Seat Belt Injuries
Over the years, car manufacturers have taken giant leaps in increasing the safety of cars. One of the simplest inventions is that of the seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration over nine thousand lives are saved every year simply because the driver was wearing his or her seat belt.
Families across the country rely on seat belts to keep them safe. When a seat belt fails or malfunctions, someone usually gets hurt. Our lawyers provide years of courtroom experience to those families and individuals who have suffered an injury or the loss of a loved one due to a seat belt defect or malfunction.
Injuries Caused by Seat Belt Defects or Malfunctions
A seat belt is designed to retract, meaning it is loose while one is driving and lets out slack when stretched. A driver can safely reach across the seat, adjust the air conditioning or heating unit, and manage the gears without being held tightly in place. This allows the driver to react and operate the car safely.
When an accident occurs, a driver is violently thrown in various directions. When the seat belt is pulled forward too quickly the locking mechanism will engage. The seat belt is then prevented from allowing slack. Thereby, effectively holding the driver and passengers in place. It is not the initial accident that harms the driver or passenger, it is usually the impact after the accident that causes injury (i.e. colliding with the windshield, steering wheel, dashboard, the road, etc.).
By locking the person into their seat, the seat belt prevents the person from being thrown like a pinball inside the car or even being ejected from the vehicle. When the seat belt fails, the person can be critically injured.
