Closeup of speedometer

General Motors Has Set A New Precedence For Auto Recalls This Year

General Motors (GM) has set a new precedence for auto recalls this year, as the first cavalcade of auto recalls quickly turned the safety notices into background noise ignored by many of the effected car owners. GM started the avalanche on February 2014, when they announced that they had to fix a fatally flawed ignition […]

White car crash

Vehicular Homicide

Several states have laws referred to as an assault by auto or vehicular homicide as it is considered in Illinois. As the driver of a truck, there is a lot of responsibility; the greatest concern is safety and keeping fatigued drivers off the highway and freeways. There are regulations for when and how long a […]

Man driving in the city

Illinois Court Addresses Expert Testimony in Auto Defect Case

Is the plaintiff required to offer expert testimony in an Illinois automobile products liability design defect case? In a recent case from the United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, the plaintiffs asserted that expert testimony was not required to prove their claim that a 1993 Ford Explorer was defectively designed and overturned easily because […]

White pickup truck

Ford’s Recall of Trucks with Defective Fuel Tank

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on July 29, 2011 that Ford is recalling 1.1 million pickup trucks due to defective fuel tanks. Reports have indicated that prolonged exposure to road deicing chemicals may cause severe corrosion of the fuel tank straps that secure the tank to the vehicle, allowing the fuel lines […]

Blue car on side of highway

Stimpson v. Ford: Judge Orders New Trial Based on Ford’s Misconduct at Trial

A circuit court judge in Florida recently set aside a jury verdict in favor of Ford Motor Co., finding that Ford’s misconduct had amounted to a fundamental error that deprived plaintiffs of a fair trial and justified a new trial. The lawsuit alleged that plaintiffs’ Aerostar van suddenly accelerated during gear engagement and traveled more […]

Steering wheel

New California Rental Car Recall Bill First of its Kind

In past posts, we’ve reported that rental car agencies regularly lease recalled cars without fixing the underlying safety issue behind the recall. There have been a number of attempts to fix this problem. First, in August of 2010, two consumer groups filed a joint petition with the FTC, asking that the FTC investigate the situation […]

Baby in a car seat

Are Children’s Car Seats Safe?

According to recent reports, it’s unclear whether car seats are safe. Current testing methods for car seats are inadequate and based on insufficient test data. Nevertheless, despite questionable data, new standards are being issued. However, the reliability and accuracy of the new standards is remains to be seen. For example, the National Highway Safety Traffic […]

Driving in the evening

Malfunctioning Car Seat Heaters Can Pose a Serious Threat

Malfunctioning car seat heaters are an increasing problem, especially for paralyzed individuals. People with limited or no feeling in their lower extremities can unknowingly suffer severe burns when car seat heaters overheat. For these people, this issue is a matter of serious concern. As reported in this USA Today article, a 2003 study highlighted the […]

Vehicle crash test

Motor Vehicle Safety Act May Be Closer to Implementation

Chicago Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney Illinois Personal Injury Attorney The Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 was introduced in May 2010 following a series of Toyota recalls caused by an unintended acceleration defect. The bill is designed to improve vehicle safety standards in order protect drivers, enhance the oversight authority and resources of the National […]