Car Accident Injuries Caused by Auto Defects
Alabama Product Liability Claims Involving Automobiles
Alabama auto accident injuries are often the result of defectively designed vehicles, including but not limited to: tires, airbags, seat belts, roofs and steering systems. Under Alabama law, an automotive manufacturer must build and sell cars that are reasonably safe for foreseeable, real-world crashes. While the cause of the crash may be another driver, many times the resulting injuries are caused or enhanced by faulty or defective features of the vehicle.
Our firm has handled a number of catastrophic accident claims involving air bags. A poorly designed airbag may contribute to a head injury in a number of ways, either by not deploying at all, not expanding in time to prevent a head injury or by expanding suddenly before an actual impact. Our team of investigators and accident reconstructionists must first inspect the vehicle and determine if the physical evidence supports such a claim.
Another common auto defect claims stems from seat belts that either “spool out” during an accident sequence or inertially detach due to the forces of the crash. A detailed examination of the seatbelt can usually reveal whether either of these events occurred during the accident.
Tire blowouts are another event that can lead to serious single vehicle accidents resulting in substantial injury. Most of the time, tire defects are hidden dangers that can only be detected by a trained and experienced eye. The average driver has no warning of the defect until the tire blows while operating the vehicle.
It is important realize that while Alabama product liability law requires automotive manufacturers to sell reasonably designed cars, safe for normal driving conditions and crashes, they are not required to design a “Sherman tank” that protects the occupants from all manner of collisions, regardless of the severity of impact. Rather, the safety features and design need only be reasonable for foreseeable moderate speed crashes.
Whatever, the defect, Alabama citizens who have been seriously injured should be aware that insurance coverage on the vehicles will rarely be enough to provide adequate compensation. A product liability lawsuit against the auto manufacturer can sometimes be the only way to secure compensation for future lost wages and medical treatment. The moral here is to always retain the services of an expert auto defects attorney in Birmingham to properly preserve the vehicle and determine whether a design problem caused the injury.
Contact our Birmingham car accident lawyers today for help filing an injury claim.