Legal Question in Consumer Law in Pennsylvania
Airbag deployment
I was in an accident on sunday morning where a guy flew a red light and we t-boned him going about 30 mph in a Chevy Aveo. The airbags never delpoyed. I was the passenger, my friend was driving. She's got a bruise on the head and I've got scrapes along my shins as well as a shoulder bruise.
Are we entitled to sue GM for them not going off? Should we write them and inform them of the problem?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Airbag deployment
First, airbags use to go off too easily, so the front bag trigger has been adjusted so they do not go off unless there is a sudden change in forward velosity, so we don't know if the bags/trigger is defective yet. This change occured because people get hurt by the bags going off, and they cost lots-o-money to replace ($500-$1K each). So you do not want them going off unless the injuries they inflict are less than they injuries they prevent! Same goes for side bags, but the Aveo does not come with side bags, so that's moot.
Next, sue GM? First you would need to prove that you suffered injuries you would not have if the bags had deployed. It sound like that is not the case here. Second, you need expensive experts to show that, so unless you are talking about SIGNIFICANT injuries, you can not justify a law suit. It does not sound like your injuries are significant.
Now, the really bad news... even if you were significantly hurt, you still may not find an atty to file suit for you... Why? Because Geo. Bush LIES when he says we need "tort reform". They have already castrated the legal system, and they want to make it damn near impossible for people to sue, except for catastrophic injuries.
The cards are stacked against you and me, yet THE PEOPLE THAT OWN THE NEWS tell you what they want you to believe, and YES, people do own the news, they are the big business people that own the stations, papers and magazines.
You can have $100,000 in damages, or be permanantly injured, be prohibited form doing the things you love (riding my motorcycle, holding a child, running, playing B-ball or softball, dancing, etc.), and not be able to find a lawyer to help you. Why? Because the costs to bring your suit have been forced up, and the rules and caselaw is stacked against the little guy. Sorry - we've all been F'd, but the people let it happen because people believe that they are told without asking anyquestions! People assume the things they are told are true... We sit back and say, "how can those Muslims be so stupid", to believe that we are in Iraq to kill muslims and burning down their mosques, or that military aircraft with no passengers flew into the twin towers, or "how can those North Koreans be so stupid", to believe that Ill Kim Jong is a god! He's obviously an angry small dicked Korean with lifts in his shoes and a BAD haircut.
I just wish people would question where their information comes from, and what interests the people feeding that information have, BEFORE they believe what they hear. And do NOT believe that any change that occurs is actually designed to benefit the common guy until you verify it. Usually, if something does benefit the common folk, it's just a "positive side effect" of something that benefits big business.
Sorry if I sound jaded... I hope you and your friend recover quickly. DO contact GM (who knows, if there IS a defect, they may give you something - another Aveo? a discount on another GM car?).