Georgetown Lawyers for Accidents Caused by Improperly Installed Car Components

Bad drivers are not the only cause of automobile accidents. Too often, car manufacturers and repair shops improperly install car components. When these components inevitably fail, at best the car will suffer a breakdown and need expensive repairs. At worst, the car will cause a deadly accident.

At Evans Moore, LLC, our team of experienced Georgetown car accident lawyers advises accident victims in the Georgetown, South Carolina area. If you have been in a wreck, give us a call at (843) 995-5000. We can help determine whether improperly installed components caused the accident. We can then help you formulate a litigation strategy to maximize your compensation.

When the Car Manufacturer Is to Blame

Sometimes car manufacturers produce cars with improperly installed components. When this is the case, the same defective installation sometimes occurs repeatedly within a certain model of car. Some examples in recent years of hazards caused by improperly installed components include the following:

• Automobiles prone to sudden, unintentional acceleration while driving
• Automobiles prone to sudden engine shutdown while driving
• Automobiles prone to flipping upside down while turning
• Automobiles prone to bursting into flame during collisions
• Automobiles with airbags prone to explosion upon deployment

When car manufacturers improperly install components, consumers often sue the manufacturer in a class-action suit. However, depending on the facts surrounding your case, you may recover more money by opting out of the class action and bringing an individual lawsuit against the manufacturer.

The good news is that automobile manufacturers often have the resources and insurance to pay large settlements and judgments stemming from improperly installed components. The bad news is that major automobile manufacturers have large legal departments determined to pay as little as possible to accident victims. As such, to fully recover damages against an automobile manufacturer, it is essential to build a well-organized case supported by convincing evidence.

When the Auto Shop is to Blame

Sometimes automobile repair shops improperly install components into cars. There are thousands of these shops across America, and they are trusted to make repairs to essential safety systems within cars, including brakes, steering, and airbags.

Unfortunately, automobile shops are often poorly regulated by state law. Safety concerns common to automobile repair shops include the following:

• Unqualified personnel: While there are higher education programs for mechanics, many jobs require only a high school diploma, if that. Some mechanics lack qualifications to service essential safety components.
• Lack of knowledge: Automobile safety systems are rapidly evolving, and training regarding the repair of new systems may be inconsistent. Sometimes automobile mechanics do not fully understand newer models, and so they cannot properly install components.
• Corner Cutting: Auto mechanic shops often run on a small budget. To save money, mechanics may rush through the installation of components as quickly as possible by taking shortcuts rather than completing the proper, more time-consuming installation procedures.
• Inferior parts: Auto mechanic shops sometimes use components that are lower quality, that are poorly refurbished, or that are simply incompatible with the automobile to save money. These components sometimes fail, leading to an accident.

Fortunately, many reputable repair shops maintain sufficient insurance to cover damages for improperly installed automobile components. However, some shops are undercapitalized and may declare bankruptcy to escape having to pay a large judgment. Strategic litigation planning is essential to fully recover damages from an automobile repair shop.

The Process of Being Compensated

Regardless of whether the manufacturer or a repair shop improperly installed the components, you must take several steps to be compensated.

First, you must determine which component caused the accident. This task can be daunting, especially when the accident destroys the car. Often, forensic experts are necessary to examine the wreckage and determine which component caused the accident.

Second, you must properly document damages in order to recover. Many people in these situations, even in cases involving improperly installed components, do not seek medical help for seemingly minor injuries, such as whiplash, and consequently, lose compensation when these injuries are not documented. Only later do they realize that such injuries may persist and disrupt their lives over the course of many years.

Third, you must determine who to sue. Often, the installation of defective components is due to the combined negligence of several parties, including auto mechanics, car manufacturers, and even the original manufacturer of the component part itself. Some of these entities may carry sufficient insurance and have sufficient assets to pay a large judgment, while other entities may be out of business or may be likely to declare bankruptcy if sued. It becomes essential to strategically choose litigation targets to maximize compensation.

Finally, you must navigate litigation and/or negotiation. Because of the amounts of money involved in a typical car accident case, the insurance companies, car manufacturers, and auto shops will likely vigorously contest any claim for damages. As such, in order to recover damages, you must present a well-organized case that clearly implicates the manufacturer or repair shop and clearly connects the improper installation with the accident and resulting injuries.

Contact an Attorney

If you are in the Georgetown, South Carolina area and you have been involved in an automobile accident you suspect may have been caused by defectively installed car components, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries. However, you may also face litigation that is complex, technical, and contentious. You should not attempt such litigation alone.

At Evans Moore, LLC, we have years of experience representing those who were injured in accidents caused by improper installation of car components throughout the Georgetown, South Carolina area. We can have our team of South Carolina personal injury attorneys examine the facts surrounding your automobile accident and we can help reconstruct what failure likely caused the accident. We can then help determine the best litigation strategy and present your case in an organized, effective fashion to encourage a good settlement or judgment.

Do not let automobile manufacturers or servicers get away with the shoddy installation of components. Contact us at (843) 995-5000, and get the vindication and compensation you deserve.