Cars have hundreds of parts that could potentially contribute to serious injury or wrongful death in automobile accidents, and even the simplest of design defects can lead to a car accident.
Our Santee car accident lawyers know that nothing is made perfectly. Auto accidents are caused by design defects every year, but what is frustrating is that many of these imperfections could be avoided if car manufacturers did not rush to place potentially unsafe cars on sale for consumers in order to gain a profit.
Unfortunately that was the case in recent San Diego car accident news when an off-duty California highway patrol officer and his family died in a car accident when the accelerator on the Lexus they were in reportedly got stuck.
UPDATE: Toyota has finally issued a recall for the defective accelerators.
Tragically officer Mark Saylor of Chula Vista, his 45- year-old wife, Cleofe; their 13-year-old daughter Mahala Saylor and the officer’s brother-in-law, 38-year-old Chris Lastrella, all suffered wrongful deaths in the fatal car accident.
Someone believed to be Saylor’s wife called 911 to report that the car’s accelerator was stuck, but it was too late. The Lexus clipped a Ford Explorer, smashed through a fence and hit an embankment, which launched it into the bed of the San Diego River, where it burst into flames. Both vehicles had been going north on 125 in Santee, and the driver of Explorer was trying to turn left when it was struck from behind.
The 2009 Lexus ES 350 was a loaner that CHP Officer Saylor was given after he dropped his vehicle off for service.
While it is not known why the accelerator may have gotten stuck or what exactly the problem was with the Lexus, design defects are one of the top causes of car accidents.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident, hiring an experienced car accident lawyer can help ease any pain and suffering you may be going through, as well as helping you find a way to pay the medical bills, which tend to pile up in accidents like these.
Call us now at 1-800-655-6585 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer to find out how we may help you. We look forward to providing good advice to help you make smart decisions about your case in either English or Spanish. No fee if no recovery.
About Michael PinesMichael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.
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Tags: design defect, Santee, wrongful death
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[...] Mark Saylor was traveling in a loaner Lexus given to him by the mechanic shop where he left his car for repairs. It is reported that he was traveling with his wife Cleofe Saylor, 13-year old daughter Mahala Saylor and his brother-in-law Chis Lastrella. All people traveling in that car died when their vehicle began traveling out of control down the freeway when their accelerator stuck. They clipped another vehicle, slammed through a fence, and landed in the bank of the San Diego River in which their car exploded. This will prove to be an interesting case considering Mr. Saylor is trained in evasive maneuvers and advanced vehicle tactics. The questions will rise as to weather there is actually anything that can possibly be done when the accelerator sticks. If not the settlements here could get completely out of control. Bulent Ezal and his wife were driving in their Toyota Camry when he says it suddenly took off, causing them to plunge over this 100 foot cliff into the Pacific ocean. His wife died in the accident. (ABC News) [...]