Should I lawyer up?

Printable View

10-11-2011 03:42 PM
nokids

Should I lawyer up?

After my car accident last month I was thinking about writing a letter to Volkswagen because I crashed into the car in front of me, and my airbag didn't go off but my passenger airbag did. Trouble is, no one was in the passenger seat!

I'm glad no one was hurt, but do you think it's worth writing a letter to VW? Should I get a lawyer to write it? I am probably going to replace the car with a new VW, so what do you think a letter will accomplish?

-apology email
-free keychain
-free car
-no response

other?
10-11-2011 04:14 PM
Nat Williams

Should your airbag have deployed? Or is it that the other one did when it shouldn't have?
10-11-2011 04:38 PM
jeffc

maybe in the future you should drive from the passenger seat.

Not sure what a lawyer would accomplish unless you have some sort of ongoing injuries....
10-11-2011 04:55 PM
nokids

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nat Williams

Should your airbag have deployed? Or is it that the other one did when it shouldn't have?

B- my airbag should have deployed but the wrong one deployed.

Car is deemed a total loss so it was serious enough impact.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffc

Not sure what a lawyer would accomplish unless you have some sort of ongoing injuries....

-discount on new VW?
10-11-2011 05:01 PM
Marcos

Pablo, if your car was a newer model and in good order, I would contact DOT. That airbag should have deployed and maybe they have other models that havent. Worth a shot.
They can probably help you out.
Good luck
10-11-2011 05:29 PM
fundonny

We live in Canada. Not the USA. USA, you'd be a millionaire.
10-11-2011 05:39 PM
kilntyme

Quote:

Originally Posted by fundonny

We live in Canada. Not the USA. USA, you'd be a millionaire.

Correction Multi millionaire!!
10-11-2011 08:29 PM
nokids

Thanks for the tip Marcos.
10-12-2011 09:48 AM
Sakuraba

Be careful what you wish for, I've had lots of accident victims suffer fractured forearms and ribs from airbag deployment. Sometimes the airbag doesn't go off because of the nature of the impact. Often you'd be grateful it didn't.
10-14-2011 02:51 PM
PHJ314

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sakuraba

Be careful what you wish for, I've had lots of accident victims suffer fractured forearms and ribs from airbag deployment. Sometimes the airbag doesn't go off because of the nature of the impact. Often you'd be grateful it didn't.

....or people in the car IN FRONT suddenly suing because they have 'a sore neck'
10-23-2011 03:43 PM
Big Johnny69

We do live in Canada, so it's Ministry of Transportation not DOT. And I'm not too sure what contacting the MTO would accomplish. Wouldn't this be better served being reported to some sort of consumer awareness type ministry. If it's a recall type of problem, it would be on a bigger scale, so consumer awareness/protection would probably be the way to go.
10-25-2011 04:06 PM
BogeyGolf

I would not lawyer up, you could spend thousands in legal fees and see nothing at the end, except paying for your court costs and paying the other parties if they are seeking there costs to be covered by you.
10-25-2011 04:49 PM
spackler

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Johnny69

We do live in Canada, so it's Ministry of Transportation not DOT. And I'm not too sure what contacting the MTO would accomplish. Wouldn't this be better served being reported to some sort of consumer awareness type ministry. If it's a recall type of problem, it would be on a bigger scale, so consumer awareness/protection would probably be the way to go.

Might be before your time Geoff but Transport Canada used to be called the Department of Transport (DOT). They have the jurisdiction for car safety standards and will issue safety based recalls and advisories if they become aware of recurring problems in different car makes and models. They encourage people to report incidents like this.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/s...s-index-76.htm
https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur....aspx?lang=eng
10-25-2011 04:56 PM
Break68

Oh my this is getting interesting.
10-25-2011 06:25 PM
Marcos

Quote:

Originally Posted by spackler

Might be before your time Geoff but Transport Canada used to be called the Department of Transport (DOT). They have the jurisdiction for car safety standards and will issue safety based recalls and advisories if they become aware of recurring problems in different car makes and models. They encourage people to report incidents like this.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/s...s-index-76.htm
https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur....aspx?lang=eng

Thanks Dave. I thought I was losing it.When i was working as a mechanic, many moons ago, I would also report different situations to Transport Canada re. safety issues.
Seeing as Geoff works for the Ministry he would know more whats going on these days.I still think the Ministry should be advised as It is a safety issue.