Far from being just a simpler version of a passenger car, motorcycles are immensely complex machines made up of hundreds of unique components all interacting with each other at an extremely high speed. Even a small flaw or breakdown in one of those parts could lead to the motorcycle not working properly—and if that happens while you are out for a ride, you may wind up suffering serious and even life-threatening injuries as a result.
It is often possible to file suit over injuries stemming from situations like this, but it is by no means easy to achieve a successful outcome alone. If you want to take effective legal action over motorcycle defects and recalls in Lafayette, you will almost certainly need the help of an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer like the ones on our team at Tomeny | Best.
Understanding Product Liability Laws in Lafayette
Under Louisiana state law, companies that make and sell consumer products—including both individual motorcycle parts and motorcycles as assembled machines—are strictly liable for injuries suffered by consumers due to a defect in their product’s design, manufacturing, or marketing. In other words, manufacturers are automatically liable for damages caused by their product being designed in a fundamentally unsafe way, assembled incorrectly, or sold without appropriate instructions for safe use.
To pursue a successful claim, a few key conditions must be met. Most importantly, the defect must have been present when the motorcycle left the manufacturer’s hands—and it must have remained unchanged by the time it reached the buyer. This core principle forms the foundation of most motorcycle defect lawsuits in Lafayette, including many cases tied to issues that have already sparked official manufacturer recalls.
Time Constraints for Suing Over a Motorcycle Defect
That said, the fact that a recall notice has already gone out in response to a specific defect in a motorcycle can significantly restrict your right to file suit over injuries caused by that defect, depending on when you were actually hurt. If your injury occurred before you were properly notified of the recall, you should still be able to pursue a claim. However, if you get hurt after you received a recall notice for the defect that eventually injured you, you likely will not have valid grounds to sue.
Furthermore, even if you do have a right to seek civil recovery over a motorcycle defect or recall, you must file suit in Lafayette no later than two years after initially discovering your injuries. If you were hurt prior to July 1, 2024, you may only have one year to file. Otherwise, the statute of limitations for personal injury litigation will likely bar you from ever seeking or receiving compensation for that particular injury, regardless of how strong your case would have been if you had filed before the deadline.
Contact a Lafayette Attorney for Help With a Motorcycle Defect or Recall Lawsuit
Filing suit over injuries caused by a mechanical issue with your motorcycle works very differently from suing over a traffic wreck caused by another driver’s negligence. On one hand, you will not need to prove anyone was specifically reckless or careless in a way that caused you harm. On the other hand, you will need to prove a host of other things while also dealing with opposition from a massive corporation that has millions of dollars dedicated to its legal defense.
Working with a capable and compassionate motorcycle injury lawyer from Tomeny | Best could help you get a positive case result. Call today to discuss your options if you have been harmed by motorcycle defects and recalls in Lafayette.
