North County San Diego Injury Lawyers
Multiple Tesla vehicle recalls have been announced recently, affecting vehicle owners in Rancho Bernardo, throughout California, and across the country. And the recalls are ones that vehicle owners need to pay attention to — the defects concern issues that could cause crashes. While the electric vehicle maker has become popular in Southern California, it is also a vehicle maker that has contended with a variety of defects and other problems that ultimately could impact vehicle occupant safety. What do you need to know if you own a Tesla that was recently affected by a recall or another vehicle that has been affected by a recall? Our Rancho Bernardo product defect lawyers can help.
Tesla and Motor Vehicle Recalls
In October 2023, Reuters reported that Tesla was recalling more than 50,000 Model X vehicles due to a problem with the brakes. More specifically, Tesla Model X vehicles that were manufactured between 2021 and 2023 could have a defect where “the vehicle controller is likely to fail to detect low brake fluid and not display a warning light.” Although Tesla reported that it was not aware of any crashes connected to the recall, the defect has the potential to cause serious crashes and personal injuries.
Just about a month later, Tesla issued another recall for both Model S and Model X vehicles, according to Reuters, “due to the possibility of the driver airbag deploying incorrectly, which increases the risk of an injury during a crash.” In total, Tesla’s website identifies more than one dozen current recalls for various issues concerning Tesla vehicles.
What to Do When You Have a Recalled Product
If you own a recalled Tesla or any other recalled product, you should follow the instructions for a repair, replacement, or refund. With most Tesla recalls and other automobile recalls, the automaker offers a free-of-charge repair or replacement of the defective part.
How to Seek Compensation if a Defective Product Causes Injury
In order to seek compensation after a defective product, you will need to be able to show that you sustained an injury due to the defect. Then, you should work with a product liability lawyer to determine the type of defect and, thus, who can be sued for your injuries. In general, product defects take one or more of the following forms:
- Design defect, where the defect occurred in the design process (before manufacture);
- Manufacturing defect, where the defect occurred while the product was being made; and
- Marketing defect (or “failure to warn”), where the product was not marketed in a way that adequately warned the consumer about risks associated with its use.
According to the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, to win a product liability case, you will usually need to show that the product was defective when you obtained it and that it caused your injury. To be clear, there is usually no need to prove negligence.
Contact a Rancho Bernardo Product Liability Lawyer Today
Product recalls can be scary to learn about, especially when your vehicle is affected. If you or anybody you love suffered injuries because of a motor vehicle defect or another type of product defect, it is important to seek advice from an experienced Rancho Bernardo product liability attorney as soon as possible. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about how we can help you seek compensation after a defective product injury.
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