Manufacturing Defects

Car Accident Lawyers Helping Injured Residents of Cape Cod

The car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of John C. Manoog III have represented crash victims across Cape Cod for decades. We take a full-scope approach to determining liability in auto collision cases, focusing both on the drivers involved and any other parties that may be responsible for hazardous conditions, component malfunctions, or vehicle defects that potentially contributed to the accident. We have a solid reputation for providing legal services and a strong track record of success to back it up.

When a car accident happens, the first people to get blamed are usually the drivers involved in the crash. Although errors and hazardous behaviors behind the wheel are often contributing factors in a crash, other dynamics like faulty equipment and manufacturing defect may also be the culprits. The Takata air-bag fiasco and General Motors ignition switch recall are some of the latest examples of how defects can put motorists’ safety and lives at risk, but they are by no means the only illustrations.

Bringing a Negligence Claim for Compensation

If you have been hurt in a car accident caused by someone else’s carelessness, you have the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash. That may include money for medical costs, property damage, missed wages from time away from your job, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In order to get those damages, you generally have to prove that the crash was caused by someone else’s negligence.

To prove negligence, the plaintiff has to show that the person or entity being sued, or the defendant, breached what the law refers to as a “duty of care” and that this breach contributed to an accident in which quantifiable damages were incurred. Car makers generally owe consumers and others who use their vehicles a duty to ensure that a vehicle is safe for the road. They must use adequate materials, processes, and designs in building the car and perform the necessary tests and inspections. The manufacturer also owes the public a duty to warn about certain defects or other hazards if the car maker becomes aware of them, or should have been aware of them.

Negligence claims against auto manufacturers are often referred to as “third-party liability” claims because the car maker was not directly involved in the crash. Take, for example, a case in which a steering wheel defect causes the wheel to lock up unexpectedly. If this defect contributes to a crash – by leaving a driver unable to avoid oncoming traffic, perhaps – the manufacturer responsible for the defect may very well be liable.

Massachusetts law operates under a comparative negligence rule, meaning that an injured driver or passenger can recover at least some damages even if he or she was partly to blame for the accident. As long as the victim was not more than 50 percent responsible, he or she may be able to get a share of the damages proportionate to the responsibility of any other at-fault party.

Discuss Your Motor Vehicle Collision with a Massachusetts Attorney

At the Law Offices of John C. Manoog III, we have more than 146 years of combined experience representing clients in car accident cases. We are accomplished personal injury attorneys who have helped people pursue negligence and third-party liability claims related to vehicle collisions. Some of our clients have obtained six- or seven-figure settlements and verdicts.

Our motor vehicle collision lawyers offer free consultations to injured individuals from throughout Massachusetts. If you are unable to visit our offices in Hyannis and Plymouth, we can travel to you to discuss your situation. We do not charge a fee in many cases unless we are successful. Call us at 888-262-6664 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. Nós Falamos Português.