Vehicle defects contribute to a significant number of serious accidents each year. Even careful drivers can suffer devastating crashes when critical components like tires, brakes, airbags, or steering systems fail without warning. When a vehicle malfunction causes an accident, responsibility may lie with the manufacturer, the parts supplier, or another party involved in the vehicle’s design or production.
At Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC, our Las Vegas product liability lawyers investigate the root cause of these complex cases to determine who should be held accountable. We work with experts, analyze vehicle data, and pursue claims against negligent manufacturers while fighting for the maximum compensation available. Call (702) 878-2889 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation today. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Defective-vehicle accidents may involve multiple parties, including manufacturers, insurers, parts suppliers, dealerships, and other drivers. Seeking damages from all parties requires expert inspections, investigations, and possible accident recreations.
Multi-party litigation, involving insurance companies and large manufacturers, means that you’re up against large legal teams who will propose low-ball settlements.
Your best chance of securing compensation for car accidents involving defects is to fight back. Strong legal counsel will hold all parties liable for your damages to achieve the best possible outcome for your case.
Defective vehicle cases are often more complex than standard car accident claims because they may involve manufacturers, parts suppliers, dealerships, and multiple insurance companies. At Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC, our Las Vegas defective vehicle lawyers conduct thorough investigations to determine exactly what caused the failure and who should be held accountable.
Our legal team prepares every case as if it may go to trial. While many claims are resolved through negotiations, we are fully prepared to take legal action when manufacturers or insurers refuse to offer fair compensation.
Determining whether a vehicle defect caused your crash requires a detailed technical investigation. Our attorneys gather critical evidence, including accident reports, vehicle data, maintenance records, and manufacturer documentation, to identify the source of the failure.
We also work with automotive engineers, accident reconstruction specialists, and safety experts who can analyze the vehicle, evaluate the defective component, and explain how the defect contributed to the crash. This expert analysis is often essential when pursuing claims against large vehicle manufacturers.
Defective vehicle claims often involve product liability law, which allows injured victims to hold manufacturers responsible for dangerous products. Our attorneys build strong cases by proving the key elements required to establish liability, including:
Depending on the circumstances, liable parties may include vehicle manufacturers, parts manufacturers, distributors, or dealerships that sold the defective vehicle.
While you focus on your medical recovery, our attorneys handle every stage of the legal process. We file insurance claims, manage communications with manufacturers and insurers, and pursue compensation from every responsible party.
If necessary, we are prepared to file a lawsuit and aggressively advocate for your rights in court. Our goal is always the same: to secure the maximum compensation available under Nevada law for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages caused by the defective vehicle.
Millions of vehicles on American roads are affected by safety defects each year. In fact, studies suggest that nearly one in five vehicles currently has an active recall, meaning drivers may unknowingly be operating a vehicle with a dangerous defect. These issues can lead to sudden equipment failures that cause serious crashes and life-altering injuries.
Vehicle defects often involve critical safety systems that drivers rely on every day. Research shows that some of the most frequently reported vehicle defects involve:
Other dangerous defects may involve airbags that fail to deploy, ignition systems that malfunction, faulty fuel systems, electrical failures, or unstable vehicle designs. When these defects lead to a crash, manufacturers and other companies involved in the vehicle’s production may be held responsible for the resulting damages.
Nevada product liability law allows injured victims to pursue compensation when a defective vehicle or component causes an accident. These claims typically fall into three main legal categories depending on how the defect occurred.
A design defect occurs when a vehicle or component is dangerous because of its original design. In these cases, every product manufactured using that design may contain the same safety flaw.
For example, a vehicle may have a design that makes it prone to rollovers during sharp turns, or its steering system may be engineered to increase the risk of sudden failure. When a defective design creates an unreasonable risk of harm, manufacturers can be held liable for injuries caused by that unsafe design.
Manufacturing defects occur during the production or assembly process, even when the original design is safe. In these cases, only certain vehicles or components may be affected by manufacturing errors.
For instance, a brake component may be improperly installed, a defective part may be used during assembly, or materials may not meet safety standards. Even a small production mistake can cause a critical system to fail and lead to a serious accident.
Vehicle manufacturers also have a legal duty to warn consumers about known safety risks associated with their vehicles or components. If a manufacturer discovers a dangerous defect but fails to properly notify drivers or issue a timely recall, they may be held responsible for resulting injuries.
