The recent air bag recalls have affected millions of Americans who own vehicles that contain the faulty equipment. Only one car manufacturer to date has taken its recall nationwide, despite the demand of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for others to follow suit with repairs and the hundreds of injuries that have already been reported.
The American Association for Justice (AAJ) explored how this kind of passiveness is historically common among car manufacturers. In a published report released in June 2014, the AAJ emphasizes failure on the part of these companies to take responsibility unless required to do so in court.
Among its long list of examples, the AAJ names the following defective car parts corrected only after manufacturers have faced litigation:
- Ford door latches – latch style allowed doors to open accidentally in car crashes, a defectiveness that was covered up until Ford was held responsible in court;
- Firestone tires – the manufacturer’s defective tires were responsible for 271 reported deaths, causing scrutiny to all tire companies following litigation;
- General Motors ignition switches – its defective ignition switch left drivers with the inability to steer or brake properly, causing 2.6 million recalls and at least 13 reported deaths.
The linking reason behind the repeated lack of repairs for these defective parts is the manufacturers’ efforts to cut costs. Attention to safety is shrugged off even though the report shows a high percentage of reduced injuries if the defective parts were repaired.
Filing a claim when a defective product has caused injuries or led to a death of a loved one may help you recover compensation for medical care, property damage, and pain and suffering endured. It also brings to light problems ignored by manufacturers, so that others do not face the same dangerous outcome.
Following a successful litigation, attention to safety standards becomes a priority and changes are mandated for car manufacturers in order to distribute its products. Our attorneys have faced large manufacturing companies to fight for justice our clients deserve. If you or a loved one have been injured by a defective car part in Illinois, contact an experienced Chicago product liability attorney today. Call the law office of Hurley McKenna & Mertz, P.C. at 312-553-4900 for a free case consultation.
