Product Defect Liability Lawyer Blog

A 79-year-old man was killed and five people were injured in a San Bernardino car accident, which officials say, occurred after the tread separated from a rear tire of an SUV. According to a news report in The San Bernardino County Sun, the fatal rollover crash occurred the night of August 30, 2010 on the eastbound 40 Freeway near Kelbaker Road, in Ludlow. As soon as the tire tread separation occurred, the SUV went out of control and rolled over several times. An elderly passenger sustained fatal injuries while five others were transported to area hospitals for treatment of injuries.

I offer my deepest condolences to everybody who knew and loved the deceased victim for their tragic loss. I also wish the five injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Continue reading "Tire Tread Separation Leads to Fatal San Bernardino Car Accident" »

Lynn Le, 77, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after she lost control of her car and crashed the morning of August 28, 2010. According to a news report in The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the fatal crash occurred on Colima Road at Camino Del Sur in Hacienda Heights when Le's 1997 Honda Accord went over a raised concrete divider, continued into southbound traffic and crashed into a cinder block wall. Officials say Le was driving about 60 mph at the time of the crash. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports that it is not known what caused the Honda to veer into oncoming traffic. An investigation is ongoing.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Car Accident Proves Fatal for Elderly Woman" »

With all the car recalls in the news lately, you may have a hard time keeping track of them all. From Toyota to GM, many major car companies have some consumer product recall on the books right now. The latest recall by General Motors involves middle-seat restraint system defects in the 2009-2010 crossover SUVs.

The GM Seat Belt Failure Recall involves nearly a quarter of a million GM vehicles in the United States, Mexico, Canada and overseas.

Continue reading "So Many Recalls: So Little Time" »

We all know that wearing a seat belt is safer than not wearing one. When it works properly, your seat belt is indisputably the most important safety device in your car. However, when it functions poorly or completely fails to work, your seat belt can cause serious injury and even death.

This week, GM, one of the largest domestic car manufacturers, announced it is recalling over a quarter of a million vehicles because the seat belts could falsely latch and fail to protect you in an accident.

Continue reading "General Motors Recalls Nearly a Quarter of a Million Crossover SUVs Because of Seat Belt Malfunctions" »

A driver sustained injuries in an Orange County car accident after he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the back yard of a home. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury accident occurred the morning of August 27, 2010, when a silver Honda was making a right turn onto Via del Rio from Trabuco Road, in Lake Forest. The driver failed to negotiate the turn. The vehicle went over the sidewalk and through a fence. The car fell about 30 feet and nearly went into a swimming pool. An ambulance took the driver of the four-door sedan to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of this car accident.

View Larger Map

Continue reading "Orange County Car Accident Injures One" »

Phuong Le, 26, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Ortega Highway near the Orange and Riverside county lines, the morning of August 21, 2010. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Le was traveling east on the highway when he lost control of his 2009 Kawasaki 650R at a curve. California Highway Patrol officials said Le crossed into opposing lanes of traffic on the two-lane highway and struck a guardrail. He died at the scene.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Phuong Le for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Continue reading "Orange County Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident" »

Toyota is issuing yet another vehicle defect recall this time for 1 million of its Corolla and Matrix compact sedans and hatchbacks because of engine-stalling problems. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the recall involves vehicles from the 2005 to 2008 model years. Toyota has received more than 1,000 complaints of stalling in these vehicles. The engine stalling, officials say, was caused by a manufacturing defect in an Engine Control Module.

Continue reading "Toyota Recalls 1 Million Cars for Engine Problems" »

Five people were seriously injured, two critically, in a San Francisco car accident after an unlicensed driver plowed into a group of people waiting near a bus stop, the morning of August 24, 2010. According to an Associated Press news report, the 24-year-old female driver lost control of her Ford Explorer while heading southbound on San Bruno Avenue. She went over a sidewalk and crashed into the crowd that was standing in the shade of an apartment building while waiting for the bus. The names of the victims have not been released, but they range in age from the 30s to 80s. An investigation is underway to determine what caused the crash.

My thoughts and prayers are with the many people seriously injured in this terrible car accident. I wish them all a complete and speedy recovery from their injuries.

Continue reading "San Francisco Car Accident Injures Five" »

A woman was killed in a San Diego car accident after her Dodge Durango struck a power pole and overturned on the front yard of a home. According to a 10news report, the fatal rollover crash occurred early morning on August 25, 2010 on Magnolia Avenue, near Holy Meadows Drive, in Santee. The woman was the sole occupant of her sport utility vehicle and died at the scene. No one else was injured. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash. They are looking into whether speed or alcohol could have played a part in this fatal crash.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this car accident victim. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who knew and loved her.

Continue reading "Rollover Crash in San Diego Kills Woman " »

Elliot Mora, 39, was killed in a Bakersfield car accident after he was ejected from his pickup truck as it overturned on Highway 46. According to an ABC News report, the fatal rollover accident occurred the night of August 18, 2010 close to Highway 33. Mora suddenly lost control of his pickup and when he tried to correct the steering, the vehicle overturned. California Highway Patrol officials say Mora may not have been buckled up at the time. He was transported to an area hospital with major injuries. Mora was pronounced dead hours after the crash. Officials do not believe alcohol or drugs were factors in this fatal crash.

