Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Seven people were injured in a one-car traffic accident near Jefferson City, Missouri. Allegedly the car ran off the left side of the road and struck an embankment. Of the seven occupants, three were not wearing seat belts; all went to the hospital.

Although this particular single car accident was not found to have occurred because of a car defect, many one-car accidents deal with cars that have defective brakes or tires.

Often times, lawsuits ensue after someone has purchased a used car with unknown defects that become apparent during an automobile accident. When a car accident occurs because of a defective used car, the car dealer's knowledge of such defect is typically assessed to determine if they could be found at fault or liable for resulting injuries.

The American Jurisprudence discusses the liability of a used car dealer for personal injuries or property damage suffered because of the dealer's sale of a defective used car.

An action to recover damages for injuries resulting from a defective used car purchased from a dealer is subject to the same basic rules generally applied in other products liability actions. Thus, such claims against used car dealers may be based on such theories as negligence, breach of warranty, strict liability, or fraud or misrepresentation. The first three theories are the most common bases for recovery, but all have been used in actions against used car dealers involving the defective condition of such items as accelerators, brakes, steering mechanisms, tires, and other parts and accessories.