Congratulations to Attorney Andrew Wallace for being named among the 2023 Top 100 Trial Attorneys by National Trial Lawyers. The Top 100 Trial Attorneys is an inclusive, invitation-only professional organization that only highlights an elite group of lawyers from each state or region. This is the second type of recognition Andrew has received from the National Trial Lawyers, previously named Top 40 Under 40.
The Top 100 Trial Attorneys selection method focuses on an in-depth, universally applied multi-phase process that includes third-party research and peer nominations. Membership for this organization is selective and offered only to those who demonstrate superior qualifications in the areas of influence, leadership, stature, reputation, and public profile in compliance with the attorney's state bar and ethical practices.
Our firm is incredibly proud of Andrew for this well-deserved honor. We cannot wait to see what this year brings you as you continue to advocate for your client's best interests and needs.
Several new state laws went into effect on Jan. 1 in Connecticut that can severely impact your life in 2023. From new truck taxes and criminal justice laws to legalizing cannabis, here are the most significant laws highlighted by CT Insider that residents need to know going into the new year.
Residents can get a 5-cent redemption on many new recyclable products according to the recently updated “Bottle Bill.” Previously designated only for specific bottles and cans, eligible products will now include hard seltzers, teas, ciders, energy drinks, coffee, and more.
Connecticut golf courses will no longer be able to use the pesticide Chlorpyrifos to control foliage and greens. Civil penalties for using these dangerous chemicals could result in a fine up to $2,500!
In light of Connecticut's clean slate law effective Jan.1, nearly 280,000 residents will be eligible for clean criminal records. To be eligible, individuals must have maintained zero criminal convictions for seven to ten years (depending on their prior conviction), completed all prior sentencing, and meet other required criteria.
Connecticut residents previously convicted of cannabis possession could also have a chance at getting their records cleared! This new law stems from the previous 2021 law legalizing the adult use of recreational cannabis. Provisions of the law will include determining whether a license will be required to allow on-site or event use.
Large commercial trucks will be subject to a new highway usage tax as of the first of the year. The new fees will go up to 17.5 cents for vehicles weighing at or more than 80,000 pounds or as low as 2.5 cents for vehicles weighing between 26,000 to 28,000. The state hopes to generate $90 million in revenue from the taxes to help improve road conditions.
Connecticut officials will step up intervention efforts, including lead testing to reduce lead poisoning among children. The new law will also lower the blood lead level threshold that requires home inspections or parental notification to reduce the amount of lead exposure.
Diagnostic mammograms, MRIs, and ultrasounds will now be required under a new law to be covered by specific commercial health insurance policies. Routine ovarian cancer screenings will also be included.
General Assembly annual base salaries are rising from $28,000 to $40,000. Other legislators are also expected to see a pay increase.
*Please note, this information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a lawyer/client relationship. For more in-depth information about each new Connecticut law, find the full legislation on the Connecticut General Assembly website.
Our team at Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC is committed to providing our community with the information they need to stay safe and healthy. If you or someone you love is injured in an accident, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
Connecticut hospitals continue to improve their health and safety measures, but it’s not enough to put them in the top rankings. In the Fall 2022 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, Connecticut hospitals dropped in the state rankings from 23 in Spring 2022 to 31. While zero facilities received a D or F rating this season, the number of Connecticut hospitals receiving an A rating was only 25% this Fall compared to 31.1% in the Spring.
Medical errors remain a leading cause of death in our country, responsible for over 250,000 fatalities annually, according to a new study by John Hopkins Medicine. Hospitals should be held accountable for upholding high standards of care for patients, especially in a post-COVID world. When safety and health practices oversight leads to preventable injuries, prospective patients should be made aware.
Hospitals in Connecticut were on an upward path of improvement, but something happened in the last six months that halted progress. Dropping eight rankings since Spring is a big deal. Here is a comprehensive list of how each Connecticut hospital ranked:
The Leapfrog Group has provided transparency regarding American healthcare to patients for over 20 years. Their Hospital Safety Grading System has become the golden standard for hospitals to strive for and has encouraged medical centers to make notable improvements over the years.
