Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Brake Failure Can Cause Serious Car Accidents
When brakes fail in a car or other vehicle, the outcome can be catastrophic. Brake failure inevitably leads to a motor vehicle accident that can result in serious injuries or even death.
Brake Failures in the News
In January 2009, a fire truck crashed into a high-rise apartment building in Boston, killing a fire lieutenant. According to the other fire fighters in the truck, the fire fighter who was driving was frantically trying to pump the brakes, but could not stop. The fire truck hurled down Parker Hill Avenue at breakneck speed with its emergency horn blaring. Investigators are looking into brake failure as a potential cause of the fatal accident. Maintenance records show that the fire truck involved in the crash has had past brake problems.
Determining Liability in Brake Failure Accidents
Brakes are one of the most crucial elements of your car. When brakes do not work properly, your risk of being injured in a severe car accident and sustaining serious injuries increases dramatically. Without brakes, you have virtually no way of stopping and avoiding a collision. If your brakes have failed, which caused a car crash, you may be wondering who is responsible. In some cases, the auto manufacturer can be held liable for your injuries.
In cases involving brake failure, determining who is liable depends on a few factors. If you have followed the manufacture guidelines for maintaining your brakes and have them checked, your responsibility for the accident lessens. In a situation where there was a problem with your brakes that was overlooked by the auto repair shop, they may be responsible to a point. However, if the brakes were defective, then the manufacturer can be held liable.
When to Speak with a Personal Injury Attorney
If you have been injured in a car accident resulting from brake failure and it turns out the brakes were defective, you can go after the manufacturer for compensation. Manufacturers have a duty to provide safe products and when they fail to do so, they can be responsible for any injuries that arise from the defective products. The amount of compensation you can recover depends on the severity of your injuries.
After a car crash caused by faulty brakes, you should contact an experienced Boston defective product attorney who can review your case to not only verify who was at fault, but to help you determine the compensation in which you may be eligible. Defective brake cases can be complex, which is why you need an attorney with extensive knowledge of Massachusetts and federal law.
Contact Kiley Law Group today at (888) 208-1695 or (617) 248-8690 for legal advice.
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