Nationwide Car Structural Defect Lawyers

Representing Victims Injured by Serious Structural Collapse During an Accident

When a vehicle falls apart like this minivan did during a side impact, occupants are at extreme risk of serious injury or death.

A safe vehicle design should minimize passenger compartment intrusion in case of an accident. While seatbelts can keep occupants tied to their seats, they may still collide with vehicle elements that deform during a crash. Structural defects like these open up automakers to liability after an accident, and you should take action if you were injured.

Catastrophic injuries have lifelong consequences that can cause emotional and financial strain for you and your family. We want to help you file for fair compensation to meet your needs. Our attorneys have been serving the victims of auto defects since 1969. Let us put our experience to work for you.

Call The Gilbert Law Group® to schedule a free consultation with one of our car structural defect attorneys at (888) 711-5947. We serve clients throughout the nation.

What Causes Structural Defects?

In order to meet fuel efficiency regulations, car manufacturers are under intense pressure to decrease vehicle weight. Too often, this has led to manufacturers cutting corners at the expense of safety.

For example, some automakers frequently use lower gauges of steel for structural members like the body pillars, windshield header, and roof components. The weakness this introduces into a car’s structure can be compounded by cost-cutting practices. To cut down on expensive welds, many car manufacturers have begun to rely on an industrial form of glue called “structural adhesive.” Needless to say, even strong glue cannot match the strength of a traditional weld. This combination of weaker components and a weaker hold can result in structural collapse in serious car accidents.

Most importantly, these added dangers are preventable. Manufacturers can save weight without sacrificing structural integrity by substituting high-strength steel in place of the low-carbon steel typically used by U.S. automakers. While slightly more expensive, high-strength steel is lighter and stronger, meaning it can help automakers meet fuel efficiency requirements without creating safety risks.

Our In-House State-of-the-Art Engineering Team

When it comes to structural defects, it’s important to be able to clearly demonstrate how a car’s build was defective—and how a better construction could have kept you safer in an accident. In our engineering exploration of alternative design, a computer program called LS-Dyna allows us to create visual aides including comparison videos to emphasize the benefits of proper welds and steel grades.

This comparison shows the difference in survival space between the two scenarios. In some cases, merely inches make the difference between a catastrophicor a minor injury.

Read about our other indispensable engineering tools.

Contact our team at (888) 711-5947 if you believe a structural auto defect contributed to your injuries in an accident. We have helped clients recover close to $1 billion.