The California Auto Defect Lawyers at Bisnar Chase have won cases for 45 years. With a 99% success rate and over $800 million won, we have a long list of satisfied clients we were able to help get their lives back.
Not every personal injury lawyer specializes or has extensive experience in defective auto cases, especially those caused by serious defects like sudden unintended acceleration and seat-back failure.
These auto product liability cases can cause severe and catastrophic injuries that change a person or family forever. Our California motor vehicle defect lawyers have taken on significant cases and won hundreds of millions for our clients.
Contact us today for a free consultation to determine if you have an auto product liability claim. The advice is free, and the outcome may be priceless.
For a free consultation with an auto defect law firm near you, call 800-561-4887.
Auto Defect Resources
Successful Auto Defect Cases Won by Bisnar Chase
These are just some of the cases our legal team has won on behalf of our clients. These case results range from seatback failures and door-latch defects to roof crush and rollover injuries. Much investigation and preparation go into winning difficult auto product liability cases.
- $24,744,764+ Seatback failure
- $14,443,205
- $15,000,000+
- $13,000,000+
- $10,000,000
- $5,000,000
- $5,000,000
- $5,300,000 Seatback failure
- $3,5000,000
Top-Rated Auto Defect Attorneys in California
It is important to remember that automakers are large corporations that have high-powered legal defense teams at their beck and call. Anyone who intends to fight these corporations cannot and should not do it alone.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective auto part or a dangerous vehicle defect, you need a renowned California auto defect attorney on your side who will fight for your rights every step of the way.
You need a law firm that has the motivation and resources to conduct independent investigations and testing. You need a strong team of defective and dangerous products lawyers who are on a mission to hold wrongdoers accountable and make the world a safer place for consumers.
Brian Chase is a national automobile defect expert. He’s been trying these cases for decades, and he understands the inter-workings of the automotive industry. Even cases with contributory negligence can be won, and Brian is the attorney other law firms turn to – to win these cases. Brian is also the author of two auto defect books uncovering the dark side of the auto industry.
Auto defect litigation
Auto defect litigation for the plaintiff involves filing a personal injury claim against the car company when a defect in the vehicle causes the accident. To successfully litigate an auto defect case, the plaintiff must establish a sufficient causal connection between the defendant and the defect.
The legal basis for an auto defect claim is based on the concept of strict liability, meaning that negligence does not need to be shown for the plaintiff to be successful.
Additionally, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the manufacturer and incentivize them to fix any inherent defects in their vehicle design.
“I went to law school knowing I wanted to be a personal injury attorney. I wanted my life’s work to have a positive impact on other people’s lives. We have to hold big corporations responsible. It’s the right thing to do.”
Some of Brian’s Honors:
- 2020-2021 Daily Journal Top Plaintiff Attorney
- 2023 Million Dollar Advocate
- 2022 Top 10 National Trial Lawyer High Stakes Litigator
- Prestigious Member of the $500M Club
- 2022-2023 Lawyer of the Year
- 2022-2023 Nation’s Premiere Top Ten Attorneys by NAOPIA
- 2022-2023 America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- 2022-2023 Top 1% by the Natl. Assoc. of Distinguished Counsel
Dangerous Automobile Defect Recalls
Automakers recalled over 250 Million cars in the past 2 decades for potentially fatal defects that could cause serious injuries or death at any time.
Anyone injured because of an automotive defect like this deserves to be compensated by the car manufacturer that allowed the defect that caused their injuries to remain in their cars.
2015 was a big year for recalls. Takata airbags had the largest recall in history. Automakers recalled as many vehicles as they sold in 2012 and 2015.
There have been several large recalls for motor vehicles in the United States:
- In February 2014, Toyota announced a recall of 1.7 million vehicles due to a problem with the front passenger airbag inflator.
In June 2016, General Motors recalled almost 4 million vehicles due to a faulty ignition switch, which could cause the engine to stall unexpectedly.
In April 2018, Tesla announced a recall of 123,000 Model S sedans due to a problem with the power steering system.
In January 2019, Ford recalled more than 953,000 vehicles due to a problem with the door latch, which could cause the door to open unexpectedly while the vehicle was in motion.
In July 2019, Toyota recalled more than 3.4 million vehicles due to a problem with the airbag inflator, which could rupture and cause injury to passengers.
Recent auto defect recalls & injuries
- $1.7 Billion Verdict in Auto Defect Case Against Ford Spotlights Roof Crush Accidents
- Ford and Lincoln Recall Cars for Defective Brake Lights and Rollaway Risk
- Ford Recalls 1.2 Million
- Vehicles Including Explorer SUVs For Various Auto Defects
- Stellantis Confirms Third Death Linked to Exploding Takata Airbag
- Goodyear Tire Tread Separation Recall After Injuries and Deaths
- Woman Permanently Scarred After Takata Airbag Explosion
According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other media reports:
- The auto industry sold around 14.5 million vehicles in 2012, which was a 13 percent increase over the previous year.
- They also recalled more than 14.3 million current and past vehicle models during the same year.
This is an amazing statistic because it highlights the number of vehicles out on our roadways that are defective or have faulty parts in them.
There are millions more vehicles that have not been recalled despite having defective parts in them.
As vehicles are being recalled in larger numbers due to various manufacturing defects and design flaws, it is very important that consumers are aware of vehicle safety and defective auto recalls.
That said, automakers have a duty of care to consumers to manufacture safe and reliable vehicles.
Unfortunately, we have seen evidence for decades that automakers, sometimes deliberately, choose to disregard that duty and recklessly endanger the lives of millions of people who buy their vehicles and make them profitable as corporations.
