Legal Rights of Drivers and Passengers Injured in Car, Suv, Truck, Van and Bus Accidents
The laws of most states allow injured drivers and passengers, and the families of the loved ones who have died or were injured in car accidents, to file legal claims against those responsible for the accident.
Legal responsibility, called “liability,” for a car accident often depends upon proof that the other driver was operating his or her vehicle in an unreasonable manner under the circumstances in which the accident occurred, known as ” negligence.”
Where several persons caused an accident, the law in most states provides that any one of the negligent persons is responsibility for compensating you fully for your injuries and damages.
Even if you partly caused the accident, in most states you can still get at least some compensation if the other driver was negligent and responsible for the accident. The amount of the other person’s liability for the accident is determined by comparing his or her carelessness with your own.
Persons injured in vehicle accidents, and families who loved ones died, should consult with legal counsel to understand and protect their rights, including on how to demonstrate the cause of the accident, preserve evidence necessary to show another party was at fault, and obtain fair and just compensation. Statutes of limitation — the deadline under state law to bring a lawsuit — can be as short as six months for claims against governmental agencies. It is also important claims and two years in California for personal injury and wrongful death.
When Safety Defects In Your Vehicle Cause Injuries
Lieff Cabraser has successfully represented clients nationwide in auto defect lawsuits against nearly all car makers, including GM, Chrysler, Ford, Mitsubishi, and Toyota. These lawsuits have involved a wide range of faulty vehicles and types of accidents including:
- SUV rollover accidents;
- Park to Reverse or False Park defects;
- Weak, deficient SUV and car roofs;
- Fuel tank explosions and car fires; and
- Sudden, unintended acceleration
If a safety defect with your vehicle or a component (such as the seat or tires) led to your accident or injury, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the vehicle or auto part. For example, in many cases involving older model SUVs, the complaints charge that SUVs had an unacceptably high risk of rollover in the event of a sudden emergency maneuver, that manufacturer was aware of this safety defect and yet still sold the SUV.
Today, we are one of the leading law firms in the nation representing clients in the Toyota sudden acceleration lawsuit. We are also representing the parents, spouses and children whose loved ones died in accidents linked to the faulty GM ignition switch.
Damages Available in Auto Injury Lawsuits
Damages sought against negligent drivers and major auto companies for producing and selling defective vehicles with safety flaws include general and compensatory damages for:
- Past and future physical pain and suffering, mental anguish and physical impairment;
- Past and future medical, incidental and hospital expenses;
- Past and future loss of earnings and earning capacity;
- Punitive damages; and
- Wrongful death when the driver or passenger was killed.
Car Accident Injuries – Investigations
| Case | Allegation |
|---|---|
| Fiat Chrysler 2015 Models Transmission Problem | Alleged transmission defect |
| Ford F-150 Fuel Tank Fires | Defects in straps holding fuel tanks |
| Mitsubishi Outlander Sport CVT Transmission Accidents | Vehicle defects |
| Power Windows | Vehicle defects |
| Seat Back Collapses | Vehicle defects |
| Seat Belt Failures | Vehicle defects |
| Vehicle Fires | Vehicle defects |
Car Accident Injuries – Current Cases
| Case | Issue |
|---|---|
| Automobiles and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | Defective smartkey ignition switches |
| Ford Cruise Control Switch Fires | Defective cruise control switches |
| Ford Explorer | Rollover accidents |
| GM Ignition Defect Recall | Defective ignition control switches |
| Jeep Fuel Tank Fires | Fires from defective fuel tanks |
| Kia Spectra, Sportage & Rio SUV Fires | Fuel tank explosions |
| Mitsubishi SUV Rollovers | Rollover accidents |
| Park-to-Reverse Accidents | Transmission defects |
| Takata Airbag Recall | Defective airbags |
| Toyota Sudden Acceleration | Sudden acceleration accidents |
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