A poorly maintained car is a legal risk. When vehicles aren’t serviced properly, the consequences can extend far beyond the driver. Failing brakes, worn tires, broken headlights, or ignored warning lights can all contribute to severe crashes, and in many cases, injured victims have the right to seek compensation.
Here’s what drivers and injury victims should understand about how negligent vehicle maintenance can lead to personal injury claims.
What Is Considered Negligent Maintenance?
Drivers in California have a legal responsibility to maintain their vehicles in a safe condition. When they ignore that duty by skipping critical repairs, using faulty replacement parts, or driving despite obvious safety issues, they may be held liable if their car causes harm.
Some common examples of negligent maintenance can include:
- Driving on under-inflated tires
- Failing to repair worn brake pads or malfunctioning brake systems
- Ignoring steering or suspension issues
- Allowing oil leaks or engine issues to go unaddressed
- Driving with non-working headlights, taillights, or windshield wipers
- Continuing to use a car after known safety recalls
- Ignoring a cracked windshield
In certain cases, liability may also fall on mechanics, dealerships, or even the car manufacturers themselves, particularly when a repair was done incorrectly or a dangerous defect was hidden.
How Negligent Maintenance Causes Accidents
Mechanical failure isn’t always apparent until it’s too late. Some of the most catastrophic crashes stem from gradual wear and tear that could have been prevented. When critical systems break down mid-drive, drivers lose control, and nearby pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists pay the price.
Negligent maintenance has been linked to a wide range of crashes, including:
- Rear-end collisions from failed brakes
- Tire blowouts leading to rollovers or multi-car accidents
- Reduced visibility from worn wipers or dead headlights
- Cracked windshields obstructing visibility and increasing the risk of collisions
- Engine stalls in high-speed traffic
- Fluid leaks causing fires or spin-outs
- Faulty defrosters impairing driver vision in critical moments
Victims in these crashes may suffer scrapes, broken bones, brain injuries, burns, or worse, many of which fall under personal injury law in California.
Who Can Be Held Responsible?
While the driver of the poorly maintained vehicle is often the most obvious defendant or responsible party, they’re not always the only one. Responsibility may also extend to:
- Vehicle owners, for knowingly putting an unsafe car on the road
- Employers, if the car was a work vehicle or part of a company fleet
- Mechanics or auto shops, if a recent repair was done incorrectly
- Manufacturers, in cases of hidden defects or faulty parts
- Rental companies, if the car was leased out in an unsafe condition
Similar to vacation rental injuries or workplace slip-and-falls, these cases often hinge on whether someone had a duty to maintain a safe environment and whether they failed to meet that duty. As determining fault can be complex, it is always best to consult a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles for guidance in filing your claim to ensure all parties are held accountable.
What to Do After an Accident Involving a Poorly Maintained Vehicle
If you were injured in a crash and suspect that negligent maintenance played a role, here are a few steps you can take immediately to protect your claim:
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if your injuries seem minor.
- Request a copy of the police report, and make sure the vehicle’s condition is documented.
- Take photos of all visible damage, skid marks, fluids on the road, or failing parts.
- Identify any witnesses who saw the crash or the vehicle’s behavior beforehand.
- Do not make assumptions about fault. Contact personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles before saying or agreeing to anything.
Even when the cause isn’t apparent, Los Angeles personal injury lawyers can uncover hidden evidence through subpoenas, expert inspections, and repair records. This is especially important when mechanical failure might not show up in an initial accident report.
Contact the Best Personal Injury Lawyer – Los Angeles and Surrounding Regions
John J. Perlstein, known as the best wrongful death attorney (Los Angeles), knows that personal injury cases often come down to the small details. He will collaborate with crash experts, mechanics, and investigators to determine whether negligent maintenance contributed to your injuries and identify who should be held accountable.
He has successfully handled complex cases involving everything from auto negligence to defective products, natural disaster claims, and mediation for high-stakes personal injury cases, taking more cases to trial than any of his peers.
If your injuries were the result of someone else’s failure to maintain their vehicle, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We can help you fight for it.
Contact us at (213) 583-5786 or fill out the form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation with our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers. We’ll help you explore your legal options and take the next step with confidence.