Auto Defect Accidents in Sacramento

While most car accidents in Sacramento happen because someone is careless, there are times when collisions happen for reasons beyond a motorist’s control. Auto defects - or problems with the way a vehicle is designed or manufactured - contribute to thousands of traffic accidents every year.

When an auto defect contributes to or causes a collision in Sacramento, California, any company that’s responsible for designing, manufacturing, or selling the car or defective component can be strictly liable for any resulting injuries or wrongful deaths.

What Are the Most Common Types of Automotive Defects?

Cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles are complicated pieces of machinery. They’re comprised of thousands of different parts, and all of them have to work properly for a vehicle to be able to drive safely.

This means the component must have a safe design, be manufactured according to its specifications, and be installed appropriately. Unfortunately, car manufacturers don’t always get things right.

While any part of a vehicle can potentially be defective and cause serious collisions, some of the most common auto defects involve:

• Steering columns
• Accelerators
• Brakes
• Tires
• Airbags
• Seat belts
• Engine cooling fans
• Wiring systems
• Fuel systems
• Transmissions
• Ignitors
• Door latch mechanisms
• Vehicle headlights

In some situations, an auto defect might contribute to a collision. For instance, if a vehicle’s brakes don’t work properly, a driver may not be able to stop a vehicle before crashing into another car or a fixed object.

Other times, a vehicle defect might not cause a collision but could exacerbate occupant injuries in a wreck. If a seat belt fails or an airbag system doesn’t work properly, vehicle passengers will be susceptible to catastrophic, potentially fatal injuries in a Sacramento car accident.

Who’s Liable For Auto Defect Accidents in Sacramento?

No matter how many safety regulations and standards California enacts, there’s simply no way for the government to ensure that all of the vehicles sold and driven in the state are safe. Ultimately, vehicle safety is left to the car companies.

California law encourages car manufacturers to take this responsibility seriously through its product liability laws. Essentially, any company that designs, manufactures, and/or sells a car can be strictly liable for vehicle defects that cause injuries or deaths.

Simply put, if you’re injured in a Sacramento auto defect accident, you can sue the car company for your resulting damages. You won’t have to prove that the manufacturer was negligent.

Rather, you’ll simply have to demonstrate that:

• The vehicle suffered from a defect
• This defect caused your accident/injuries
• You’ve suffered damages.

It won’t matter how much time or care the manufacturer put into crafting the vehicle. It won’t matter what safety tests were conducted. If a defect in the vehicle contributed to a wreck, the manufacturer will be on the hook for resulting harm.

Don’t stress out about how to hold a car manufacturer responsible for auto defects after a collision in Sacramento. Call Singleton Schreiber, and trust our auto accident lawyers in Sacramento to help you fight to make things right.

We’ll carefully investigate your crash, gather critical pieces of evidence, consult experts in the automotive industry, and craft a compelling claim that helps you win the compensation you need to move forward with your life.

Your first consultation is free, so call our Sacramento, CA, law office to discuss your auto defect accident case today.