Many California residents who have purchased a vehicle in recent years will be contacted at some point about a recall. Recalls are increasing with the addition of computerized features in newer vehicles.
According to a study by Automative News, 53.1 million vehicles were recalled in 2016 alone, costing an estimated $22.1 billion to auto manufacturers and dealers. This represents a 26 percent increase in recalls over 2015. In 2016, Takata recalled vehicles over faulty airbags and General Motors recalled vehicles with a faulty ignition switch, resulting in a combined total of about 23 million vehicles recalled.
Because auto manufacturing is becoming a globalized industry, recalls often involve many vehicles that were manufactured with similar systems. It was once common for recalls to involve thousands of vehicles, whereas now it is increasingly common for a major recall to involve millions. Recalls may also be increasing as a result of auto manufacturers to cut costs due to significantly decreased spending on quality control measures.
A person who has been injured by a dangerous product may be able to sue the product’s manufacturer as well as the company that sold the product. Companies are responsible for ensuring that their products are safe for consumers and must warn consumers of any hidden dangers. Manufacturers also must warn consumers about any product defects that the company becomes aware of after the product has been produced and sold.
Seeking Costa Mesa defective product and machinery legal representation may be a wise move. Many car accident lawsuits involve more than one liable party. For example, a defect in a car’s safety features such as its airbags may cause far more serious injuries than would have resulted if the airbags were not defective. A personal injury lawyer may be able to help clients sue both any at-fault drivers as well as any dealers or manufacturers that sold or produced a defective product.
