few. Most recently, Toyota has announced a new campaign that could affect drivers in Maryland as well as over in the District.

Now, as Baltimore personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues keep an eye out for these kinds of safety issues, since any one of them could result in a car, truck or motorcycle crash. Whether a roadway accident involves a single vehicle, multiple cars, or a passenger car and a large commercial truck, the lives of the driver and passengers may be compromised depending on the type of collision and the circumstances surrounding the wreck.

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Products liability is an area of law that handles merchandise and other goods that have injured or killed an individual or group of people as a result of using or being in contact with those items. It includes holding those entities, such manufacturers, suppliers and distributors, responsible for injuries sustained by people who have purchased or used a company’s products. As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, my firm works to help clients who have been hurt, maimed or killed as a result of an unsafe or defective product.

Here in the U.S., product liability claims most often entail negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, and other consumer-related claims. When it comes to the law, products liability looks at three major areas of liability claims, including defects in manufacturing, poor or faulty design, as well as failure to warn the consumer about shortcomings in a product. This last area involves what is sometimes referred to as marketing defects.
As Maryland automobile and trucking-accident lawyers, our aim is to assist victims of traffic accidents that have been caused by another individual’s negligence. In some instances of car, truck or motorcycle wrecks, the cause can occasionally be traced to failure of a safety-related component or part that failed and resulted in a roadway crash. It’s not unheard of to have a car or truck part, such as a steering arm, wheel bearing or suspension component break or fail and cause a loss of control for the driver.

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Is it us, or does the auto industry seem to be having more trouble lately regarding serious mechanical issues and automobile safety recalls? This is not an indictment of the entire industry, but there certainly have been some very significant safety recalls from automakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over the course of the past year; problems with cars made by reputable automobile manufacturers such as General Motors and Toyota. Now comes Nissan Motor Company with a potentially life-threatening issue on thousands of their Altima sedans.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we know that people expect to be safe in the vehicles that they purchase from car, truck and motorcycle manufacturers. And while it may be a difficult job to build completely flawless motor vehicles, there is a level of safety that every consume hopes for in their vehicle. But, considering the number parts and components that go into every passenger car, SUV or minivan, it’s understandable that some of those items may be faulty. We only hope that the critical ones have been checked and double checked.

Being hurt in a car accident can lead to serious complications. Back and neck injuries, as well as serious head or brain trauma can sideline an individual for months or years, if not a lifetime. Being injured in a car or commercial trucking collision due to negligence of the other driver usually provides a clear-cut case against the responsible party. And although the facts may speak for themselves, it’s always a wise choice to consult with a qualified personal injury attorney to better understand one’s situation following a bad car, truck or motorcycle accident.

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Being involved in a car fire can be one of the most frightening events in a person’s life. And because many automotive conflagrations occur as a result of a multiple-car crash or collision with a commercial truck, such as a tractor-trailer rig or large box truck, the chances of being trapped in a burning vehicle are even greater. As Maryland personal injury specialists, my legal staff is well aware of the potentially life-threatening traffic incidents that affect residents of Baltimore, Rockville, Annapolis and the District every day.

While electrical fires may not seem to be as common as some kinds of car fires, they are nonetheless serious from the standpoint of personal injury. Whatever the cause of an automobile fire, the risk of a person being terribly burned is always present. With gasoline and other flammable liquids and fluids contained within a vehicle, the threat that a fire, even a small one, presents is quite seriousness. Safety agencies, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which handle complaints from people who have been injured in car, truck and motorcycle accidents as a result of possible mechanical problems, take any instance of potential vehicle fires as very serious and unacceptable hazards to the public.

That said, we recently learned that Toyota plans to recall about two and one-half million cars sold in the United States for a problem with window control switches. As a matter of fact, this recall extends beyond the U.S. to other countries where Toyota has sold the affected vehicles. Based on news reports, more than seven million vehicles are affected by this one problem. According to news reports, this particular recall is one of the biggest for Toyota, and the largest nationwide recall since a Ford Motor Company recall back in 1996.

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