The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has reached a settlement with BMW regarding their failure to report auto defects, which is required under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. According to a news report in Motorcycle-USA, the February 10, 2012 agreement will result in BMW paying $3 million in civil penalties for failing to provide adequate information quickly and in a forthright manner. NHTSA says that BMW did not report a number of safety defects to the agency, when they issued 16 different recalls in 2010. Under the Safety Act, auto manufacturers have five days to report known safety defects. In many cases, BMW did not report their findings for over 30 days.

2010 BMW Motorcycle Recalls

There were many recalls involved in this civil lawsuit. In the year 2010 BMW issued a number of recalls on motorcycles for potentially dangerous defects. For example, 1,807 BMW motorcycles were recalled for issues with the roll gear pin mounting attachment and 1,916 motorcycles were recalled for potential drive chain breakage issues. Over 15,000 2007-2009 R1200s and K1200s were recalled for front brake line issues and nearly 12,000 motorcycles were recalled for rear wheel linkage issues.

Defective Auto Parts

A victim injured in a motorcycle accident will have to prove who or what caused the accident in order to pursue compensation for his or her losses. While most accidents involve driver or rider negligence, some accidents can be caused by an auto defect or a mechanical malfunction. In cases involving defective parts, such as brakes, steering columns or tires, the product manufacturer may be held liable for the injuries suffered by the victim.

Rights of Injured Victims

Not all defective vehicles have been recalled. There are many potentially dangerous vehicles on the roadway that are currently under investigation for defects. In any accident where an auto defect is suspected, the victim would be well advised to contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who has successfully handled auto products liability cases against large automakers. At-fault product manufacturers can be held liable for medical bills, lost wages and other related damages. The best auto product defect law firms will always provide a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to motorcycle accident victims and their families.