When a car accident occurs there must be at least one party responsible for causing the collision. Maybe one driver was texting and not paying attention to the road, or another driver was in a rush and ran a stop sign. However, sometimes an accident can occur due to an uncontrollable issue with the vehicles involved. If defective parts caused your car accident, it is important that the liable party is identified and held responsible for compensating the individuals involved. Reach out to a Pike County, KY auto accident lawyer to learn more about liability and obtain skilled representation during your case.
What is Liability in a Car Accident Case?
During any legal action taken after a car accident, liability must be established. Liability refers to one or more parties’ responsibility for causing or contributing to the collision. It is the concept of fault and determines who is responsible for paying damages and compensation to victims or other individuals involved in the accident.
In Kentucky, more than one individual can be considered liable under comparative negligence laws. Courts examine the evidence and details of the accident and determine what percentage of the blame each party is responsible for. Under these laws injured individuals can recover damages even if they share part of the responsibility for the accident.
Who is Liable for an Accident Caused By Defective Parts?
In the event that a car accident occurs due to malfunctioning of defective parts, there are generally three entities that can be found liable for the resulting damages: the product designers, the manufacturer, or the distributor.
The product may become defective at any stage of the creation process, whether it be the conception of the idea or the shipping to consumers. The company that caused or overlooked the defect will generally be considered liable for the accident and associated expenses.
If the product’s design is inherently flawed the company that oversaw its creation can be held liable for negligence. It is crucial that the design process addresses any potential safety concerns and designs the product in a way that allows it to function properly and effectively.
Similarly, the manufacturing company can be held accountable for an accident if the building of the product is incorrect. If they overlooked or purposefully ignored a manufacturing issue, have a lack of quality control, fail to issue a recall, etc. any accident or injuries resulting from the faulty product could be their responsibility.
Finally, distributors can be held liable as well. If the distributing company altered the product, mishandled it, failed to conduct proper safety inspections, continued distributing recalled products, or engaged in other negligent business practices, they could be deemed responsible for compensating victims of an accident.
Should I Hire an Attorney?
Whether your airbag randomly deployed, causing you to lose control of the vehicle or your seatbelt tension detector failed, leading to more severe injuries, defective parts can seriously impact a car accident case. It is crucial that you hire skilled representation to ensure the liable party is identified and held accountable. Your lawyer will help you collect the compensation you rightfully deserve. Reach out to an experienced attorney today for more information.
