If your vehicle has ever been subjected to a recall, you know how frustrating this process can be. Motor vehicle recalls may be initiated by an automaker or mandated by the government, and they typically require car owners to bring their vehicles into dealers for repairs. While the repairs should be free, this is still a time-consuming to-do item, particularly for those who spent a lot of money to buy a new car — likely assuming it would be low-maintenance.
However, it is better to have a defective auto part replaced as part of a recall than to have that defective part cause a car accident or an injury. Far too often, defective automotive parts or systems result in serious car accidents and catastrophic injuries. According to The West Virginia Record, one Virginia man has recently claimed that he was seriously injured as the result of a defective Ford pick-up truck.
The man and his wife have now sued Ford Motor Company, seeking compensation for their losses.
According to the lawsuit, the man was riding as a passenger in a Ford pick-up, a 2008 model, when it was involved in a rollover accident. He was ejected from the vehicle, suffering serious injuries. The news report does not detail his injuries.
He and his wife claim in the lawsuit that the truck was poorly designed, which resulted in the passenger door opening and ejecting the man during the rollover.
The outcome of this lawsuit remains to be seen, but it is a reminder that automobiles are designed and manufactured under strictproduct safetystandards. When vehicles contain defective parts or when they are unnecessarily dangerous, those who are harmed as a result have the right to hold automakers accountable.
Source:The West Virginia Record, “Va. couple says Ford pick-up was defective,” Ben Hart, March 11, 2014
Jeffery Robinette was admitted to practice law in 1991 and is licensed in all levels of state and federal trial courts in West Virginia. Mr. Robinette is also licensed in all state and federal appeals courts in West Virginia and the United States Supreme Court. As a National Board Certified Trial Attorney who has handled hundreds of motor vehicle, injury, and construction defect claims and a leading author on insurance claims settlement issues and difficulties in West Virginia, Jeff Robinette is uniquely qualified to represent your best interest.
