When Good Cars Go Bad

As  Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, we are keenly aware that no item we purchase is more tied up with our personal safety than our car, truck, or motorcycle. The massive Toyota recall a few years back over issues of acceleration was one of the most massive and dramatic examples of what can happen to individuals -- and to the reputation of a manufacturer -- when safety defects are ignored, but it was hardly the end of the story.

In fact, just over the last two days, we've had two local news stories that may possibly be related to an automotive defect. One item had the 16 year-old daughter of the late actor, Paul Walker, launching a wrongful death case against Porsche. The suit alleges that the car he was driving at the time of his death is unsafe, lacking several important safety features offered by other cars from the famed sports car manufacturer.

Another very recent news item recounted a very serious accident on the 210 Freeway. It involved a driver who was apparently convinced that his 2000 Nissan Frontier had gone out of control on account of a serious cruise control malfunction. Though it's much too early to be certain that was actually the case, it's nevertheless presents the kind of chilling scenario a personal injury lawyer may occasionally encounter.

Of course, the vast majority of vehicular personal injury cases boil down to errors on the part of one of more drivers, but we all nevertheless are placing a great deal of trust in vehicle manufacturers. Under those circumstances, looking very closely at the circumstances of accidents where a vehicle defect may have played a role certainly makes sense.