Atlanta Auto Defect Attorneys Helping People Nationwide Who Have Been Injured By a Jeep Fire
Severe Burn Injuries Caused by Jeep Grand Cherokee Fires
Jeep is the oldest brand of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) available in the United States. Available to consumers in 1945 after wide use by the Army during World War II, one would think the auto manufacturer has had plenty of time to work out any serious or potentially fatal auto defects in more recent models.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 51 people have been killed in fatal Jeep fires after a rear-end collision with a Liberty or Grand Cherokee.
Did a Jeep fire cause serious burn injuries to your loved one? Did you lose a loved one in a fatal vehicle accident after a Jeep started on fire? Contact the Atlanta auto defect lawyers at the Georgia-based law firm of Butler Prather LLP today for a free consultation or call (800) 242-2962.
A Recall Of Some, But Not All, Dangerous Jeep Vehicles
On June 3, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommended that Chrysler initiate a voluntary recall of 2.7 million vehicles that were vulnerable to post-collision fires. The NHTSA identified the following Jeep auto defects that increase the risk of fire:
- A performance defect: Because of the placement and exposure of the fuel tank, a rear-end collision could puncture it, causing gas to leak and creating the potential for a fuel-fed fire and serious or fatal injuries.
- A design defect: Mounting the fuel tank behind the rear axle and in front of the rear bumper resulted in partially exposing the tank and leaving it vulnerable to impact in a rear-end crash.
On June 18, Chrysler agreed to a scaled-down recall of only 1.56 million vehicles. The recall involves an inspection of the affected models and the installation of a rear-towing package – essentially a trailer hitch – to offer added protection to an exposed plastic fuel tank. The vehicles identified by Chrysler as part of this recall include:
- 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty
Chrysler excluded 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees from its recall, leaving out just over one million dangerous and defective Chrysler vehicles identified as susceptible to fuel-fed fires by the NHTSA.
The proposed trailer hitch is nothing more than a band-aid for a serious and fatal auto defect. According to Chrysler, the hitch will do nothing to improve safety in high-speed collisions and according to the Center for Auto Safety the hitch system leaves the fuel tank vulnerable to rear-end collisions that happen at an angle.
Jeep Fuel-Fed Fires Have Serious Consequences
The fire risk caused by the defective fuel system in the Jeep Cherokee and Liberty SUVs can turn a fender-bender into a serious or even fatal auto accident. Serious burn injuries, smoke inhalation and even death may have been avoidable but for the defective design.
At Butler Prather LLP, our auto defect attorneys have already sued Chrysler, Jeep and other automakers for manufacturing the dangerous and defective vehicles. The firm represents the family of a four-year-old boy who was killed in a post-collision Jeep fire. Witnesses were unable to save the boy from the fuel-fed fire after the Grand Cherokee in which he was riding exploded into flames.
We have the experience and the resources to effectively handle your defective fuel tank lawsuit, whether you are here in Georgia or elsewhere in the United States. Even if your Jeep was not involved in the Chrysler recall, you may still have a legal claim if a fuel system fire erupted after a collision.
Contact Butler Prather LLP Today If You Were Injured In an Atlanta, GA Jeep Fire
Whether you are the owner of a defective Jeep SUV, a passenger or were in another vehicle that collided with a defective Liberty or Grand Cherokee, you may have an Atlanta product liability or wrongful death case against Chrysler, Jeep’s manufacturer. Anywhere in the United States, our Georgia-based law firm is ready to help you fight back when a dangerous design causes serious or fatal injuries to you or your family.
Call (800) 242-2962 today or contact our firm online to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Atlanta, GA Jeep fire attorney.