Crashworthiness and Answers to Your Recall Questions

If you have been injured in an accident involving a defective vehicle or vehicle part, you may have questions. Luckily, we have answers for you regarding recalls and a concept known as “crashworthiness.” Hopefully this information will help you make informed decisions when you think you have a personal injury case. At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, we want to help you if you have been injured and need our assistance.

FAQs

What is crashworthiness? This is also known as the ability of a vehicle to prevent injuries to the occupants in the event of a car crash. If the features of a car are deemed “crashworthy,” this means that they were designed to minimize injuries by all occupants and prevent other risks like ejection, fires, and so much more. This can become a huge factor when a car is deemed defective.

How do liability and crashworthiness go hand in hand? Crashworthiness helps determine if the manufacturer of a vehicle designed its components to be safe for all. This means, if you were injured in an accident, the manufacturer could technically be held liable for your injuries. If injuries were caused by a vehicle’s crashworthiness, then liability will be decided apart from injuries that resulted from the accident itself.

What process does the NHTSA follow for recalls? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration follows a specific process that starts with an investigation after there are a number of complaints about a vehicle. They will review the complaints, conduct tests, and determine if there is use for a recall based on the findings.

What does every recall contain? Recalls contain a description of the defect, an explanation of risks posed by the defect, warning symptoms in a vehicle, and a description of the remedy such as when to have it performed.

What is a remedy and how does it help you? The remedy in a recall is the repair or replacement of the defective part without cost to you. These are very important and will usually be issued by the dealership of your vehicle.

Because a personal injury can be life changing and will not be issued from a recall alone, you must take initiative to have your voice heard in court. Speak to a personal injury attorney that cares about you and your needs. Call us today at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi for more.