How Ignoring a Vehicle Recall Can Lead to a Serious Accident
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the United States reached an all-time high in 2015 by exceeding 50 million vehicle safety recalls. Two years have passed since this troubling record was set and things haven’t improved. Vehicle safety recalls are a growing problem you can’t and shouldn’t ignore.
Ignored Recalls Is Another Problem
Perhaps a more troubling statistic is the 25 percent of recalled automobiles never repaired per the recall recommendations. The NHTSA estimated 12 million of those vehicles with a safety recall in the year 2015 continued to drive down the road with potentially life-threatening defects.
Recall: What Should You Do?
If your vehicle is properly registered, you will receive a letter in the mail notifying you of a recall. The notice will provide instructions on how to get your vehicle inspected and repaired. Feeling reluctant to go to the trouble is understandable, but not taking care of the problem can be a mistake.
In almost all cases, a safety recall is the result of a defective part or flawed design. Being at fault, vehicle manufacturers will almost always do the repair work for free. The hassle for most is finding the time to take the vehicle in for the repair work. The hassle only gets worse if the mechanic needs to keep the vehicle for several days.
The key thing to remember is simple: the inconvenience of an automobile accident would be much worse. A couple days of your vehicle in a shop pales in comparison to spending weeks or more recovering from an automobile accident. Furthermore, the risk of an accident involves not just yourself but possibly also your family and other drivers on the road.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
Responding to the recall notice and getting your vehicle repaired is important. However, if you (or a passenger) were seriously injured because of the defective part, it may be in your best interest to reach out to a personal injury lawyer. The defective part or design flaw could have caused other damages as well, such as to your vehicle or someone else’s property if you collided with them. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages. A personal injury lawyer Phoenix AZ trusts can assess your situation and determine if you have a case worth pursuing.
Safety recalls on automobiles happen all the time. Manufacturers will recall automobiles for known defects. Repairing vehicles that could cause an accident is cheaper for the manufacturer than footing the liability bill of an auto accident.
Take all recalls seriously regardless of how major or minor they are. Make sure your car’s manufacturer has your current address on file. Or, better yet, take initiative and regularly check their website for a list of recalls.
If you have questions about a personal injury you sustained in an accident you suspect was the auto manufacturer’s fault, contact an attorney without delay.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Alex & Saavedra, P.C. for their insight into vehicle recalls and injury accidents.