Leapfrog scores each facility using a letter grading system from A to F, covering 28 measures of hospital safety proven to reduce injuries and fatalities in hospitals. These measures are then split into five main categories:
After analyzing and determining the weight of each measure, a Hospital Safety Grade is determined based on three factors: evidence, the opportunity for improvement, and impact. The reports display how each facility scored on all 28 measures. You can even see when hospitals refuse to provide information on certain measures to help you decide on an appropriate facility.
Unfortunately, not all hospitals and medical centers will be as safe as others. Your health and safety are important. Do research before an emergency or treatment to determine which facility near you will best meet your needs. For more information on each hospital's performance, visit the Connecticut Hospital Ranking page.
If you or someone you love has been injured by medical negligence, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC, has decades of experience fighting for the rights of Connecticut’s injured workers. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
Every year, our team at Jacobs & Wallace is humbled and honored to give back to our community. We all share the same desire to help others in need. The firm’s culture of giving stems from our humbled partners, Adele Jacobs and Andrew Wallace, whose dedication to raising funds and volunteering for local organizations inspires us all to go above and beyond every day.
Our team was thrilled to volunteer with the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, a wonderful organization with tireless volunteers who fight back against poverty in our community. We love partnering with these hardworking individuals during Thanksgiving to support families across Connecticut. Here’s how we were able to help!
This year, the Jacobs & Wallace team handed out turkeys and Thanksgiving food to local families in need at the Bridgeport Rescue Mission’s annual Great ThanksGiving Project. We were able to donate funds to purchase 100 turkeys for deserving families this year who couldn’t otherwise afford to put a hot meal on the table.
The Great ThanksGiving Project is the biggest event of the year for the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. They serve more than 7,000 families in six cities across Connecticut: Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, New Haven, Ansonia, and Waterbury. They provide up to 655,626 meals every year!
While the Great ThanksGiving Project is undoubtedly the highlight of the year, there are tons of ways you can help give back through the Bridgeport Rescue Mission all year round. Here are just a few:
For more information on how to participate with the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, visit their website to connect.
Car accidents have consistently ranked as the leading cause of death for American children. In April 2022, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that of the 23,824 passenger vehicle occupant deaths recorded in 2000, 755 fatalities were children under age 14. Among these tragedies, at least 42% involved child passengers who were unrestrained at the time of the accident.
Child passenger safety seats have been proven to reduce fatal injuries to children involved in car accidents by up to 71%, particularly infants. There is no excuse for putting a child in a car unrestrained. Even if you are unsure of the restraint you need, there are many resources to help you make a safe decision.
Back in September, national safety organizations across the country celebrated Child Passenger Safety Month. This essential safety campaign helps parents and guardians access the information and resources they need to find, install, and correctly use car seats.
While this campaign has made a significant difference in spreading awareness on car seat safety, child passenger safety is a year-long issue. Resources spread throughout Child Passenger Safety Month can be utilized at any time. Let’s take a look at some of the most important facts parents and guardians need to know and how they can keep their children safe.
Safe Kids Connecticut reports that only 1 in 5 car seats are used and installed correctly in the average passenger vehicle. Using ANY car seat does not reduce your risk of injury in an accident. Child passenger safety seats only do their job when properly installed and fitted. Here are some of the ways car seats may cause harm.
Picking the wrong seat can put your child at risk from the start. If a seat is too large, a child can fall out, risk ejection from the vehicle, or sustain injuries from slamming into hazards inside the car. If the seat is too small, your child may be unprotected by the safety features and could be more injured by improperly fitted parts.
Some of the most common errors parents and guardians make when choosing a car seat include:
While child passenger safety seats can be expensive, using secondhand and damaged car seats can put your child at serious risk. Car seat safety features start to weaken and malfunction over time. Car accidents involving massive amounts of force require seats to be strong and effective. Most car seats have an expiration date to notify users when the product needs to be replaced to keep parts in working condition.
When shopping for a new car seat, size and quality are the most important factors to base your decision on. Age should never be a factor in what type of seat you purchase, as all children grow differently. For more information on picking the right seat, Safe Kids offers this Ultimate Car Seat Guide to help you out.
Properly installing a car seat is just as important as purchasing the right one. Regardless of whether your child is in a seat, they can still sustain severe injuries if it’s not safely secured within the vehicle.
