What You Should Know About Volvo Recall for 15,000 Trucks
On September 2, Volvo Trucks North America issued a Volvo truck recall of around 15,000 semi-trucks because of an issue with defective brake pedals. Nearly 42 million personal and commercial vehicles were recalled in 2017 alone, which means that the Volvo recall isn’t too widespread at the moment. If you have been involved in an accident with a commercial truck, it’s important that you understand what this recall entails and how it could apply to your accident.
Why 15,000 Volvo Trucks Are Being Recalled
In accordance with the guidelines by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Volvo Trucks recalled around 15,000 of its 2020-2021 trucks in early September. The models that this recall applies to include VNR, VAH, VNL, and VHD vehicles. The purpose of this recall is to correct an issue with the brake pedal, which heightens the possibility that the vehicle would become inoperable. At this point, getting into an accident would be likely. This accident could damage the vehicle and cause injuries to anyone involved.
The pedal plate that’s at risk of breaking was made from a die casting process. While the plate itself isn’t having issues, the plate could break around one of the primary attachment points, which may result in the dislodging of the brake pedal. Because of this issue, the Volvo truck models mentioned previously don’t comply with the guidelines and requirements that are held by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard in the “Air Brake Systems” section. When the brake pedals become dislodged, the truck in question may not be able to brake properly, which could lead to various types of accidents while on the road.
What a Truck Recall Entails
Starting on October 30, drivers of the aforementioned Volvo truck models will receive notices that a recall is in place for their vehicles. The drivers in question will then be tasked with taking their trucks to a dealer in order to have the brakes inspected. If a problem with the brake pedal is detected, the inspector will replace the pedal for free. There are times when a truck driver will forget to have their truck repaired, which increases the risk that the brake pedal could become dislodged and cause an accident. In this situation, you may have some additional legal options at your disposal.
Possible Effects of Ignoring a Recall
Ignoring a recall can be dangerous to anyone on the road. While the brake pedal problem won’t occur on all recalled vehicles, even a small number of malfunctioning vehicles can lead to numerous accidents and injuries. Keep in mind that a dislodged brake pedal can adversely affect the entire brake system and will increase the risk of an accident. While the reason for the Volvo truck recall to be issued is typically the fault of the manufacturer, this fault only exists with the manufacturer until the end of the recall period. If the brake pedal plates on a vehicle don’t get inspected in time, the driver could be held liable for any accident that occurs as a result of the problem.
Even though the NHTSA places a 10-year statute of limitations for no-charge recall repairs, there can still be legal ramifications when a recall notice has been ignored. While millions of recalls occur every year, many drivers end up ignoring the recall notices they receive. The legal issues of a Volvo truck recall notice being ignored can differ depending on the extent of the accident. If the vehicle was damaged but no injuries occurred, the insurance company of the negligent party would likely pay for the vehicle damage.
The penalties could be more severe if injuries occurred and the brake pedal was identified as the main cause of the accident. In most situations, the insurance company for the responsible driver will cover medical bills for anyone who was injured in the accident. However, medical bills can accrue even with non-serious injuries. Insurance policies only cover a certain amount of medical bills. If you were in an accident with a trucker, and some of your medical expenses and lost wages aren’t covered by the insurance company for the other driver, it’s possible to file a lawsuit against the driver if it can be proven that they ignored a recall notice.
Keep in mind that the legal responsibility for the accident and any injuries that were sustained depends on several different factors. If a recall notice was ignored, the driver would likely be responsible. On the other hand, it’s possible that the vehicle manufacturer never noticed that a part within the vehicle was defective. When this occurs, multiple entities may be liable for the injuries and vehicle damage, the primary of which include part and vehicle manufacturers.
Injured victims in such cases might also have various claims against a dealership, distributors, or retailers. If a part within a vehicle is defective, the manufacturer of the part or vehicle is required to identify the problem with the product, issue recall notices to vehicle owners, and make sure that any future products and parts are safe. If any of these three duties are violated, the manufacturer could be held liable for all injuries caused by the accident, which means that they would likely be required to pay a certain amount of compensation.
How a Trucking Accident Attorney Can Help You
Here at RAM Law, our trucking accident attorneys can handle any case involving a truck driver or manufacturer. No matter the reason for the accident, we can assist you in identifying the ideal legal steps available. Truck accidents occur every day and can be the result of a wide range of issues. When a mistake occurs, our lawyers will provide you with the legal representation needed to build a strong case.
If you sustained injuries as the result of a trucking accident, many factors should be taken into account when identifying possible compensation, legal hurdles, and what happens when your case is taken to court. During this time, it’s important that you’re able to manage your stress levels. To that end, we’ll take care of all of the paperwork and research that’s necessary for your case.
As touched upon previously, multiple entities may be responsible for the accident if it was caused by a defective part in a vehicle. In this situation, our trucking accident attorneys will perform an extensive amount of research to determine the exact cause of the accident. Once the cause has been identified, it will be easier to identify who was at fault. We can also advise you on what your next legal steps should be. Many lawsuits are settled before they ever go to court, which allows both parties to avoid the high expenses that come with taking a case to trial.
The recent Volvo recall should reduce the possibility that one of its trucks will cause an accident. However, the risk is still there until all vehicles have been inspected and repaired. If ever you find yourself in an accident that was caused by a truck, call our New Jersey trucking accident attorney. You can reach our New Brunswick or Somerville office at (732) 394-1549.
