Defective Doors | Attorneys, Lawyers & Legal Resources

Defective Car Doors

A door latch may seem irrelevant in terms of the overall scope of your car or truck, but in fact, it plays a major role in passenger safety. A door lock and latch that functions acceptably is a key aspect of surviving a front or side-impact auto accidents and rollovers. If the latch unexpectedly disengages, anyone in the vehicle assumes the risk of being ejected, and the reliability of the cabin is jeopardized during a crash.

A defective door lawsuit requires proof that the manufacturer either designed or fabricated the door erroneously. The claimant must demonstrate that:

The latch does not remain secure during a collision.

The latch does not live up to crash standards set by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

The door malfunction was caused by a weak or faulty door latch.

You or someone you were with suffered a traumatic or deadly injury as a result of the flawed door.

When a door latch works as advertised, the odds that you will remain inside the vehicle if it turns upside down dramatically increase. On the other hand, when a car door flies opens without warning during a rollover, you have a good chance of being thrown into a tree or other immobile objects. Sometimes, people may be shot from the car onto the ground nearby after which the vehicle rolls on top of them, crushing them to death.

These kinds of cases typically conclude with an out-of-court settlement based on clear cut evidence that a latch or lock was defective or malfunctioned. However, in the interest of saving money, automakers may pursue a trial in hopes that the jury will find that the evidence is questionable.