The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating consumer complaints of suspension failure in the 2001 model year Hyundai Santa Fe. Two consumers have reported to the NHTSA that their Santa Fe “nearly rolled over” after their suspension failure, and the NHTSA has received six consumer complains about failed suspension parts in their Hyundai vehicle that say the rear trailing arm has failed because of excessive corrosion. Three people have reported that they lost control of their vehicle while traveling in excess of 55 mph.

          The NHTSA is also holding the Hyundai Sonata under scrutiny because of reports of severe corrosion in the 1999 to 2002 model year vehicles that has lead to suspension failure. These reports include “fist-sized holes in the frame” that can cause the suspension control arm to detach from the vehicle. This can cause “wheel collapse or separation, half shaft detachment resulting in sudden vehicle disablement and or steering anomalies,” according to the NHTSA. The Administration has also received reports of corrosion in the engine cradle and front cross-member. The corrosion has been reported as being discovered during routine maintenance on the vehicles, but a greater number of the complaints “allege that the corrosion was not detected until it resulted in suspension failure” or a wheel came off, according to the NHTSA.

          If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a dangerous vehicle or a wreck, contact the attorneys at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP today, at 1-800-460-0606.

A family in Texas has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against GMC and another woman for a two-car collision that occurred on May 24, 2006 and resulted in the death of a family member. The fatal collision was allegedly caused by a combination of driver negligence and manufacturer negligence for the defective design of the GMC Yukon.

The original report states that the family was driving in their 2002 GMC Yukon on the highway when the defendant allegedly crossed into their lane. The family tried to take evasive action and veered off the highway causing their SUV to roll over. The suit states that although the family in the SUV were wearing their seat belts and were properly restrained, the driver suffered severe head injuries, proving fatal, while the other passenger was seriously injured as the vehicle failed to protect them.

The lawsuit claims that GMC was aware of the design defects of the GMC Yukon, but they did not fix the design or warn customers of the problem. It also states that the family seeks actual damages, which are a result of GMC’s manufacturing defects.

Car wreck attorneys are working on cases where fatality has resulted due to negligence.

A man who lost his son in an SUV roof crush accident in 2003 sought out the assistance of Oklahoma Senator Dr. Tom Coburn. Upon reviewing the evidence supplied by the man, Coburn discussed the issue of roof crush with Senator Mark Pryor, who is the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Automotive Safety. A Senate hearing to discuss the role that roof crush plays in rollover accidents is scheduled for June 4.

Roof crush occurs when the weight of the vehicle exceeds the strength of the roof, cause the roof to collapse during a rollover and crush the occupants. Roof crush can result in serious injuries to the head, neck and spine, often resulting in death. Even though only 3 percent of accidents are rollovers, they have the highest rate of fatality.

Researchers have proposed that stronger roof strength standards could prevent up to 10,000 deaths per year from roof crush during rollovers.

Car wreck attorneys are working on cases in which serious injury has resulted from the negligence of automotive manufacturers.