Oklahoma residents may be interested to know that in March 2016, Volkswagen and Porsche recalled 800,000 of their vehicles because of faulty clips used in braking systems. The affiliated companies said that a clip on the brake pad may be missing, which could lead to a pivot pin becoming loose and allowing the pedal itself to move or become dislodged. This could impact a driver’s ability to apply the brakes, and faulty brakes could contribute to a serious car crash.
The companies have received reports of isolated events overseas with no reports of complications in the United States. Furthermore, they classified the recall as precautionary and voluntary to prevent future problems. A total of 391,000 Volkswagen Touaregs and 409,477 Porsche Cayenne SUVs were part of the recall.
If an individual is seriously injured or killed through the use of this type of a defective product, the vehicle manufacturer may be held liable for damages in a resulting lawsuit. Auto product liability litigation can be complicated, and in many cases the defendants can also include the manufacturer of a particular part and others in the vehicle’s chain of distribution.
An attorney may be able to gather physical evidence as well as witness statements regarding the safety of a product. It may also be possible to gather studies done on the safety of a given product to establish negligence on the part of the manufacturer. Depending on the circumstances of the case, it may be possible to reach a settlement outside of court, which may mean a timely and favorable resolution for the victim or the family of the victim.