Auto Defects

In addition to its dreamy climate, beautiful mountains, sparkling coastline, exciting culture, and showbiz glamour, the Los Angeles area is famous for… traffic. The average Angeleno’s one-way commute is about half an hour, but LA drivers also spend over 120 hours a year just sitting in roadway congestion across our sprawling city.

In other words, we’re in our cars a lot. We depend on them tremendously and need to be able to trust in their safety.

There are over 40,000 car accidents in LA every year – about 110 per day. And while it’s estimated that automotive defects cause a relatively small percentage of accidents overall (precise statistics are difficult to pin down), the impact of a part or system failure while driving can be devastating.   

A poorly designed or defective car can turn a minor accident into a life-threatening tragedy. Hidden dangers within a vehicle can cause horrific injuries to drivers and passengers – and endanger other motorists sharing the road.

Automotive manufacturers, retailers, and service providers all have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure that our motor vehicles are produced and maintained safely. They may be held liable when a failure to uphold that standard results in harm.

Our firm, Balaban | Spielberger, has a track record of holding automobile manufacturers and distributors accountable for hazardous design flaws, including roof crush cases. We fight for justice and full compensation for clients injured due to defective vehicles – and to make our roadways safer for everyone. 

Automotive Defects that cause accidents and injuries

Numerous types of vehicle design flaws, part or system failures, and structural weaknesses can contribute to a serious collision – whether as a cause of the accident itself, by causing or exacerbating injury, or by failing to prevent injury as intended. 

• Electronic malfunctions can cause a car to accelerate unexpectedly.
• Faulty airbags, which don’t deploy on impact, deploy with excessive force, explode, or deploy unexpectedly, can cause blunt force trauma, shrapnel injuries, or loss of control of the vehicle.
• Tire flaws, such as tread separation or weak sidewalls, can cause blowouts and loss of control at high speeds
• Brake system failures. The ability to slow down or stop is crucial to preventing crashes. But brake failures can occur due to anti-lock malfunctions, improper installation, incorrect parts, inadequate maintenance, and more.
• Defective fuel systems can cause leaks that ignite fires and result in catastrophic burn injuries.
• Steering system failures, such as a slipped belt or power steering fluid leak caused by a faulty hose, can result in a loss of control.
• A faulty ignition can cause a car to stall or shut off while driving; it can also disable other critical power-assisted systems (steering, braking).
• Seatbelts that unhitch or fail to engage during a collision can leave the driver or passengers unprotected.
• Stability or structural problems. Certain vehicles, such as SUVs and pick-up trucks, can be especially vulnerable to rollover accidents; roof crush or collapse can result in severe head and neck injuries or death.
• Failure to warn. Manufacturers have a duty to provide consumers with proper use/safety instructions and to warn of known risks.  

A 2018 report by the National Motor Crash Causation Survey (NMVCCS) found that there are approximately:

• 44,000 vehicle defect-related crashes annually
• 35% due to tire/wheel problems
• 22% caused by defective brakes
• 3% related to steering/suspension/transmission/engine problems
• 40% other/unknown vehicle-related problems  

These critical auto parts and system failures can be caused by negligence at various stages:

• Design defects
• Manufacturing flaws 
• Improper installment or servicing

Tragically, accidents caused by defective automotive parts can result in serious harm, including:

• Abrasions and lacerations
• Bone Fractures
• Burns 
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Death