Our firm > 31 Ways to Determine if You Have a Car Defect Case
Weeks or months may pass before you begin wondering why or how a car accident happened. Very few victims know right away that an automotive defect played a role in their accident, since they assume the collision caused their injuries.
If you suspect you have a car defect case, you should first decide whether your injuries are more serious than you might expect in a similar accident.
Although an attorney experienced in engineering is invaluable in determining whether an automotive defect played a role in your accident, there are some typical signs that a problem in your car may be to blame.
Here are some of those signs:
1. If you were involved in a head-on accident or an accident that caused serious damage to the front of your car, and the air bag in your steering wheel or dash failed to deploy.
2. If you were involved in an accident that caused serious damage to the side of your car, and your side air bag failed to deploy.
3. If you were involved in a rollover accident, and your side curtain air bag did not deploy.
4. If you were involved in a minor accident in which your air bag deployed and you suffered a serious injury.
5. If your air bag deployed and your injuries seem much more severe than you would have expected in that accident.
6. If your air bags deployed when you were rear-ended and you suffered a serious injury.
7. If you were involved in an accident because your air bags deployed before the crash.
8. If the air bags deployed when you hit a pothole or the bottom of your car hit something on the road, and it caused you to have an accident.
9. If the air bags went off for no reason and you suffered a serious injury.
10. If you suffered blindness or eye injury from your air bag when it deployed.
11. If your air bag ripped or tore during the accident and you suffered a serious injury.
12. If your air bag deployed late in the accident (or even after the accident), and you hit your head, neck or chest on the steering wheel, dash or other part of the interior.
13. If your air bag broke apart the dash panel, sun visor or other part of your interior during the accident and you suffered a serious injury.
14. If your seat belt was buckled before the accident, but it unbuckled during the accident and allowed you to suffer a serious injury.
15. If your seat belt was buckled but you were still ejected or partially ejected from the vehicle during the accident.
16. If your seat belt ripped, tore or broke during the accident and you suffered a serious injury.
17. If your seat belt was buckled, but you still suffered a serious injury from hitting the steering wheel, dash, the seat in front of you, or other parts of your car’s interior.
18. If you suffered a serious internal injury from the seat belt.
19. If your seat collapsed during your accident and you or someone in the seat behind you suffered a serious injury.
20. If your seat loosened while driving, and caused you to have an accident.
21. If you had a blow out of one or more of your tires and it caused you to have an accident.
22. If your tire tread separated and caused you to have an accident.
23. If a part breaks on your car and causes an accident in which you suffer a serious injury.
24. If your vehicle rolled over on a paved surface before it struck another car, a curb, or anything else.
25. If one of your car doors opened during your accident, allowing you to suffer serious injuries.
26. If your vehicle suddenly goes out of control, causing an accident. This out-of-control can be from the vehicle fishtailing or swaying side-to-side, the back of the vehicle sliding out, a large van containing many people losing control, etc.
27. If a fire breaks out during or after your accident and causes burn or smoke injuries.
28. If the safety cage of your passenger compartment fails to protect you during an accident.
29. If the roof of your vehicle collapses during a rollover accident and causes your injuries.
30. If your trailer starts to sway side-to-side during ordinary driving maneuvers, and that swaying causes you to have an accident.
31. If the safety systems in your car fail to perform as safely as a reasonable consumer would expect.
These are just some of the ways you can help spot a car defect. For a more definite answer, contact an attorney who is experienced in car defect cases and has an automotive engineering background.
Keep in mind, passage of time can result in changes to the vehicle that may make it more difficult to spot a defect and the role it may have played in your wreck.
If any of these signs apply to you, or if you have any questions about whether you may have a car defect case, please don't hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-888-834-5297.