Tip from Milwaukee Auto Defect Attorneys
Auto defects can make a minor accident catastrophic
On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, December 21, 2012.
A serious cause of accidents that individuals often fail to consider is auto defects. In cases in which there is a defect in the impacted car, either because of a design flaw or a faulty mechanism like an airbag failing to deploy, motor vehicle manufacturers can be held liable for the injuries that ensure. This is because when there is a defect, what could have been a minor accident can become absolutely catastrophic and devastate a victim.
A claim against an auto manufacturer is different than a claim would be against a negligent driver that causes an accident. A claim against a manufacturer would fall under product liability; whereas a claim against a negligent driver would fall under a claim of personal injury. In some crashes, both factors could be at work because a negligent driver could cause an accident while a defective car can make the injury outcome far worse.
To compound this issue, a recent report indicates that the safety testing of new model vehicles may not be as safe as we would all hope in Wisconsin. This is because the manner in which these vehicles are tested is antiquated and ultimately not reflective of the manner in which a real driver would react or be injured in an actual collision. The dummies meant to simulate drivers were developed 45 years ago and have not been changed a great deal to account for more accurate technology that could be used.
Researchers are hoping that a computer simulated model of drivers will soon be tested instead to give a more appropriate measure of impacts on vehicles.
Source: Claims Journal, “Outdated Crash Test Dummies Blamed for Continued Auto Fatalities,” Denise Johnson, Dec. 18, 2012
Our firm has experience assisting Wisconsin residents recoup after an accident of this nature. For more information, please refer to our Milwaukee auto defect page.
To contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney regarding your case, call 414-289-0909 today.