“STAR TREK” ACTOR KILLED IN JEEP ACCIDENT

Anton Yelchin, best known for his portrayal of Pavel Chekov in the new “Star Trek” movie series, was killed when his Jeep SUV rolled down his driveway pinning him to a brick post. His 2015 Grand Jeep Cherokee was part of a massive recall by Fiat Chrysler of more than 1.1 million vehicles due to a defective gear shift.

E-shift Being Blamed for More 100 Crashes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler regarding a problem with its E-shift gear shifters.

To date, the NHTSA has received 314 complaints including 30 injuries and 121 crashes linked to the transmissions. Drivers are confused by the Monostable shifter because the shifter “provides poor tactile and visual feedback to the driver, increasing the potential for unintended gear selection.” The E-shift gear selector returns to the upright position after the driver places the vehicle in gear.  In other words, the driver believes the vehicle is in park when it is actually in another gear. This is one possibility that investigators are considering as a factor in Yelchin’s death.

At this time, an official recall notice has not been issued; however, the vehicles expected to be included in the recall are the 2012 – 2014 Dodge Chargers, 2012 – 2014 Chrysler 300 sedans, and the 2014 – 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs. Later vehicle models have a different gear shifter in part because of the confusion linked with the E-shifters. The vehicle manufacturer intends to enhance warnings and make other changes in new models to prevent future problems with the E-shifter.

When replacement parts become available, Fiat Chrysler will send owners an official recall notice to schedule free repairs with their dealerships.

Damages In a Product Liability Case

When a defective product, including a vehicle, causes harm to a person, the liable party is responsible for the accident victim’s damages and losses. In the case of a defective car, one or more parties could be liable for injuries including but not limited to the designer, manufacturer, dealer, and repair shops.

In order to determine who is at fault, an experienced product liability attorney conducts a thorough investigation before filing a claim. Proving fault and naming all of the responsible parties is key to obtaining compensation for the accident victim. Compensation may include:

• Lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and other income benefits
• Medical expenses including ongoing costs, medical treatments, and personal care
• Property damage
• Cremation, burial, and/or funeral expenses
• Physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life, support, guidance, and affection

You may entitled to other damages depending on the facts of your specific case.

Sacramento Defective Product Attorneys

If you have been injured by a defective product, contact the product liability attorneys of the Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000.  You can also chat with a representative on our website to obtain additional information. Our attorneys offer a free initial consultation and case evaluation; therefore, it does not cost you anything to get the facts about your legal rights and your options if you are injured by a defective product.