Failure-to-warn claims often arise when a company knew of a defect through consumer complaints, safety testing, or internal reports but failed to provide adequate warnings or instructions to protect drivers.
Our attorneys carefully review the circumstances of each accident to determine which legal theory applies and who may be responsible. By identifying the source of the defect and the parties involved in the vehicle’s design, production, or distribution, we pursue compensation from every liable party.
Nevada’s strict liability doctrine for product liability cases works in your favor. You don’t need to prove manufacturer negligence. Instead, you only need to show:
Plaintiffs have lower burden-of-proof requirements thanks to these laws. Alongside strict liability, you can also file claims of breach of warranty and negligence. As your lawyer, we’ll plead multiple theories in your case to give you the best chance of success.
Nevada’s distinction in claim types affects who you seek damages from, what evidence is necessary to win your case, and how to show the damages that were caused.
Gathering the right, compelling evidence helps us prove liability.
In product liability cases, the burden of proof rests on the plaintiff. Proving a vehicle defect requires strong and admissible evidence, which can include:
A defective vehicle lawyer will know how to gather the right evidence to support your claim and build a strong case.
Defective vehicle claims are complicated. Multiple parties may be involved and share in the liability for your injuries, including:
Other parties may also be involved. We’ll examine all of the evidence and the circumstances of your case to hold all parties accountable.
Depending on the severity of your injuries and the circumstances of your case, you may be able to recover economic and non-economic damages. In rare cases, punitive damages may apply.
These are calculable financial losses. They can include:
These damages are intangible and more difficult to calculate, but can be significant. They can include:
Once we have all the facts surrounding your case, our attorneys can determine which types of compensation you are eligible for.
If you were injured in an accident involving a defective vehicle or component, you only have a limited window of time to act. The statute of limitations for product liability in Nevada is two years for most cases. Do not wait to consult with an attorney.
When manufacturers issue recall notices, they acknowledge that a defect exists. That acknowledgement can serve as powerful evidence in your claim.
It establishes:
The recall may even support a claim for punitive damages if the notice was issued prior to the accident.
What happens if the recall repair was performed before the accident? The case becomes far more complex. The defense may argue that the defect was remedied and that it cannot be held responsible for the injuries.
In cases like this, it’s even more critical to have an experienced vehicle defect lawyer who can gather the evidence to show that the recall repair failed or was improperly performed.
To prove the accident was caused by the vehicle’s defect, the first and most important step is to preserve the vehicle exactly as it is.
If the vehicle is repaired or destroyed, critical evidence is lost forever. Expert testimony and black box data can also help prove that a defect caused the crash.
Multiple parties may be held liable, including:
Your attorney will identify all responsible parties to ensure you recover maximum compensation.
Proving liability in a defective vehicle claim is more complex than standard car accident cases. Not only are you potentially building a case against the other driver, but you’re also building a case against a manufacturer or another party in the supply chain.
However, Nevada’s strict liability doctrine means that you don’t have to prove negligence. You only need to establish that the product was defective and that the defect caused your injuries.
Every case is unique. However, the potential damages in these types of cases are often substantial because multiple parties may be involved and held liable.
Factors such as the severity and permanence of the injuries, the strength of the evidence, and whether the manufacturer had prior knowledge of the defect will affect the value of your case.
Yes. Nevada uses a comparative negligence system (NRS 41.141). Under this rule, you can still recover compensation if you are partly to blame for the crash, as long as your share of the blame is less than 51%.
If you are 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any damages from the other party.
Yes, you can still seek compensation, even if the defect was not discovered until after the accident. In fact, this scenario is more common than most people realize. Vehicle defects are often unknown until a crash reveals the problem. The most important thing is to act quickly once the defect is discovered. The sooner you involve an attorney, the better your chances of preserving the evidence needed to connect the defect to your injuries.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident caused by a defective vehicle, call Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC to explore your options.
Our attorneys have decades of experience and are prepared to take your case to trial if that’s what it takes to protect your rights.
Call (702) 878-2889 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our defective vehicle lawyer.
Being injured by a defective vehicle can be devastating. We can’t make everything better, but we do have the knowledge and skills you need to pursue compensation.