You’re driving and traffic slows down up ahead. You move your foot over and press down on the brake pedal, but it’s not budging. Suddenly, you realize that traffic is at a complete stop and the panic sets in. Frantically, you continue pushing down on the brake, but something is in the way—your floor mat. Somehow it bunched up underneath the floor mat, making it nearly impossible to stop the car in time before an accident. If you get in a car wreck because of a floor mat, who can you file a lawsuit against?
1. Floor Mat Manufacturer
First, you can file a product liability claim against the manufacturer of the floor mats in your vehicle, if there is a defect. That may include the design of the floor mats, making it easy to slip under your brake pedal. Another possible defect may be a lack of fasteners on the floor mats to secure them in place. Generally, floor mats have two or three fasteners to prevent accidents.
2. Car Manufacturer & Dealership
If the floor mats came with the car when you purchased it from the dealership, the car manufacturer or the dealership may be liable for your injuries, depending on who installed the floor mats and if the car manufacturer is different from the floor mat manufacturer.
If you or a loved one was injured due to a floor mat slipping under the brake pedal, contact our Los Angeles product liability attorneys at Shoop | A Professional Law Corporation. Our team can investigate how your car accident occurred to determine whether a design defect caused the wreck. As a result, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, car damage, loss of wages and pain and suffering.
Call (866) 884-1717 or contact us online for a free consultation.