Last updated 2 years ago
In 2010, the US experienced fewer car accident deaths than at any time since records began being kept in the 1950s. This is partly due to the increasing safety of our cars. Car safety is driven partly by consumer demand. People want safer cars for themselves and their families. This means that car companies will make cars safer if they believe if will make their cars sell better.
However, the driving force behind many of the safety innovations we have seen in this country is product liability litigation. We would like to believe that car companies want to protect customers who drive their cars, including the Michigan families that have worked on the assembly lines to build the cars, but the truth is that when manufacturing cars they do not always use the safest design available.
A good example is the Ford Pinto, which was released by Ford in 1968 with a fuel system design that it knew had safety problems. Although they knew that a safer design was available, the better design would have cost them $11 per vehicle to implement. Their internal estimates concluded that the cost of putting the safer fuel system on its vehicles was not worth preventing the estimated 180 deaths and 180 serious burn injuries that the new design would prevent. Ford made this decision by valuing a human life at $200,000 and a burn injury at $67,000. However, product liability claims forced them to recognize that human life could not be so easily (and cheaply) written off.
Another example is the power-window rocker switch. In 2004, a 3-year-old was strangled when she leaned out a window and accidentally pushed the switch that caused the window to roll up and pinch her throat closed. Although manufacturers had a safer design, one they used on vehicles sold in other countries because they were required by safety organizations. However, the cheaper design was used in the US until lawsuits came forward that forced them to recognize the danger.
Vehicle manufacturers are often the first to know when their vehicles have design defects that can lead to serious injury or death. Regulations can only cover defects that are known from other vehicles and can establish a baseline of safety measures, but it would be a mistake to use those regulations as an absolute standard that protects vehicle manufacturers from product liability lawsuits. Doing so would allow manufacturers to market vehicles they knew to be dangerous simply because the vehicle did not explicitly violate any known regulation.
At Jay Trucks & Associates, PC, we are proud to participate in the effort to protect Michigan families from cost-cutting corporate executives prepared to sacrifice them for a fistful of dollars here, a few dollars more there. If you have been injured If you have been injured in a car accident due to a defective vehicle, chances are you're not alone--there may be thousands of others who have been injured or will be injured by the same defective vehicle. Your lawsuit could be the one that forces a manufacturer to make a safer car, saving hundreds of innocent lives.
To start your product liability lawsuit, please call or email Jay Trucks & Associates for a free consultation with our Michigan personal injury lawyers.
Last updated 2 years ago
After a serious automobile accident, it is likely that you are suffering from a great deal of emotional or physical pain. Because being in an accident is such a traumatic experience, you could be entitled to damages, which you will be able to receive much easier with the help of a personal injury lawyer. Here are some key things to look for when you are hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you:
Experience
Before hiring any lawyer, make sure you research both them and their firm. Ask about their previous experiences in personal injury cases that are similar to yours in order to assess their level of expertise and determine if they are qualified to deal with your particular claim.
Reliability
You’re going to want an attorney that’s constantly available and devote you your case. Do some research on a lawyer and ask to previous clients before hiring one to ensure that they deliver consistently positive results that you can depend on. A good lawyer will work with you, every step of the way.
Reputation
Hiring an injury lawyer who has an upstanding reputation and a high success rate will give you the best possible chance of receiving the appropriate compensation for damages. Ask around for referrals for lawyers and also ask potential attorneys about their success rates in dealing with personal injury claims similar to yours.
If you’re searching for a professional and reputable personal injury or negligence attorney, then contact us at Jay Trucks & Associates. The attorneys at our firm are experienced in dealing with a variety of personal injury claims and have an extensive knowledge of personal injury law, such as wrongful death law and social security disability law. For more information about how we can represent you, visit our website today!
Disclaimer:
The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.
Last updated 2 years ago
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Last updated 2 years ago
It might seem unfair that after being in a serious car accident because of someone else’s negligence, you are the one who must stay on top of the insurance situation to make sure you are being treated fairly through the whole process. If you have been involved in an auto accident, then you may be able to receive damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, and loss of income. Hiring a personal injury lawyer is the best way to ensure that you are not being cheated by the insurance companies. Here are three signs you should hire a personal injury lawyer after an accident:
1. You want to collect money for pain and suffering. Automobile accidents can be severely traumatic and psychologically unsettling. If you find that you are now afraid of driving or getting into a car, then you could possibly receive money for the psychological effect that the accident has had on you.
2. You or your passengers have been seriously injured. If you or your passengers have sustained serious injuries because of a reckless or intoxicated driver, then you should consider hiring an injury lawyer in order to be fully compensated for any medical expenses and trauma.
3. The insurance company proposes an unfair offer. If the other driver’s insurance company is denying liability or offering an unfair settlement, then it is probably time to turn to a lawyer for knowledgeable and professional assistance. Don’t try to take on the insurance companies by yourself—hire a lawyer to help you get the amount of money that you are entitled to.
If you are looking for a personal injury lawyer to help rectify the negative effects of an automobile accident, call us at Jay Trucks & Associates. Our injury lawyers can ensure that you are not unjustly treated during a settlement process. We deal with the insurance companies so you don’t have to. For more information about our services and attorneys, call us or visit our website today!
Disclaimer:
The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.
