Are You Legally Liable for Accidents Caused by Mechanical Failures on Your Vehicle?

There are many causes of car accidents, and the majority of them involve driver error. However, some accidents are caused by issues a driver can’t control. Namely, mechanical failures. If you were in an accident that occurred because your car malfunctioned, you might not be liable for the collision. With Miami-Dade and Broward County having more accidents than any other Florida counties in 2017, the incident is more common than you might think. Prepare yourself for the situation and learn why you might not be liable for your accident.

Liability for Mechanical Failure

If someone acts negligently or recklessly and causes a car accident, they are liable. Proving that liability can be straightforward. You might have witness testimony that shows the other driver was speeding or a police report that indicates the other driver failed to yield to you.


However, cases that involve mechanical failure tend to be more complex. It’s often difficult to prove who was liable for the accident. Typically, liability comes down to a few key facts.

Who Was Responsible for Maintenance?

If you’re the owner of a vehicle, it’s your responsibility to maintain it. A failure to do so could make you responsible for the accident. For instance, you could fail to change your balding tires. If your tire blows and causes a collision, that collision is your fault. Proper maintenance would have prevented it.


If there’s a maintenance issue of which you are aware, you’re responsible for fixing it. But some issues are unexpected and unpreventable. In this case, you might not be liable.

How Recently You Serviced the Vehicle

Your accident could be the fault of another party. If you recently brought your vehicle in to be serviced, the owner or workers of the shop might be to blame. For example, they might have failed to notice the signs of mechanical failure. They also could have failed to fully repair the problem, which contributed to your accident. In either scenario, they might be liable.

The Design of the Parts

It’s not unheard of for parts manufacturers to poorly design or poorly make parts. If a mechanical failure occurred as a result of a defective part, the manufacturer could be liable for your accident.

Proving Liability

Unfortunately, you need to fight to prove that you are not the cause of the accident. Typically, insurance companies try to avoid liability. They don’t want to pay out, and they could try to pin the blame on you. Therefore, you should consider working with an attorney. They can take on the insurance company or other liable parties.


Depending on your situation, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against the negligent party. For example, a faulty brake manufacturer could be on the receiving end of a lawsuit. Poorly designed wiper blades might impair your visibility and leave you vulnerable to an accident. The company that designed the blades could be held accountable.


It all hinges on a personal injury claim. For you to have a successful claim, you need to be able to meet a few requirements:

Someone Else Acted in a Negligent Way

The first basic requirement of any personal injury claim is negligence. For you to have a case, another party needed to act negligently. This could mean failing to do their job correctly, failing to test a product, or failing to warn you of an issue.

The Negligence Caused the Accident

You also need evidence that their negligence caused the accident. For example, your car could have faulty brakes. But if your accident was not affected by the brakes, then you don’t have a case.

You Have Injuries or Property Damage

In order to sue someone for your accident, you need to have injuries or property damage. If you or a loved one experienced injuries in a car accident, you can contact 1800 injured to learn how to find an attorney.


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