Severe Injuries Can Be Suffered Due To Defective Auto Products
Many New Jersey consumers are injured annually because of defective products. In cases in which the defective products are vehicle parts, the chances of the victims suffering severe injuries increase tremendously. Over the last few years, a number of vehicle manufactures have had to face consumers in court.
Consumers may file personal injury claims against manufacturers should they be seriously injured by defective products. In cases of fatal injuries, the immediate family members of the deceased victims may choose to file wrongful death claims. Legal remedies in such cases will differ depending on the circumstances of the cases.
Consumers may seek legal remedies in cases in which there were defects in the designs of the products, in cases in which defects occurred during the manufacturing process, as well as when warnings regarding safety were inadequate. In seeking remedies, the situations will dictate the options that are available. In most cases, manufacturers are either sued for negligence or strict liability.
In negligence cases, damages may be awarded to the victim of an accident if it can be proved that the manufacturer had a duty toward the consumer, and, by not fulfilling the duty, an injury was suffered that resulted in actual damages. In a case of strict liability, the victim has the burden to prove that his or her injuries resulted from an error in the manufacturing process. The manufacturer of a product will be held strictly liable regardless of the care taken in the manufacturing process.
This means a claim against a car manufacturer and/or other parties responsible for the care and maintenance of a motor vehicle may be appropriate when severe injuries suffered in an accident are attributable to a vehicle malfunction. A seriously injured victim of a vehicle accident caused by a defect in his or her vehicle may choose to institute a personal injury claim with the help of an attorney experienced in auto product liability claims against vehicle manufacturers. Should it be determined that the accident was caused due to a fault in the product, a New Jersey victim may be awarded compensation for the losses associated with the accident.