Learn how to report a vehicle defect or malfunction, and how to take legal action.
Examples of Defective Auto Parts
Devastating injuries can occur whenever an auto part fails to work correctly and a vehicle malfunctions. Automakers must put their vehicles through rigorous testing before putting them on the market.
But, often, automakers put profits before consumer safety. As a result, they install substandard parts in the vehicle to boost profits.
The quality of the auto parts and safety features in a vehicle significantly affect its crash-worthiness – the ability of a vehicle to protect its occupants in the event of a crash.
Vehicle manufacturing defects that cause car accidents and spur recalls to include:
Tires:
A tire blowout can be extremely dangerous, while tread separation can also be catastrophic. When a defective tire undergoes tread separation at freeway speeds, the vehicle may veer out of control or rollover. In such cases, it may be difficult even for an experienced driver to regain control of the vehicle.
Seat belts:
Whenever a driver or passenger is ejected from a vehicle or suffers serious injury, it must be determined if they were wearing a defective seat belt that failed to work correctly.
Car seats:
When an infant or booster seat is defective, there is the potential for injuries to young children.
Seatback Injuries:
A flimsy or defective seat-back may collapse and cause the occupant to get thrown around. This often results in catastrophic injuries.
Brakes:
It is extremely dangerous to operate a vehicle that does not have properly working brakes.
Electrical system failure:
A fuel system defect in a motor vehicle is a problem with one or more components of the vehicle’s fuel system, which is responsible for delivering fuel to the engine. Some common fuel system defects include faulty fuel pumps, fuel lines, or fuel injectors, which can prevent the engine from getting the fuel it needs to operate correctly.
The dangers of fuel system defects in motor vehicles can include reduced engine performance, loss of power, and increased fuel consumption. In severe cases, a fuel system defect can cause the vehicle to stall or even catch fire, putting the driver and passengers at risk of injury or death.
Accelerator pedals:
There have been many recalls lately involving accelerator pedals that stick and remain depressed, causing sudden or unintended acceleration.
Airbags:
A defective airbag can either fail to protect the driver during an accident or suddenly inflate and cause serious injuries to vehicle occupants.
Vehicle rollovers:
Defective vehicle design could increase the propensity of vehicle rollovers. For example, 15-passenger vans and older-model SUVs are particularly prone to rolling over because of their top-heavy design.
Roof crush:
Vehicles that rollover is meant to have strong roofs to resist the car’s weight so that the passengers inside are kept safe. When roofs fail, it can result in major injuries or death.
Door latch:
When a defective door latch malfunctions, it could cause the door to fly open and leave occupants exposed or trap them inside the vehicle. Either can be deadly in the event of an accident.
It is important for all California motorists to stay abreast of recalls and investigations. When there have been a number of similar complaints about a specific vehicle or part, the manufacturer may have to conduct an investigation.
In some cases, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will conduct an independent investigation and an engineering analysis. A recall will be initiated if the investigation determines that the auto part is defective.
Most common vehicle manufacturing defects in the US.
Here is a list of common automotive defects in the United States for motor vehicles:
- Brake failure
- Accelerator pedal sticking
- Engine stalling
- Transmission failure
- Tire separation
- Faulty airbags
- Defective seat belts
- Steering failure
- Suspension problems
- Tire/wheel defects
- Rollover risk
- Defective windshield wipers
- Cooling system failure
These defects can result in serious accidents and injuries caused by various factors, including design flaws, manufacturing defects, and inadequate testing. If you believe your vehicle has a defect, it’s essential to report it to the manufacturer and seek legal advice from an experienced auto defect lawyer in California.
What Makes a Car Part Defective?
A defective product fails to execute the task it was designed to perform. There are many reasons why an auto part can become defective.
Some parts have a defective design that makes them prone to breaking or malfunctioning. Parts that are poorly designed can fail even when they are assembled correctly.
In other cases, auto parts are poorly built. Manufacturing defects typically involve a limited number of parts built at a specific plant for a short period when the required specifications were not followed.
Let our dangerous products experts see if you have a case. The auto defect lawyers at Bisnar Chase have unlimited resources to represent your injury claim.
Proving That a Car Part is Defective
It is absolutely vital to your case that your vehicle is preserved for a complete and thorough inspection. Resist the temptation to repair or get rid of your car.
In fact, the vehicle is the most important piece of evidence in an automotive defect case. An expert will be able to thoroughly analyze the vehicle for defects, malfunctions, and other evidence when it is preserved in its original state unaltered.
In order to have a successful auto defect claim against an auto manufacturer, you will have to prove that:
- The auto part was defective in some way;
- That the faulty product resulted in the accident and or injuries;
- You suffered a physical, financial or emotional loss as a result of the defect.
If you believe your injury was the result of a defective car part, contact our top-rated auto defect attorneys for a free consultation and to review your evidence.
Finding the Right Motor Vehicle Defects Lawyer
With over 45 Years of Experience, we have collected over $750 Million, established a 99% success rate, and have the resources to take on very difficult cases.
Senior partner Brian Chase specializes in serious auto defect cases, as does his team of trial lawyers. We can pursue your case with experience and passion. With over 12,000 clients served and hundreds of millions in victories, Bisnar Chase is ready to fight for you.
We’ve helped some pretty special people with serious defective auto cases. Jaklin Romine received $24.7 million for her defective driver’s seat case. Felipe Rojas recovered a very large confidential settlement for a seatbelt failure after being hit by a drunk driver.
If you need an attorney to take your case to another level, please consider Bisnar Chase. See all case results. Contact us today for a free consultation and case evaluation of your California auto defect claim.
Call 1-800-561-4887.
