NHTSA Complaint #10725665 — 2010 DODGE JOURNEY

I WAS DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT ON INTERSTATE 5, (CALIFORNIA) WHEN A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SWERVED PARTIALLY INTO MY LANE. IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING SAID VEHICLE, I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT SLIGHTLY, AT THAT TIME I BELIEVE ENGINE DIED, AS I HAD NO CONTROL OVER SAID VEHICLE I COULD NOT STEER OR MANEUVER MY VEHICLE AT ALL. THUS IT WAS CONTINUING ON THE PATH OF THE SWERVE AND HIT THE WALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I AT NO TIME HAD ANY CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE, THE CAR STARTED SPINNING FROM THE IMPACT OF THE WALL AND SENT ME ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND I WAS HIT BY 2 CARS. THE ONLY AIRBAG THAT DEPLOYED WAS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. (THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN THAT POSITION.) I WAS IN THE DRIVER SEAT, AND MY SON (WAS 9 YEARS OF AGE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT) WAS SITTING DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED, I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, IT WAS LOCKED IN PLACE. ORIGINALLY, I BELIEVED THAT THERE WERE NO MAJOR INJURIES, ONLY BUMPS, BRUISES AND THE LIKE. HOWEVER IN THE MONTHS SINCE THE INCIDENT, IT HAS COME TO LIGHT THAT I HAVE TORN MUSCLES IN 1, MAYBE BOTH ELBOWS. I AM CURRENTLY UNDER A DOCTORS CARE, AND WILL BE REQUIRING SURGERY TO RECONSTRUCT THE MUSCLES AND TENDONS.