Drivers in the District of Columbia know that there are accidents that seem unavoidable. Even if the driver is following all the rules of traffic, accidents can happen, and they often seem to have no apparent reason for the crash. Recently, auto defects have emerged as a possible reason has appeared for some of these accidents.
Linked to the huge car recall in the U.S., which included 64 million vehicles in 2014, some of them having been in use for more than 10 years, some otherwise unexplainable motor vehicle accidents now seem to make more sense. One incident involved the case of an 18-year-old New York man who lost control of his vehicle in May 2006, going off the road and rolling over. His 18-year-old male passenger was killed in the crash. The airbags in this case did not deploy on impact. The man pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and served six months. He later reached a settlement with GM for an undisclosed amount, since the vehicle he had been driving was part of a GM recall for faulty ignition switch issues.
In another case, a 19-year-old who suffered a brain injury in 2011 in a crash that left him without any memory of the incident was charged in 2014 with manslaughter. The driver of the pick-up truck he hit head on was killed in the accident. Although the first recalls were issued after his crash and before his arrest, the connection between the GM recall and the accident was only made by a private investigator hired by the family.
In accidents where car defects might have played a part, a lawyer representing an injured victim might advise bringing an action against the vehicle maker for compensation for the economic and non-economic losses that have been sustained. If the evidence is not as clear cut but it can be determined that the negligence of another driver was the cause of the accident, a personal injury lawsuit could seek damages from that party.
