Could I Sue if I am Injured by an Electric Car Fire?

 Posted on August 24, 2023 in Car Accidents

More electric vehicles are hitting the road in Illinois and first responders want to be prepared. Firefighters are finding out that it can take three hours or longer to put out an electric car fire. By 2025 one in ten cars will be electric. Part of the problem is that thousands of gallons of water are needed when an electric car erupts into flames. If you or your loved one suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of an electric car fire, you should try to seek the help of an Illinois personal injury attorney.

Who Can Be Responsible for My Injuries?

Under Illinois law, if things meant to keep you safe do not work, you and your family should get a lawyer to help you get compensation for what happened. Most cars use batteries called lithium-ion. They are different from the old batteries with lead. These new batteries are stronger and can be charged quickly. Inside the battery, there are a lot of tiny parts called cells. If these parts break, the battery can get very hot and start a fire. Firefighters usually cannot put out these fires easily, because they need a lot of water and special tools.

When the battery itself catches fire, it may not be clear who is at fault. Sometimes, the company that built the car or the battery maker could be held responsible if the fire happened and they did something wrong. For instance, if a tiny part inside the battery breaks and causes a fire, the company might need to pay for the harm it caused. Here are a few reasons why these fires could happen:

• Manufacturing defect – when something is wrong with a product that should not be wrong with others like it.

• Design defect – if the way a car is made is risky when you use it normally.

• Negligence – if the driver can prove that the car maker was supposed to make the car safe but did not do it right and the car's battery caught fire.

• Strict Liability – if a product is sold and hurts someone, the company can be held responsible even if they tried to be careful.

Do You Understand How Compensation Works?

Compensation in legal terms means getting money or something valuable to make up for a loss or harm that happened to you. It is like getting a sort of payment to help make things better after something bad or unfair occurs. For example, if you got hurt because of someone else's mistake, you might be compensated with money to cover your medical bills and other troubles you faced because of the injury. It is a way to try to make things fair and help you recover from what went wrong.

Schedule a free consultation with an Elmhurst Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or someone you care about suffers catastrophic injuries as a result of a fire from a hybrid car or its battery, get in touch with a personal injury Cook County attorney from Schwartz Injury Law. They will explain what we can do to try to make things right. Just call 708-888-2160 for a free consultation.