Automotive Product Liability Lawyer Speaks Out About Chrysler Bankruptcy
In the last few weeks, two major U.S. automobile manufacturers filed for bankruptcy protection, namely GM and Chrysler. Last week Federal Bankruptcy Court stated that product liability suits against the “old Chrysler” be wiped out as the new company would have no further responsibility for injury and wrongful death claims linked to automotive defects and product liability on cars sold by the “old Chrysler.”
Since 1979, the Philadelphia product liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have represented individuals and the families of individuals who have been killed and catastrophically injured as a result of design defects of automobiles produced by these manufacturers. I had first hand experiences with families who have lost their sole means of support or with individuals who require life time medical treatment who now potentially have the inability to collect monetary compensation and are unable to sustain themselves or pay for necessary medical treatment. We have been able to successfully prove in the past that all of the major automobile manufacturers were aware of various and numerous risks associated with these design defects and although a cheap fix was available many times the manufacturers put profits over consumer safety. We have interviewed ex-employees from the manufacturers who have come forward to express the knowledge that many of the vehicles on the road today are unsafe for real world conditions. It is estimated that the Chrysler Corporation currently faces approximately $600,000,000 in liability claims which are in jeopardy. My understanding is that the new corporation has agreed to honor consumer rights such as warranty and lemon law claims. They will have no further responsibility for injury and wrongful death claims linked to product liability defects in cars sold by the old company.
The consumer safety and product liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily join with other trial lawyers in the United States to fight for the rights of injured consumers and seek compensation for the victims who deserve it the most.
