Syracuse, New York, Vehicle Defect Collisions

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Is a Recognized Super Lawyer Who Has Spent Decades Protecting the Rights of Syracuse, New York, Automotive Defect Collision Victims. If You, or a Loved One, Have Been Injured in a Central New York Defective Car Accident That Was Not Your Fault, The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Explore Your Best Options for Effective Legal Relief.

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After a collision, liability sometimes seems self-evident. Even when law enforcement cannot immediately establish fault, any unanswered questions are typically resolved through routine procedures of investigation and negotiation. Survivors who have suffered severe injuries may press their insurer for additional benefits or, in some cases, file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

However, some accidents seem to defy ordinary rules of fault and liability. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 2% of all reported motor vehicle collisions involve no apparent negligence. They are, instead, caused by mechanical failures and automotive defects—threats to a vehicle’s physical integrity that can sometimes be amended through maintenance, but which often escape notice until a manufacturer announces notice of an impending recall.

Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s figures could make vehicle defect collisions seem like a relative rarity, they are, in fact, an everyday occurrence. In its review of crash causation, the federal government found that vehicle defects were implicated in about 162,000 accidents. This translates to a rate of nearly 450 collisions per day, with safety officials admitting that this figure is likely an underestimation.

Since automobile manufacturers and parts makers are exempt from no-fault insurance claims, many vehicle defect collision victims find themselves grasping at straws. The costs of any accident, let alone an accident with no obvious defendant, can be astronomical, thrusting survivors and their families to the verge of insolvency.

You do not have to accept financial ruin as the consequence of an accident that was not your fault. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s experienced team of product liability lawyers could help you file a compelling claim for compensation against any person or party who caused your Syracuse vehicle defect accident. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, we know what it takes to overcome even the most vigorous defense and have the results to prove it. Please message us online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.

The Three Main Types Of Vehicle Defects

A combination of improved technology and increased oversight has made today’s cars far safer than their predecessors. However, for all its improvement, automotive manufacturing is still a rapidly changing industry where any mistake, no matter how minor, could have life-altering repercussions.

Since the costs of an unintended defect could put consumers’ lives at risk, federal law stipulates that car makers are legally obligated to warn motorists of any defect that could compromise their car’s safety or otherwise prove dangerous. Car recalls are usually issued if the following two conditions exist:

1. The defect poses an unreasonable risk to a motor vehicle’s safety; and
2. The defect likely exists in all vehicles of the same design or manufacture, or that are equipped with similar features of the same design or manufacture.

Since defects can affect any automotive component, they are typically categorized by type rather than location. The three most common types of defects include the following:

1. Design Defects: Design defects indicate that an automobile or automotive component was manufactured correctly but designed to inherently dangerous specifications. Many recalls involve defectively designed mechanical parts, especially steering components, brakes, and airbags.
2. Manufacturing Defects: Manufacturing defects occur when a product is designed correctly but not manufactured to specification. They may be caused by faulty factory equipment or poor training practices.
3. Failure to Warn Defects: Properly designing or manufacturing a motor vehicle cannot eliminate all risks. Airbags, for instance, carry a necessary and unavoidable risk of injury. However, while their benefits supersede their risks, manufacturers still have a legal duty to warn customers of the risks associated with operating a motor vehicle and its in-built features.

Manufacturers or the federal government can initiate recalls for any of these three types of defects. However, in practice, manufacturers are often reluctant to announce new recalls. This is partially because recall notices may be underlain by careful analysis and thorough investigation, but also because they almost always have the potential to cost companies massive amounts of money.

Recovering Damages After Being Injured In A Vehicle Defect Collision

If a car company knew, or should have known, that it sold an inherently defective vehicle, then it could be held liable for the costs of any resulting damages.

In New York, courts typically award the following types of damages:

1. Special Damages: Special damages are compensation for verifiable economic losses. They are intended to restore an accident victim to their pre-collision financial condition. Examples of special damages could include the payment of a survivor’s outstanding medical expenses, anticipated care needs, or lost income from work.
2. General Damages: General damages are compensation for comparably intangible losses. They could include restitution for emotional pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, or disfigurement.
3. Punitive Damages: Punitive damages are not compensatory. Instead, they are intended to punish an especially negligent defendant.

While the Empire State does not currently limit compensation in most vehicle defect-related claims, accident victims often face an uphill road to recovery. Since manufacturers fear that even one successful lawsuit could open the floodgates to a wave of similar claims, they rarely admit liability without first fighting.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you fight back by taking the following steps:

1. Investigating the causes of your Syracuse vehicle defect accident;
2. Identifying potential defendants in your claim;
3. Consulting expert witnesses to analyze industry-specific practices and standards;
4. Assessing your injuries and calculating your damages;
5. Negotiating a fair settlement; and
6. If the manufacturer refuses to negotiate in good faith, take your case to trial.

Since our founding in 2005, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has helped our clients in Syracuse and across the region secure more than $250 million in damages. We could help you, too. However, you must act fast: New York has a strict statute of limitations on all vehicle defect collision claims. If you wait too long to contact an experienced car crash lawyer, your case could be dismissed on a technicality.

Do not lose your chance to ascertain justice: please message the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. online or call us at 1-866-529-5339 to schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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