Fiat chrysler hit with millions in fines for vehicle design defects, other safety issues

Fiat Chrysler was recently fined tens of millions of dollars for negligence in failing to provide data about serious injuries and deaths caused by its vehicles.

Last year, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, was hit with a total of $175 million in fines for safety deficiencies. In July 2015, Fiat Chrysler was ordered to pay more than $100 million in fines for mishandling vehicle recalls. Those fines were imposed at the end of a public hearing held by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Now another $70 million in fines have been imposed against Fiat Chrysler by the U.S. Department of Transportation in the aftermath of findings by auto safety regulators that the car company neglected to file “early warning data about its vehicle safety issues.

“Early warning data typically includes information on deadly car accidents, vehicle warranty claims and lawsuits filed against an auto manufacturer. Car companies and federal safety regulators are able to use this data to identify potential manufacturing and design defects in their vehicles. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx was particularly hard on Fiat Chrysler for its failure to provide the important information to auto safety regulators, a deficiency that reportedly dates all the way back to 2003. Foxx noted that “early-warning reporting is a legal requirement, and it’s also part of a manufacturer’s obligation to protect the safety of the traveling public.

In addition to imposing the massive fines, the federal government is also requiring Fiat Chrysler to utilize an independent auditor who will double-check the auto company’s safety issues in the future and make sure that the company has effective measures to prevent vehicle design defects.

For additional information about the stiff fines imposed on Fiat Chrysler, view the Yahoo.com article, “Fiat Chrysler Fined $70 Million for Hiding Deaths from Feds.

If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident caused by a design or manufacturing defect, you need a skilled personal injury and product liability attorney on your side. The experienced product liability and auto accident lawyers at Team Law are prepared to help you get compensation for your injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation about your case.