Seatbelt Failure Injuries
According to the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic collisions are the leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14. The NHTSA recommends that safety restraints are used for all children from infancy to 8 years of age, or a height of 4' 9". By taking the appropriate safety precautions, child injuries and catastrophes that occur during an auto accident can be greatly reduced. To help inform the public of the proper safety measures, the NHTSA has created a 4-Step Program detailing the different changes in appropriate seat safety as a child progress from the infant car seat to seat belt.
Unfortunately there are times when following these recommendations is not enough to prevent injuries. Defective baby safety seats have lead to numerous injuries and deaths during traffic collisions. When a child's car seat does not work properly, its ineffectiveness can cause additional injuries for the child, or fail to protect the child from serious harm. The manufacturers who produce the defective products need to be held liable for the injuries resulting from their dangerous car seats.
The following are possible defects that may occur:
- Shoulder straps may unclip or slide loose when force is placed on them during a collision, resulting in ejection or partial ejection from the seat.
- The slot where the seat belt holds the car seat in place is too flimsy and is unable to hold the safety seat in place upon the force of a collision.
- Safety seats are manufactured without the proper pelvic protection allowing the child to slide down in the seat in the event of a car accident.
Although the use of seat belts has been strongly promoted in the United States for years, many children and adults suffer from serious seat belt related injuries each year. Listed below are just a few of the injuries which may occur as the result of faulty or defective seat belts:
- Concussions
- Spinal cord injury
- Brain or head injury
- Paralysis
For over three decades, many of the restrain system manufacturers and major vehicle makers in the U.S have been aware that certain seat belt systems are poorly made, and have the ability to unlatch in the event of an accident, causing serious injury, and even death.
Even when seat belts function as designed and without any defect, serious injury can occur from the force of the seat belt itself, and we have successfully represented a client to obtain a six-figure recovery for just such a highly unusual injury.
If you or your child has been injured as a result of a defective child car seat, you should consult an experienced, talented and aggressive lawyer. Jensen & Associates can help maximize your recovery for such injuries. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.