In essence, a vehicle is always potentially dangerous, even when the vehicle is being used as it was intended; it is almost impossible for the ordinary person to discover the defect until there has been an accident. That situation is what gave rise to the legal theory of “products liability.”
In the simplest terms, the law recognizes that consumers are entitled to expect that a product will safely perform its intended functions. If it does not, it is defective and all sellers of it—the manufacturer, retailer, and any steps in between—are legally liable for the damages the defect caused. In many cases, this strict liability approach makes it easier for injured consumers to recover for their injuries.
In the context of motor vehicle defects, strict liability claims can be brought against the vehicle manufacturer, the defective part manufacturer if that’s a different entity, the dealership, and any entity that passed the vehicle down the path from the manufacturer and to the retailer. Our Birmingham product liability lawyers have years of experience handling various types of these claims.