Ambulances

Any enhancements to a vehicle after it leaves the automotive manufacturer are considered "aftermarket."  Many vehicles which are purchased by consumers or businesses as end-users are aftermarket vehicles which have been substantially modified from their original manufactured condition. This is particularly true of ambulances.

Aftermarket manufacturers and modifiers are not held to the same standards as original equipment auto manufacturers.  Even though changes to the structure of vehicles can drastically change their handling, suspension, propensity to rollover, and other aspects of their performance, many aftermarket producers never even test their products for safety.  

When an ambulance 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 which caused the accident and identify the party whose conduct is culpable. 

If you have been injured in an accident involving an aftermarket vehicle, it is critical that you consult an attorney who is familiar with the variety of issues at play in these types of cases.  Langdon & Emison has litigated cases involving police cruisers, ambulances, handicap accessible vehicles, RV's, and race car haulers, among others.