Brevard County Car Accidents Caused By Defective Steering
For most people, cars and trucks are more than just modes of transportation. They are essential parts of their lives, almost as fundamental as food and shelter. Without these vehicles, they’re lost.
Of course, people who rely so heavily on their cars and trucks understand that they will require regular maintenance but otherwise expect them to function properly and safely, as they have every right to do. The skilled auto accident lawyers at Charpentier Law Firm expertly represent people who were injured because their motor vehicles failed to function properly and safely due to product defects.
Among the most common types of automotive product liability cases are those involving defective steering systems. Our Melbourne defective steering attorneys use all of the resources at their disposal to investigate and reconstruct accidents caused by this dangerous type of flaw, providing injured victims and their families with aggressive representation and compassionate counsel. If you or a member of your family has been harmed in an auto accident caused by a steering system defect, or if you have tragically lost a loved one in such an accident, our legal team would be proud to stand in your corner.
Defective Steering System Components
Steering systems are conceptually quite simple, but they depend on all the parts that comprise the system working properly and in harmony with each other. If any of these parts - the steering wheel or any of the shafts, joints, pumps, racks, gears, or hydraulic lines - is flawed, the car’s steering system can fail. This is especially dangerous when it happens while a driver is trying to make a difficult turn or navigate a sharp curve. In the most catastrophic instances, the vehicle can stop responding to the driver’s attempts to steer it altogether at high speeds, rendering the steering wheel useless.
Automotive Product Liability Cases
Automotive product liability cases are in most cases very similar to any other type of product liability case in that they are governed by the doctrine of strict liability. This means that our auto accident attorneys do not have to demonstrate a specific act of negligence on the part of the designer, manufacturer, or other party at fault for the product defect as the defect itself is sufficient evidence of negligence. There is, however, more to a successful automotive product liability case than simply claiming that part of the steering system was flawed. Our attorneys must:
- Identify the nature of the flaw - Product flaws can generally be classified under one, two, or all of three basic types: design, manufacture, and marketing (e.g., written materials that explain how a product should be used and potential hazards associated with its use).
- Identify the party responsible for the flaw - Depending on the nature of the flaw, the suit would be filed against any or all of the parties responsible for the part’s design, manufacture, or marketing.
- Demonstrate that the product was not altered by the injured party or being used outside of its intended use.
- Present evidence that the flaw in the product was responsible for the accident - The presence of a flawed part in the steering system in and of itself does not constitute proof that the accident was caused by the flawed product. We must be able to present evidence that the part either contributed to or caused the accident.
- Show that the injured victim sustained losses and expenses due to the accident.
By presenting all of these elements convincingly as part of a case, we are able to collect the full measure of damages to which the client is entitled.
Get Help From Our Brevard County Car Accident Attorneys
To arrange for an evaluation of your defective steering case, please contact the auto accident attorneys at Charpentier Law Firm today by calling 321-308-8020.
WE HAVE A HISTORY OF SUCCESS
IN BREVARD COUNTY
Over the past 40-plus years of helping Brevard County's injured and mistreated, our firm has obtained some $65 million in recoveries on behalf of our clients, highlighted by an $15.5 million product liability award.
The team at Charpentier Law Firm has the negotiation skills to reach favorable settlements in many cases, but also has the experience and perseverance to try a case to verdict whenever it is in the best interests of our clients. Our history of success illustrates our dedication to our clients and their pursuit of justice. Our personal injury attorneys in Melbourne, Titusville, and Cocoa are proud to offer superior legal representation to victims and their families throughout Brevard County and Central Florida.