Auto Defects In Oklahoma City

We typically think of a careless or reckless driver as responsible for a car accident, but in some cases, an accident directly results from a defective auto part or vehicle defect. Although this isn’t as common as crashes and collisions caused by another driver or a hazardous road condition, the number of preventable accidents that result from a defective car or car part is concerning, especially to the injured victims of this type of accident. Fortunately, car accident victims who suffer injuries due to an auto defect in Oklahoma City have legal options and protections available to them. Contact a car accident lawyer in Oklahoma City today for legal guidance.

How Common Are Auto Defect Accidents?

Although far fewer studies have been conducted on accidents caused by defective cars or auto parts compared to typical car accidents caused by human factors, a study using data collected between 2016 and 2020 reveals automotive defects as the cause of 12.6% of total accidents in the study, coming in as the third leading cause, following accidents from human error and environmental factors. The study further broke down auto defect accidents as resulting primarily from brake failure, tire defects, and visual obstructions caused by the vehicle’s design.

Other defective auto accidents result from steering system defects, defective brake lights, and electrical system failures, including in Oklahoma City auto defect cases. In addition, the faulty design of tall vehicles such as some SUVs makes them more likely to tip and rollover in an accident.

What Types of Accidents are Caused by Auto Defects In Oklahoma City?

Most car accidents are two-car collisions resulting from human error or recklessness; however, few accidents are as terrifying and bewildering as those caused by an auto defect or defective car part that causes a sudden loss of control. Common accidents caused by automotive defects include the following:

It often takes a deep investigation into a car accident to determine that it wasn’t caused by driver error, but instead, resulted from an auto defect, leaving a manufacturer liable for the car accident damages suffered by an injury victim.

How Does Liability Differ In Auto Defect Accident Cases In Oklahoma City?

Most car accident claims for damages are filed against the responsible driver’s auto insurance, which requires proving the driver’s negligence, such as speeding, distracted driving, or failure to obey traffic laws. When a car accident happens because of an auto defect, it becomes a product liability case. Manufacturers are held to a strict liability standard, which does not require an injury victim to prove negligence. Instead, they must prove that the defective car part or tire had a design defect, manufacturing mistake, or a marketing error that made it unsafe, and that the defect directly caused an injury. Finally, the victim of a defective auto part accident in Oklahoma City must prove that they suffered damages from the accident, like medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

How Can an Auto Defective Accident Attorney In Oklahoma City Help?

Investigating an accident requires skill, experience, and access to resources such as crash forensics experts, car accident reconstruction specialists, and mechanical experts. This is especially challenging in product liability claims after an auto defect accident.

Call the injury lawyers in Oklahoma City who can help you recover the full and fair compensation you deserve by holding the manufacturer financially accountable for your damages. Contact us today.