Recalls for automobile parts are more common than most people probably think. In April of 2012, for instance, there were 4 recalls of motor vehicle parts according to the NHTSA, and that’s only counting tires. Other items that were recalled include trailer axels, bulb and bearing assemblies, rims, brakes and many other items. There are plenty of instances when these recalls don’t get issued in time and when someone ends up getting injured as a result.

Finding Recalls

You can find recall information at Recalls.gov, which will lead you to the agencies responsible for issuing those recalls. These sites have detailed information on them but, the fact remains, most people aren’t going to get up every day and check to see which vehicles or parts have been recalled. Oftentimes, the manufacturer ends up notifying the persons affected.

Getting a Fix

Most of the time, vehicles with defective parts will be fixed for free by the manufacturer. There are rare cases where the vehicle has to be refunded in full, but most manufacturers will offer the free fix. If you have a vehicle that was subject to a recall, remember that you cannot sell it unless it is fixed. It’s illegal to sell any item that is subject to a recall.

Unfortunately, the problems that recalled vehicles cause oftentimes go way beyond financial problems. In some cases, they result in people being hurt or even killed. In such instances, contacting an attorney is advisable. Whether or not an item was eventually recalled, the manufacturer still may be held liable for any damages it caused anyone before it was actually taken off of the market.

Contacting an Attorney

If you were injured because of a defective car part, whether or not it was recalled, contact an attorney. Recalls happen when the manufacturers find out a problem but, unfortunately, that is not always before there is an accident involving their defective car part. Simply because you are the first person to be injured by a defective car part doesn’t mean that the car part wasn’t to blame.

Contact an attorney for a consultation. Some recalled motor vehicle parts aren’t even recalled at all until someone files a lawsuit. There have been instances of auto companies being very cynical and figuring out whether selling a defective product would be worth it, even with the lawsuits. Talk to an attorney to make sure you weren’t the victim of that kind of thinking.