The NHTSA reports that at least 59% of car seats are incorrectly installed, meeting one or more of the following risk factors:
Where you place the car seat in your vehicle will depend on the vehicle you drive, but there are still several laws and safety considerations to remember.
Windows can increase your child’s risk for injuries in sideswipe and t-bone accidents. Safe Rides 4 Kids reports children are 43% safer when placed in the middle seat of a car, away from side doors and windows.
Connecticut Law requires all children to be rear-facing until they are at least two years old, depending on their size. Rear-facing seats distribute the crash force more evenly in an accident and reduce the risk of head and neck injuries. The longer you can keep a child rear-facing, the better.
Other Connecticut Car Seat Laws parents and guardians should be aware of include:
It’s always better to be safe than sorry when installing a car seat for your child. If you’re not sure where to start, or simly want someone to confirm you did it correctly, there are several organizations and professionals who are willing to help.
Below is a list of all known seat check sites in Fairfield County:
Bethel Police Department
12 Judd Ave.
Bethel, CT 06108
Officer Broad #70203-744-7900
jbroad@bethelpd.com
Appointment only, once a month
Bridgeport Hospital - YNHH
300 Mill Hill Ave.
Bridgeport, CT 06610
Monica Quisgard
Carseats@ynhh.org
(203) 200-5437
Appointment only
Brookfield Police Department
63 Silverman Road
Brookfield, CT 06804
Patrolman Mitchell Heller
203-775-2575
mheller@brookfieldct.gov
Appointment only
Danbury Police Department
375 Main Street
Danbury, CT 06810
Sgt. J. Antonelli
203-743-6314
j.antonelli@danbury-ct.gov
Residents/Employees only
Appointment only, Mondays only
Darien Police Department
25 Hecker Ave.
Darien, CT 06820
Detective Elizabeth DiIorio
203-662-5300 Ext. 5370
ediiorio@darienct.gov
Appointment only
Easton Police Department
700 Morehouse Road
Easton, CT 06612
Officer Anthony Telesco
203-268-4111
atelesco@eastonctpolice.com
Appointment only
Fairfield Police Department
100 Reef Road
Fairfield, CT 06824
Sgt. Evan Kaesmann
203-254-4800
ekaesmann@fairfieldct.org
Monthly clinic, check website for more info
Greenwich Fire Department
15 Havemeyer Place
Greenwich, CT 06830
Deputy Fire Marshal Bob Roth
203-622-3950
rroth@greenwichct.org
Appointment only
Greenwich Police Department
11 Bruce Place
Greenwich, CT 06830
Community Impact Officer
Dan Paladino
203-618-8307
Dpaladino@greenwichct.org
Appointment only
Monroe Police Department
7 Fan Hill Road
Monroe, CT 06468
Detective Nicole Buckley
203-452-2831, ext. 130
Nbuckley@monroectpolice.com
Residents & appointments only
New Canaan Police Department
174 South Ave.
New Canaan, CT 06840
Officer Geoffrey Lambert
203-594-3555
carseats@newcanaanct.gov
Appointments must be made via email
Norwalk Police Department
1 Monroe Street
Norwalk, CT 06854
Officer Wasilewski
203-854-3035
cwasilewski@norwalkct.org
Appointment only, Residents only
Ridgefield Police Department
76 East Ridge Road
Ridgefield, CT 06360
Captain Smith
203-438-6531
Jeffrey.smith163@att.net
Appointment only, Residents first preference
Stamford: Long Ridge Fire Company
366 Old Long Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06903
Contact: Lt. John Carlo
203-322-520
0carseat@longridgefire.com
Email to schedule an appointment
Trumbull Police Department
158 Edison Rd.
Trumbull, CT 06611
Coleen Fitch
203-452-3854
CFitch@trumbull-ct.gov
Residents only. Appointment only
Weston Fire Rescue
52 Norfield Road
Weston, CT 06883
Firefighter Mark Blake
203-222-2647
mblake@mvfd.com
Appointment only, Special Needs Assistance available
Westport Police Department
50 Jesup Road
Westport, CT 06880
203-341-6000
adamura@westportct.gov
Officer Alan Damura
Appointment only, residents only
Wilton Police Department
240 Danbury Road
Wilton, CT 06897
Lt. David Hartman
203-563-0252
David.hartman@wiltonct.org
Call in the morning to see if an officer is available
If you or someone you love is injured in a motor vehicle accident, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC, has decades of experience fighting for the rights of Connecticut’s injured victims.
Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced a new plan to reduce the number of warehouse accidents across the country.
According to local news sources, OSHA launched a new Regional Emphasis Program for Warehouse Operation in four states: West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. The program aims to increase safety practices and crackdown on warehouse safety violations to protect workers from serious and fatal workplace injuries.
OSHA officials quoted on the new program reported that warehouse accidents and injuries occur at nearly twice the rate of private sectors. With the expansion of industries such as eCommerce and Amazon requiring more warehouses that operate at a faster pace, the need for more robust safety policies for workers is critical.
The Regional Emphasis Program for Warehouse Operation is set to last for five years– unless extended– and will feature a 90-day outreach portion before safety inspections take place. Outreach work will focus on educating employers on why and how warehouse accidents occur and what they should be doing to help reduce harm to their workers.
Common safety hazards OSHA inspectors will focus on when the 90-day outreach window has ended include forklift safety and lockout/tagout procedures. These factors are two of the leading causes of injuries in the manufacturing industry, and safety violations in these areas can lead to severe and fatal injuries.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nearly five out of every 100 warehouse workers sustain injuries on the job. Manufacturing and warehouse occupations are some of the most dangerous jobs in the country. Both involve elevated exposure to dangerous machinery, hazardous materials, and long shifts. All of these factors put workers at a higher risk for accidents.
The most fatal and dangerous manufacturing jobs listed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) include:
Warehouses are busy and fast-paced. Injuries can happen quickly, especially when workers are not adequately trained or lack the safety equipment and policies they need to stay safe.
OSHA lists the following as the most common warehouse injuries in the industry:
Making Your Workplace Safe
While Connecticut employers are not yet subject to OSHA’s Regional Emphasis Program for Warehouse Operation, that doesn’t mean they can’t plan ahead. There are always ways to improve workplace safety policies to protect employees from occupational injuries. For more information on how you can increase your warehouse safety, contact OSHA’s 24-hour hotline at 1-800-321-6742.
Jacobs & Wallace Connecticut Workplace Accident Attorneys
Workplace accidents are primarily preventable when proper safety policies and programs are in place. These programs and training are essential to employee safety at work; avoidable accidents will occur when they are absent.
If you or someone you love is injured on the job, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC, has decades of experience fighting for the rights of Connecticut’s injured workers. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
While back to school is only a few weeks away, fall sports in Connecticut are already in full swing. Schools and sports clubs across the state are starting training camps and practices to prepare for the upcoming season. Sadly, this also means an uptick of school-related sports injuries is just around the corner, and parents should start preparing for how to protect their children.
Traumatic brain injuries are one of the most severe and life-altering sports injuries parents need to be aware of. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) reports an estimated 1.7 to 3.8 million traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) nationwide every year, and 10% of these result from sports injuries.
TBIs can range in severity– minor to catastrophic– but all pose a risk of causing damage to the brain that could interfere with healthy brain development. Here are the facts parents need to know about TBIs, the most common causes related to sports, and how you can help prevent these life-threatening injuries this school year.
The AANS defines TBI as a form of acquired brain injury that results from a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain.
While the current classification system for TBIs relies on a scale of mild, moderate, or severe, these classifications misrepresent the severity of these injuries, especially in children. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), even mild TBIs can lead to health consequences that can cause impairment and lack of functioning. This is particularly true when more than one mild TBI occurs or a child returns to a sport too soon after an injury.
The symptoms of TBIs are unique to each injury and will present in different ways depending on the accident's severity and the person's age. In children, signs of a brain injury can be entirely different from how TBIs present in adults. The NINDS advises parents to look out for the following symptoms that could be signs of a TBI:
Other signs to ask about and look for in older children include blurred vision, memory loss, ringing in the ears, sensitivity to lights or sound, behavioral changes in school, increased anxiety, fatigue, and confusion. You can find additional symptoms of TBI on the NINDS website.
