It may not matter if your car model has gotten great customer reviews or if its parent company is known for implementing notable safety features in their fleets. From time to time, there are defects within the components of a certain car make or model. And if not identified and recalled on time, these defects may cause many drivers to get involved in catastrophic accidents. Unfortunately, you may have fallen victim to this reality. So please read on to discover the defective auto parts that may prompt an accident and how a seasoned Tampa car accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.C. can help you swiftly recover afterward.
What are the types of defective auto parts that can potentially prompt an accident?
Cars are built with tens of thousands of components all working together to get you from Point A to Point B. But if one of these components is defective, you may lose control and subsequently become involved in an accident. Without further ado, the most common cases of defective auto parts read as follows:
- Defects within a car’s fuel system.
- Defects within a car’s braking system.
- Defects within a car’s steering system.
- Defects within a car’s engine control unit.
- Defects within a car’s seatbelts or airbags.
- Defects within a car’s windshield wipers system.
How long do I have to file my claim after a defective auto parts accident?
If you believe that your accident was entirely caused by a defective system within your car, you may pursue a product liability claim against a third party. Upon further investigation, you may identify the liable third party as your car’s manufacturing company, shipping company, supplier, or dealership. This is especially if there was a failure to call for or act on a product recall notice. Or, you may even be tempted to blame your trusted auto mechanic, who failed to identify a defective auto part during your recent inspection appointment. Nonetheless, you may have two years to file your product liability claim in the state of Florida.
On the other hand, you may have reason to think that your accident was due to a hybrid of a defective auto part and another driver’s negligence. For example, you may have collided with another driver if they ran through a stop sign or red light. But also at the time of this collision, your airbags may have failed to deploy. In a case like this, you may file an auto accident claim against the at-fault driver in addition to a product liability claim against the at-fault manufacturer. You may only have a few days to submit your claim to the driver’s auto insurance provider. Then, the same two-year statute of limitations stands for your civil claim.
If you find yourself at a crossroads, please seek the sound advisement of a competent Tampa auto accident lawyer. Someone at Merricks Law Group, P.C. will stand by your side at a moment’s notice.
