What to do if Your Car has Been Recalled in Illinois

Learn just what you should do in the event that your vehicle is ever involved in a recall.

So you have been enjoying your car for several years and were involved in an auto accident a few weeks ago in Illinois and suffered a personal injury. Days later, you received a notice in the mail informing you that your vehicle's make and model has been recalled due to a safety issue. Could the recall have had something to do with why you were in an accident? What should you do next?

Read Over the Letter

If you are lucky, you received the recall notice before you were involved in any kind of accident. In either case, you want to take a thorough look over the letter to better understand why your vehicle is being recalled, the safety risks and where you should take your vehicle to have the issue taken care of.

Understand who Has to Pay

In most cases, if your vehicle is recalled, you do not have to pay for the repairs out of your own pocket, no matter if you bought the car used or brand new. That being said, while you might be made aware of a recall, the vehicle's manufacturer may not agree to pay for the necessary repairs if the vehicle is more than 10 years old. Something else you should know is that you will more than likely have to foot the bill for additional repairs you agree to that fall outside of the repairs needed to address the recall.

Know How Long You Will Need to Wait

Once you know where to take your car for repairs, call to see how long you can expect to wait. Major recalls usually require an equally major wait, so you may want to look into an alternate mode of transportation if you do not feel comfortable driving your car while you wait for repairs, which is likely a good idea just to be safe.

Consider Seeking Legal Advice

If you were involved in an auto accident before you received your recall notice, it might be because you were driving a defective product. Should you even suspect that that could be the case, do yourself a favor and think about consulting with a legal professional. Even if you have insurance or the fault is someone else's to bear, you should make yourself aware of your rights and your options. After all, there is a chance that what happened to you could happen to someone else who drives the same make and model of car, and you bringing your case forward could save someone's life.

Sit down with an attorney in Illinois to get a full picture of your case. You could be owed more than a simple fix.