Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
While most people likely think of car, truck and motorcycle collisions as the typical way that occupants of passenger vehicle become injured, there are numerous other scenarios in which people can be seriously hurt or even killed in an automobile-related accident. Auto-pedestrian collisions are one such way, as well as bicycle accidents and commercial delivery truck wrecks.
As personal injury lawyers serving the people of Maryland and Washington, D.C., our firm has the skills and training to represent individuals hurt or injured as the result of a negligent or thoughtless action of another person or persons. We understand how a momentary error in judgment or a deliberate action can cause the victim(s) of a passenger car or trucking accident weeks, months or years of pain and suffering. For those who have lost a loved one through a senseless traffic accident, we also handle wrongful death lawsuits.
As mentioned earlier, while nearly everyone would consider car accidents as the most common cause of injuries or death to innocent persons, there are other events or circumstances that can result in bodily injury or fatalities. Defective products are one area of injury law that can cause a great deal of injury, death and emotional suffering. In the case of automobile, serious roadway accidents can occur as a result of a faulty vehicle component or part, especially when the defect is related to the vehicle’s safety systems.
A faulty or improperly functioning steering or braking component can cause the entire system to fail or substantially reduce the driver’s ability to control the vehicle. If the failure of a critical part occurs on the highway or during a emergency maneuver the results can be catastrophic. More than a few people have been sent to the emergency room following the failure of an important safety-related automobile component, such as a blown tire, broken suspension arm, incorrectly maintained steering rack, or leaking brake line.
We mention this today because of the recent news that Honda has recalled some 300,000 of its CR-V SUVs and Acura sedans due to a faulty door locking component. According to news reports, 320,000 Honda CR-Vs and Acura ILX models sold all around the globe need to have parts to their door locking system replaced with non-defective components. Based on news articles, 166,000 2012 Honda CR-V models and more than 6,000 2013 Acura ILX sedans in the United States are affected.
According to American Honda, the internal door handle release cable could become partially disengaged if a person tries to operate the interior release handle while the manual or remote locking release is actuated. Although this may be a complex combination of events, if they do occur in unison, the company says that the door locking mechanism may malfunction and not latch properly. Apparently, the worst-case scenario is that the affected door could to open unexpectedly. Frankly, if this were to happen at a high rate of speed, a passenger could possibly end up falling out of the vehicle and onto the pavement.
Certainly, this type of problem should not be ignored. Anyone who has one of these Honda models should take the recall seriously and see their dealer for a repair as soon as possible. At this point, Honda’s press release stated that no accidents or injuries had yet occurred relating to this problem and that owners of the affected vehicles should expect to see a letter from the automaker by the middle of August advising next steps.
Honda Recalls Over 320,000 Vehicles Worldwide for Faulty Door Locks, MSN.com, July 19, 2012