Understanding Unintended Acceleration Accidents and Your Legal Options
When a vehicle suddenly surges forward without warning, the results can be catastrophic. Unintended acceleration incidents have injured thousands of drivers and passengers across the nation, often resulting from hidden mechanical or electronic defects that manufacturers failed to address. These terrifying events leave victims facing serious injuries, property damage, and mounting medical bills while struggling to understand what went wrong.
What Causes Unintended Acceleration?
Modern vehicles rely on complex electronic throttle control systems that replace traditional mechanical linkages. When these systems malfunction, cars can accelerate dangerously without driver input. Common causes include faulty throttle position sensors, defective electronic control modules, sticky accelerator pedals, and problematic floor mat designs that trap pedals in depressed positions.
Software glitches within engine control units have also emerged as significant contributors. These digital systems manage throttle response, and programming errors can create scenarios where the vehicle misinterprets signals or fails to respond to brake commands. Manufacturing defects during assembly, such as improperly installed components or substandard materials, add another layer of risk.
Establishing Manufacturer Liability
Product liability law holds automotive manufacturers responsible when defective vehicles cause harm. Victims pursuing compensation must demonstrate that a design flaw, manufacturing error, or inadequate warning created an unreasonably dangerous condition. Unlike typical negligence cases, these claims focus on the product itself rather than driver behavior.
Manufacturers have legal obligations to design safe vehicles, implement rigorous testing protocols, and issue timely recalls when defects surface. When companies prioritize profits over safety by delaying recalls or concealing known issues, they face heightened liability. Internal documents revealing awareness of problems before accidents occurred can prove particularly damaging during litigation.
Uncontrolled acceleration, also called unexplained acceleration or sudden acceleration, describes a dangerous situation where a vehicle speeds up without any action by the driver.
In recent years, a large number of accidents and resulting injuries and deaths have been attributed to the unintended acceleration of a car. Sudden acceleration accidents may involve the simultaneous failure of a vehicle’s acceleration and brake systems.
While injuries accumulate, and consumer safety experts raise concerns about keeping roadways safe, auto manufacturers have regularly deflected accountability and blamed drivers themselves for accidents. Some car companies have not admitted to any design or mechanical defect, however these terrifying instances continue to occur.
If you were involved in an accident after your car suddenly accelerated for no reason, you may be able to take legal action and file a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
With a personal injury and product liability lawsuit, you can potentially recover full compensation to cover medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, and loss of potential earnings.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Catastrophic Injury and product liability lawyer, with years of experience investigating the causes of serious auto accidents, and settling sudden acceleration accident claims nationwide.
In some cases, drivers complain of engines revving up when brakes were applied. Companies recalled many vehicles and examined electronic software.
In other cases, the plastic pad beneath the driver’s side floor mat interfered with the accelerator pedal and may have caused it to become stuck in an accelerated position.
As modern vehicles are made with more software-driven features, the possibility that computer systems conceal defects is a real concern. Auto manufacturers are often focused on innovation as a first priority instead of safety, and do not always test vehicle components properly. Some discovered design and manufacturing defects in uncontrolled acceleration accidents may involve the following:
- Pedal misapplication
- Unresponsive (entrapped) pedals
- Floor mat interference
- Sticky Pedals
- Cruise control malfunction
- Stuck throttle
The Investigation Process
Building a strong case requires thorough investigation beyond standard accident reconstruction. Attorneys work with automotive engineers and electronics specialists who examine vehicle systems to identify specific failure points. These experts download data from event recorders, analyze control module programming, and conduct physical inspections of mechanical components.
Obtaining maintenance records helps establish that the vehicle received proper care and that defects existed independent of owner negligence. Attorneys also research recall histories, technical service bulletins, and complaints filed with safety regulators to identify patterns suggesting widespread problems. This evidence becomes crucial when demonstrating that manufacturers knew or should have known about dangerous defects.
ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
NO COST UNLESS WE WIN
The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.
Why Choose The Lyon Firm for Your Unintended Acceleration Case
The Lyon Firm brings specialized experience handling complex product liability claims against automotive manufacturers. Our legal team understands the technical aspects of vehicle electronic systems and has established relationships with top-tier expert witnesses who can effectively explain defects to judges and juries. We invest significant resources into investigating each case, obtaining critical evidence that strengthens our clients’ positions.
Our attorneys have successfully represented numerous victims in defective vehicle cases, recovering substantial compensation for injuries and losses. We handle cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients pay no upfront costs and fees come only from settlements or verdicts we secure. This arrangement allows injured parties to pursue justice without financial barriers.
We recognize that every case involves unique circumstances and devastating personal impacts. Our client-focused approach ensures victims receive personalized attention and regular communication throughout the legal process. From initial consultation through final resolution, The Lyon Firm provides dedicated advocacy, fighting tirelessly to hold negligent manufacturers accountable and help families rebuild after traumatic accidents.