These days, self-driving cars are all the rage, but what happens when they inflict personal injuries? Will individuals hurt by a self-driving automobile be allowed to sue the business that built it for monetary damages? What happens if a self-driving car collides with a human driver on the way to work?
If you were hurt in such an accident, it’s important that you speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. As mgalaw.com explains, a skilled lawyer can answer your questions and help you navigate the legal system.
Current Law
At this time, the current law regarding self-driving car personal injury lawsuits is governed by two separate topics: product liability and tort law. According to attorney Michael D. Waks, they both differ slightly on how they treat accidents involving self-driving cars, but they agree that the self-driving car owner should be liable if their car’s self-driving technology fails.
Product Liability
According to Seva Law Firm, product liability laws protect consumers from makers of products that have harmful flaws or are otherwise defective. This type of law often requires that the manufacturer of a defective product adhere to safety norms and standards. It holds the manufacturer liable for the consequences of their products if they fail to comply with these obligations.
Toxic Torts
As capazlaw.com explains, toxic torts are also referred to as strict liability torts in some jurisdictions. Specific personal injury lawsuits can be launched against makers, distributors, or sellers of hazardous chemicals and products to get compensation. These are things that are harmful to humans or that can be considered a nuisance and should be eradicated from the market. In most cases, these types of torts are brought to protect persons from the harm caused by poisonous or faulty products that they have purchased.
According to personal injury law, all products must be made reasonably and safely. The manufacturer will certainly be held responsible for the failure of an unsafe product, regardless of the cause. If a product is determined to be defective, the government and others will take legal action against the producer to guarantee that future items are not as dangerous.
What the Law Would Require
Product liability rules are in place for companies to manufacture safe and effective products. This applies not only to the product itself but also to the labeling and conditions surrounding its use. For instance, if a firm develops a product knowing it is defective, it may be held accountable for any injury caused by the error. A corporation could be held accountable for any failure resulting from this oversight if it fails to alert potential buyers of any potential hazards.
At the moment, there aren’t many laws governing the usage of self-driving cars, but this topic will undoubtedly become more prevalent over time. As a result, it’s critical to understand how the law presently handles this issue and how changes in laws will affect how self-driving car incidents are handled.
Taking Precautions
As more self-driving cars are introduced to the market, there will be increased accidents. As a result, you should remember to use caution when using them. This includes policymakers, who should start working now to make self-driving cars as safe as possible. As you self-driving cars, also take precautions to ensure that they drive the safest vehicle possible.