TBIs can occur during any physical activity (sports-related or not), but some sports have higher rates of head injuries than others. The top 10 sports with the highest prevalence of TBIs across all ages include:
For children ages 14 and younger, the top 10 sports differ slightly and include other physical activities common for these ages, such as:
For decades, concussions were a mild form of TBI, common in both contact and non-contact sports. However, after extensive research into the degenerative brain conditions of NFL football players after years of repetitive brain injuries, concussions are finally being seen as the severe injury they are.
A sports-related concussion often results from a direct blow to the head, neck, face, or another body part where the force is strong enough to impact the brain. The AANA reports that while only classified as a minor head injury, a concussion can result in short-term impairments that can worsen over time with repeat injury, “brain shaking,” functional disturbances, and a range of other behavioral consequences not often connected with brain injuries.
Teens are especially susceptible to concussions and display TBI symptoms that can be overlooked. High school athletes who suffer from brain injuries and display symptoms such as headaches or behavioral changes in school have been misclassified in the past as displaying typical “bad teen behavior” when showing signs of a brain injury. It’s essential to listen to your teen athletes and understand the range of symptoms TBIs can cause to seek treatment for your children as soon as possible.
The most effective step you can take to prevent your student-athletes from sustaining a TBI is to stay informed and involved. You may not always be present for practices, especially if your child is older, but knowing the general safety steps that can help prevent TBIs from occurring and talking about these steps with your child can significantly reduce their risk.
General tips for reducing incidents of TBI from the AANA include:
The role of coaches and athletic trainers is to help your children grow and reach their athletic potential. In addition, these professionals agree to keep your children safe, which means planning and following school safety policies to reduce injuries.
If you’re unsure what type of safety policies your school follows, you have the right to find out. Here are some suggested questions of interest proposed by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) to help you gain insight into your school's athletic program:
Sports-related head injuries can occur accidentally, but many are preventable with proper supervision and care. When children sustain a traumatic brain injury due to safety oversights or negligence by a coach or other athletic official, the consequences of the damage are even harder to endure.
If you or someone you love is injured, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC, has decades of experience fighting for the rights of Connecticut’s injured victims. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
Most workplace accidents are entirely preventable regardless of how dangerous a job may be. In 2020, the National Safety Council (NSC) reported 4,113 fatal workplace injuries that could have been prevented with proper safety protocols. All it takes is a few extra steps to save a life.
Safety programs are essential to protecting workers in all industries. To help encourage workplaces nationwide to increase their safety practices, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes Safe + Sound Week every August. This safety initiative, held from August 15-21, recognizes workplaces that successfully implement programs that prioritize workers' safety and protect these hardworking individuals from preventable harm.
Safety programs are required in every industry, differing in specificities based on the tasks and hazards associated with each job. Safe + Sound Week highlights the crucial part safety plans play in a worker's life and encourages workplaces to create the most effective policies for their occupation.
Safety plans help workers in the following ways:
Connecticut workplaces participating in Safe + Sound Week show workers that their well-being matters. When employees feel valued, they value their workplace in return, creating a culture of safety and genuine care between employees and their supervisors.
Any organization can participate in Safe + Sound Week – the more, the better! Each industry has its own measures to protect employees, some more than others. The occupations that would benefit most from Safe + Sound Week, derived from the OSHA's list of Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs, include:
A total of 1,353 organizations have signed up to participate in Safe + Sound Week 2022 so far, 11 of which are located in Connecticut. Participating in this safety initiative is a simple three-step process:
Recognize Your Workplace: Make sure you are celebrating your participation in Safe + Sound Week and the excellent work your workplace is doing to extend the value of safety throughout the year. Organizations can download a virtual challenge coin for their website or a printable certificate when they sign up.
Workplace accidents are mostly preventable when proper safety policies and programs are in place. These programs and training are essential to employee safety at work; preventable accidents will occur when they are absent.
If you or someone you love is injured on the job, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC, has decades of experience fighting for the rights of Connecticut’s injured workers. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
Now that the warm spring weather is here to stay (hopefully), it’s time to turn our attention to safety on the playground. Hundreds of thousands of children visit the emergency room for playground injuries every year. While most are mere bumps and bruises, some injuries result in severe trauma that can take months to recover from– sometimes more.
To help spread awareness of how to keep children safe this season, the National Program for Playground Safety (N.P.P.S.) founded National Playground Safety Week. From April 25 to April 29, this safety campaign helps families spread awareness in their communities to keep kids safe and teaches simple safety precautions to prevent harm at home and in public play spaces.
