Aftermarket Vehicles and Modified Vehicles

Arguably no other law firm in the United States has litigated as many matters related to aftermarket parts and/or vehicle modifications as Langdon & Emison.

Modifications made to a vehicle after it leaves the original manufacturer are considered "aftermarket." It is very common for consumers or businesses that purchase vehicles to actually be obtaining vehicles that have been substantially changed from their original manufactured condition. This is particularly the case when dealing with:

• Recreational Vehicles (RVs)
• Ambulances
• Limousines
• Handicapped Accessible Vehicles
• Conversion Vans
• Campers / Trailers

Substandard Repairs
It is common for dealerships to do repairs and bodywork on automobiles that have been in crashes. Often, these repairs are subsidized by insurance companies that are incentivized to repair a consumers vehicle for the lowest possible cost. In these situations, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts are often passed over in favor of aftermarket or salvage parts, which are not required to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

Aftermarket product defects are common and the resulting injuries are often catastrophic. When an aftermarket vehicle is involved in a collision or other injury-causing accident, it is often a complex factual and legal issue to determine the nature of the defect that caused the accident and identify the party whose conduct is culpable. Consequently, many times these claims are not identified and these cases not pursued.

Read more about aftermarket component parts and their impact on litigation in Brett Emison's article published February 2011 by American Lawyer Media.

See featured cases.

If you have been injured or you've lost a loved one in an accident, aftermarket modifications may have played a part. Please contact our offices for a free consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers.