With news over the last few months of auto recalls
due to defective airbags in millions of cars, Maryland lawmakers are trying to
fix one of the biggest flaws in the auto industry: secrecy surrounding problems
with cars. The proposed
law would “give dealers the protections they need to disclose critical
safety information.” As the system works
now, car manufacturers collect information about problems and report them to
the federal government. This bill would
make sure consumers know about problems when car makers know instead of years
later when recalls are announced. For example,
the infamous maker of faulty airbags, Takata, has said they are willing to pay
daily fines instead of revealing documents about the defective airbags.
A
16 year old Marylander was killed in 2005 in a car accident, and seven years
later, the same make and model car she was driving was recalled for problems
with its ignition switch. If this
proposed bill was in place at the time, a life could have been saved because
this information would have been released to car owners affected by the recall
immediately instead of seven years later.
As we continue to move into a period of increased availability of
information, it only makes sense for this proposed bill or a similar version to
pass.
Car
dealerships receive internal service bulletins that they are not allowed to
disclose to the public, and these usually include any problems before reaching
recall status. If this bill passes,
dealerships would be able to inform consumers of these problems well before a
serious injury or even death occurs.
Opponents
of the bill worry about this being a federal issue instead of a state
issue. Everyone agrees though, consumers
deserve to know about problems with their vehicles at the same time
manufacturers learn of them; not several years later when it is too late. Far too many car accident deaths are
attributed to defective parts. They
could have been prevented if more information was readily made available to
consumers when problems first arose.
If you
have purchased a car that has recently been recalled, take it to the dealer to
get fixed. Further, you may be entitled
to several legal remedies, including:
- Economic damages: you
may be able to recoup lost value of the car's resale value. You may
also be able to recover for loss of use of the car
- Personal injury recovery: if the defective automobile resulted in physical
injuries to you, you may be able to recover for the costs associated with
the injury
- Class action: If the recall has affected enough numbers
of consumers, a class action lawsuit might be an available option
- Manufacturer reimbursement: Some auto manufacturers may voluntarily pay
repair bills the defective product caused before the recall.
Sometimes,
however, you may need to initiate litigation to be compensated for your
financial as well as your physical losses. From SUV rollovers to fuel fed fires
and faulty door latches, there are a variety of vehicle safety defects that can
lead to severe injuries in a car crash. At Portner & Shure, we have handled
these cases for over twenty years. We have the experience and technical resources
to analyze your auto accident case, answer your questions, and pursue the
compensation you deserve. Call us today
for a free case evaluation at (301) 854-9000 or visit us online at: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/
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