Pickup Crashes Into Howe Avenue Diner, Causing Injuries
A vehicle crashed into Mel’s Diner in Sacramento on November 27, causing four injuries, with two people being transported to a hospital. The accident occurred on Howe Avenue when a driver with his wife lost control of their Dodge Ram. The driver said he realized there was a problem with the vehicle once he started the engine. When he did so, he said the pickup jumped, and he couldn’t stop it.
Vehicle Jumps Curb and Crashes, Injuring Four
The vehicle jumped up on a cement curb before it crashed into the diner. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a family was in the process of settling the bill for their meal when the pickup crashed into the front door. The husband managed to push their son away but took the brunt of the trauma from the pickup himself. Although it isn’t believed that alcohol consumption contributed to the vehicle crash, authorities are investigating to determine the cause.
Auto Defects That Lead to a Vehicle Crash
Sticking accelerators in pickups have been an ongoing problem for years. Over the years, there have been large recalls of Chevy and GMC pickups for exhibiting this problem. In 2020, Fiat Chrysler recalled over 186,000 Dodge Rams because of an issue with the floor mats that could result in the gas pedal getting stuck. This caused the driver of the vehicle to be unable to decelerate. In addition, recalls have been issued by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration in the past year or two that involved the following:
- Lack of a retaining clip on the master cylinder in some 2020 and 2021 Ram 1500 Classic SLTs that caused separation of the brake from the system, increasing the risk of a collision
- 2019 recall of 2019 Ram 1500s and Jeep Wranglers because of poorly machined shafts on the steering column that might cause the steering wheel to become detached
- A 2019 recall of adjustable pedal 2019 Ram 1500s due to the potential of brake separation
- A 2018 recall of all types of 2017 and 2018 model Rams due to a faulty column shifter that could shift the transmission into any gear without using the brake or even having the key in the ignition
Filing a Product Liability Claim in a Vehicle Crash
First of all, when injuries occur in a vehicle crash because of a defective auto part, it is important to retain the vehicle. In this way, it can be inspected by engineers to determine if a defect in the auto led to or contributed to the accident. An injury lawyer can help you file a product liability claim against the parts maker, manufacturer and others in the production line. In filing a product liability claim in California, it does not have to be shown that negligence was involved, only that the vehicle was used as intended and no alterations were made to the defective part.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Defective parts in a motor vehicle can have devastating consequences not only to those riding inside but to innocent bystanders. For free and friendly advice on whether you can recover compensation, call us at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. Sending us an online message is also an option.
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Many Northern Californians have relied on our injury lawyers over the years to obtain compensation following an accident. Below are a few of the cases we have handled:
Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
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