Defective Automobiles and Tires

SMB is a nationally recognized firm that represents victims injured by defectively designed and manufactured cars and automotive equipment. Automakers are expected to design cars to prevent crashes and to eliminate or minimize occupant injury if an accident happens. The producers of automotive equipment, such as tires, should be selling only those products capable of withstanding the many environments and uses that we all encounter on America’s roadways.

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Given the importance of driver and passenger safety, manufacturers are required by law to thoroughly and rigorously test product designs and evaluate production methods before selling vehicles and tires to the public.

We demand that automotive equipment manufacturers put safety first ahead of their production schedules and profits.

David L. Kwass

Unmatched Experience

SMB has been a champion of consumers’ rights for decades and has successfully held car and automotive equipment manufacturers responsible for defective products, including cases involving:

  • Seatback failures
  • Ruptured gasoline tanks
  • Inadequate seat belts
  • Tire failures
  • Vehicle instability
  • Roof and door crushes
  • Airbag non-deployments
  • Inadequate tractor-trailer underride protection

Automotive defect cases are challenging, data-intensive, and complex. SMB’s attorneys work closely with engineers of various disciplines to reconstruct accidents and prove that the product failures caused the specific injuries suffered by our clients. The product design and testing process should uncover defects and hazards that automakers and vehicle equipment manufacturers are required to eliminate or guard against. Unfortunately, manufacturers typically blame drivers even in situations where the producers had prior knowledge of the vehicle’s or equipment’s design problems. SMB’s thorough investigations during each case’s discovery process can determine exactly who knew what and when.

Unmatched Results

SMB has secured verdicts and settlements totaling hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients around the country injured by defective vehicles and automotive equipment:

  • $2,125,000 for the family of a young father whose car did not have side airbags because they were optional equipment
  • $2,950,000 settlement stemming from inadequate seat and seat belt design
  • $3,000,000 for the families of school children ejected from a van during a rollover
  • $3,500,000 for the victim of an inadequate side airbag deployment
  • $4,850,000 for the victim of a tractor rollover
  • $10,000,000 for the injured victim of van equipped with an airbag deactivation switch
  • $21,000,000 for the victim of tire failure and the resulting SUV rollover

Unmatched Compensation

SMB casts a wide net for potential defendants in defective vehicle and component cases. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers, maintenance, and repair service providers—and any other company in the chain of commerce—can be liable for injuries arising from defective products. If you have been injured in a car crash or other incident involving a vehicle, or a family member has been injured or killed in a crash or accident, SMB can investigate whether defective or faulty design of the vehicle or one of its components caused or worsened the injuries. SMB is committed to obtaining the justice and compensation that the victims of defective vehicle and component design deserve.

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