Car Defects or Malfunctions

Personal Injury Lawyers Representing Charleston & Nearby Areas of South Carolina

Modern automobiles are immensely complex machines, requiring thousands of parts that must all work together in order to function. If even one piece of a particular model was poorly designed, constructed, or installed, it can lead to thousands of car accidents and hundreds of deaths. In 2013, South Carolina alone had 1,717 auto accidents caused by defective equipment, leading to 423 injuries and 8 deaths, according to the Department of Public Safety.

If you were in an auto accident that occurred when a piece of equipment failed to work properly, the manufacturer of that equipment may be legally responsible for damages. To find out more, call the Charleston car accident lawyers of Steinberg Law Firm at 843-720-2800 for a free case review.

Product Recalls and Your Auto Accident

We like to think that the companies we pay to manufacture and repair our automobiles are able to get things right on the first try, but often this is not the case. From January 2014 to May 2015, over 100 million vehicles in the United States were recalled for potentially life-threatening mechanical defects, including exploding airbags and ignition switches that turn the cars off at high speeds.

Car parts that commonly malfunction include:

• Tires
• Braking systems
• Seat belts
• Airbags
• Steering systems
• Ignition switches
• Floor mats that interfere with the pedals

Hold manufacturers accountable

When a company issues a recall, it must contact all owners of the affected vehicle by first-class mail explaining the problem and informing you what steps to take. However, companies don’t always follow these laws. If they fail to recall a vehicle that contains a defective or malfunctioning part, they could be found liable for any injuries, wrongful deaths, and other damages that occur as a result of the malfunction.

Product Liability and Malfunctioning Automobile Parts

Legal claims involving defective auto parts contain many of the same complications as product liability cases. Many different things can cause an auto part to break, and there are many people who could be responsible. Depending on the circumstances, the auto manufacturer, car dealer, mechanic, or owner could be at fault for the malfunction.

Steinberg Law Firm has plenty of experience with both auto accident and product liability cases, giving us a unique advantage in this legal area. We have access to experts that can determine the exact reason for the product defect, and we can guide you through the legal process with the benefit of our experience and professional knowledge.

Potential causes of malfunction equipment include

• Flimsy or cheap materials used to make equipment
• Equipment that was improperly repaired by mechanic
• Equipment that was improperly installed by a mechanic
• Equipment that was improperly maintained by the owner
• Equipment that was assembled incorrectly at the factory
• Insufficient or improper testing methods used to test equipment
• Poorly designed equipment

Charleston’s Auto Accident Legal Team

For a free review of your case, call us at 843-720-2800

At Steinberg Law Firm, we will fight to make sure that you are not left holding the bill for an accident that a large company is legally responsible for. To get a free case review from our auto accident lawyers in Charleston today, contact us at 843-720-2800. We also serve Summerville, Goose Creek, and anywhere else in South Carolina.