I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Mora for their devastating loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Continue reading "Man Killed in Bakersfield Car Accident" »

Eight people were injured, one critically, in a car accident that involved four vehicles. According to a KSBY news report, the major injury collision occurred on the eastbound Highway 46 the morning of August 16, 2010. California Highway Patrol officials say Rosa Solorio de Espinosa lost control of her vehicle, entered opposing lanes of traffic and broadsided a semi-truck. Her car continued forward and crashed into a vehicle with five passengers. That vehicle was in turn rear-ended by a sedan, which caught fire. Espinosa sustained major head injuries while seven others suffered what were described as moderate injuries.

Continue reading "Eight People Injured In California Car Accident" »

A fatal car accident in Bishop last week, which killed California Baptist University coach Wendy Rice and two others and injured at least 16 people, is drawing attention to the use of dangerous 15-passenger vans by college athletic departments nationwide. It is a fact that in Southern California and the rest of the country, college administrators use these oversized vehicles to transport their teams to out-of-town events. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the Cal Baptist running team was on its way to a Mammoth high-altitude training camp when their van was involved in a head-on collision with an out-of-control Ford Expedition SUV on Highway 395.

Continue reading "Fatal Car Accident Raises Concerns About 15-Passenger Van Safety " »

Mazda is expanding a vehicle defect recall to 500,000 cars worldwide because of steering problems. According to a news report in the New York Times, this recall covers the auto maker's popular 2007 to 2009 Mazda 3 and Mazda 5 models in the United States, Europe and Asia.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue involves a loss of power assist with the power steering which can reduce the driver's ability to steer the vehicle and increase the possibility or risk of a car accident. The recall comes nearly a year after Mazda started fixing vehicles in Japan for an identical problem.

Continue reading "Mazda Recalls Vehicles for Steering Defects" »

The latest news on the auto defects front is the GM seat belt failure recall. General Motors Company is issuing a vehicle defect recall for nearly 250,000 crossover vehicles worldwide because of defective seatbelts. According to an Associated Press news report, the second-row seatbelts in these vehicles could be damaged and fail to latch. This recall affects 2009 and 2010 models of the Chevy Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. A majority of the vehicles, about 243,000, are in the United States.

The seatbelt buckle in these vehicles could become damaged when the seatback is returned to an upright position. That could cause the buckle to appear to latch, when it is actually is not latched. This is known as "false latching." The plastic shield around the seatbelt release button, according to GM, can get caught on some trim and fail to return to its normal position after the seats are folded flat. If sufficient force is applied when the seats are pushed back to their normal position, the shield around the release button could cause the button to malfunction.

Continue reading "GM Recalls Crossover Vehicles for Seatbelt Defects" »

A fatal school bus accident in Missouri last week in which two people were killed is shining the spot light on the important issue of seatbelts in school buses yet again. The accident occurred on the Interstate 44 near St. Louis when a semi-truck slowed down for construction and was rear-ended by a pickup truck and two school buses. A 15-year-old student and a 19-year-old driver of the pickup were killed in this crash. No charges have been filed yet. Missouri State Highway Patrol officials and federal officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are looking into the crash.

Continue reading "Missouri School Bus Accident Raises Seatbelt Issue" »

A fatal school bus accident in Missouri last week in which two people were killed is shining the spot light on the important issue of seatbelts in school buses yet again. The accident occurred on the Interstate 44 near St. Louis when a semi-truck slowed down for construction and was rear-ended by a pickup truck and two school buses. A 15-year-old student and a 19-year-old driver of the pickup were killed in this crash. No charges have been filed yet. Missouri State Highway Patrol officials and federal officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are looking into the crash.

Continue reading "Missouri School Bus Accident Raises Seatbelt Issue" »

The Lexus HS 250h luxury hybrid sedan underwent a voluntary recall back in June. Since then, little has been heard about plans to fix the faulty fuel systems that have a potential to explode upon a rear-end collision.

The Lexus website boasts the HS 250h as a state-of-the-art car that is both economical and safe. The website lists many safety features including lane assist technology, and wide-view front and rear cameras. What the website does not brag about is the car's potential to explode when struck from behind.

Continue reading "Consumers Are Still Waiting For Toyota to Fix Leaking Gas Tanks" »

In cases such as the Chrysler and GM bankruptcy, automakers have been known to show little regard for their consumers. What can we do when an auto manufacturer walks away from their responsibility toward traumatized auto defect victims? Who will pay for the current and future medical bills and other damages caused by the defective vehicle?

Continue reading "Auto Makers Show Little Regard for Auto Defect Victims" »

When the United States Supreme Court made their decision on the case of Geier v. Honda Motor Company in 2000, they effectively lowered your ability to sue carmakers who knowingly design defective vehicles. Since that ruling, consumers do not have the right to sue carmakers for failing to equip cars with basic safety equipment required by state tort laws, if the equipment is not mandated by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

This means that you cannot sue car companies for injuries that occur when you are in an accident, even in a situation where car makers knew of better safety equipment -- which would have prevented you injuries -- but did not install it in the vehicle because they were not required by the Federal Government to do so.

Continue reading "Keeping the Federal Preemption to Auto Defect Litigation as Law: Why It's a Bad Idea" »

Denise Wayman, 45, was killed in a San Bernardino car accident after she lost control of her vehicle and crashed. According to a news report in The San Bernardino County Sun, the fatal crash occurred the morning of August 10, 2010 on northbound Orange Show Road in Victorville. Wayman was driving a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora when she exited at Orange Show Road and for unknown reasons, drove past the intersection at the top of the off ramp, became airborne, went over a wall and fell about 30 feet. It is not clear why Wayman made no attempt to stop at the intersection. Officials are investigating what caused this fatal crash.

Continue reading "Fatal San Bernardino Car Accident" »