There are a myriad of ways a car accident can happen. You may lose control while driving on a slippery road. You may ram into another vehicle while arguing with your partner. Or you may run off the road while taking a turn too fast.
When there are so many causes of accidents, the battle to find who is responsible becomes tough. Zeroing in on the liable party (or parties) is important when a victim decides to file a car accident claim.
This article sheds light on that specific issue. It discusses all the potential parties you can sue after a car accident.
Potential Liable Parties
When talking about a car accident, the following parties can be held liable:
- The other driver
- The car manufacturer
- The car mechanic
- Manufacturer of a defective part
- Businesses that sell alcohol
The Other Driver
In the majority of car accident cases, the other driver is the liable party. If the other driver was busy on the phone and crashed their car into yours, then they are the liable party. They can be sued for negligent driving.
Then there are those who drive poorly-maintained vehicles. By poorly maintained, we mean cars with broken headlights, faulty brakes, and other similar issues. These cars are a threat to everyone on the road. Drivers of poorly maintained cars that cause an accident can be held liable as well.
The Car Manufacturer
Manufacturers have the responsibility to offer safe products without defects. When an individual is injured due to a defective product, the product manufacturer can be held liable for the losses.
This is true for cars as well.
If a manufacturer finds out there is a flaw in a car, they have to recall the vehicle. Car owners have the right to a free replacement or repair if the fault is with a specific part of the car.
However, if the car manages to end up in an accident because of this defect, the car manufacturer can be held responsible for it.
The Car Mechanic
People visit an auto mechanic to correct issues with their cars. Mechanics either fix the issue or replace the part(s) that are causing the issue.
However, things aren’t smooth every time.
The mechanic may offer poor-quality work. They may use old or worn-out replacement parts to save money. There are even chances that they may not have done the repairs that their bills claim they did.
And when such cars end up in accidents, the car mechanic is held liable. Their substandard work caused the accident in which the victim sustained injuries.
Manufacturer of a Defective Part
This is different from the previously-mentioned scenario.
When a car rolls into an auto shop, a mechanic is expected to fix the issue it came with. One option the mechanic may consider is replacing a part in the car.
Sadly, not all replacement parts are of the same quality. Some tend to look good in the package but fail when installed. These parts may run fine for a while and fail within the warranty period.
When a car is involved in an accident due to a defective part, the manufacturer of the defective part can be held liable. Once proven, they will have to bear the brunt of all the losses the victim has suffered.
Businesses That Sell Alcohol
These often go along with DUI accidents. In addition to the driver, the establishment that was responsible for the intoxication of the other driver can be held responsible as well. This is possible under the dram shop laws.
As of the moment, 43 states have dram shop laws. The finer details and scope vary for each state. So it’s best to consult a lawyer for further information.
Final Thoughts
Car accidents, especially nasty ones like head-on collisions or T-bone accidents, can be quite traumatic. A victim needs all the support they can get to recover from their injuries and losses.
This is possible with a lawyer. An experienced car accident lawyer will do everything that needs to be done to get fair compensation.