Brainline reports that 200,000 children visit emergency rooms across the country annually for playground-related injuries. Tragically, at least 15 of these incidents result in fatal consequences.
Falls are the most common cause of playground injuries, resulting in 79% of hospital visits and 90% of injuries classified as severe. Most playground injuries occur in public playgrounds and parks, constituting 76% of hospital visits recorded.
When most parents think of playground injuries, we remember some scratches, bruises, and the occasional head bump that interrupted our play. Unfortunately, playground-related injuries can be life-threatening and debilitating, particularly as playground designs continue to evolve. Frequent injuries reported include:
Most injuries can be prevented, and you should take precautionary steps to keep kids safe on the playground.
SafeKids offers the following tips for keeping children safe when playing outdoors to help keep kids out of the emergency room this season:
For more safety tips on preventing playground injuries this spring, check out more of SafeKids’ Playground Safety Tips here.
You can do plenty of things to help prevent playground injuries in your neighborhood this season. Safe At Play, an organization improving playground safety, suggests starting with the following:
There are endless ways to help protect children in Connecticut. For more ideas, visit Safe At Play for existing events and resources.
If you or someone you love is injured in an accident, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC, has decades of experience fighting for the rights of Connecticut’s injured victims. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
Most car owners have received one or more postcard-sized mailings that notify us of a safety recall on our vehicle. Sometimes we forget to address them, while other times, we put them off until a more convenient time. But safety experts are urging vehicle owners never to ignore vehicle safety recalls, no matter how minor. You never know when one of these defects could result in a disaster on the road.
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N.H.T.S.A.) found that a shocking number of vehicle safety recalls are ignored every year. In 2015, 54 million vehicle safety recalls were issued across the country. More than 25% of these recalls were never addressed or repaired, leaving potentially 12 million defective vehicles on the road– and this is just one year of recalls!
Manufacturers issue vehicle safety recalls for several reasons. When defects or malfunctions pose a safety risk, the manufacturer is responsible for letting car owners know how and where they can take care of the problem.
Vehicle safety recalls can address any part not working correctly or a manufacturing error that does not meet federal safety standards. Recalls can affect braking systems, airbags, headlights, engines, etc. No part of a vehicle is immune to damage or malfunctioning errors.
Safety defects often go undetected until an accident or tragedy occurs. In the case of the exploding Takata airbag recall, several people lost their lives and were injured before a safety recall was issued. Even minor safety effects can lead to other parts of a vehicle malfunctioning or a motor vehicle accident under the right conditions.
Federal regulations require car manufacturers to issue vehicle safety recalls by first-class mail within 60 days when there is a safety risk of lack of compliance with vehicle safety standards. These recalls must include:
Recall repairs are often free, and while they may take time out of your schedule, maintaining your vehicle can save lives.
After receiving your safety recall notification, the first step is to schedule the repair. Follow the provided information on your recall notification for repair locations. While you can go to your local repair shop, you may be able to take advantage of the free repair and could be charged for the parts and labor.
There are certain occasions when a defect cannot be repaired, and a replacement vehicle will be required. Replacing your vehicle is the manufacturer's financial responsibility, not yours. In these instances, follow all manufacturer instructions for trading in your car.
Suppose a driver does not want to replace the vehicle or has experienced multiple safety issues with the current car. In that case, a refund policy may be available for the owner's purchase price.
When you sell a car to someone else other than a dealership, notify the new owner of any recall notifications you receive. Contact the manufacturer to report a new owner to avoid future recall notices.
If you have never received a safety recall for your vehicle, don’t assume there have not been any. Mistakes with mail carriers and manufacturing mailing lists happen all the time. It’s possible that your vehicle could have a history of recalls that you are entirely unaware of.
Ensure your vehicle is registered with the manufacturer to receive safety recall mailings. For more information on safety recalls, look up your vehicle using the Safety Issues & Recalls tool by N.H.T.S.A. to find all present and past recalls.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you need an experienced law firm to represent you. Jacobs & Wallace, PLLC, has decades of experience fighting for the rights of Connecticut’s injured victims. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation: 203-332-7700.
