Defective Products: Seat Belts

Defective Seat Belt Injuries

Before seat belts were mandatory in all cars, auto accidents resulted in many more injuries and fatalities than they do today. During an accident, your seat belt keeps you moving in the same motion at the car, which is substantially safer than continuing to move at the pre-accident speed while the car is stopping suddenly. Without a seatbelt, you are at grave risk for serious injuries in an accident.

The importance of seat belts as a standard safety feature of motor vehicles cannot be overstated. That is why it is an egregious error when seat belts are defective and do not work properly. In addition, it is often impossible to detect a seat belt defect before it is too late. Having an accident when your seat belt is not working can cause many injuries to both the driver and the passengers. Ejection from the vehicle, broken or fractured bones, whiplash, head injuries, spine injuries, internal bruising and bleeding, and flesh wounds are all consequences of a defective seat belt.

Whenever a company designs, makes, or distributes a product, they are subject to product liability laws. These laws work to ensure that the products we use are safe and will not cause us harm. All too often, unfortunately, defective products roll off of the shelves due to poor oversight or attempted cost cutting measures.

A defective seat belt is a very important type of defective product because it can so quickly be the cause of a fatality or serious injury. If you have been injured in a car accident and believe that a defective seat belt contributed to your injuries, a Miami personal injury attorney at Remer & Georges-Pierre can help you file a suit and defend your case.  

Common seat belt defects include:

• Improper latching: the seat belt buckle seemed as if it was properly latched but it was not 
• Inertial unlatching: the seat belt buckle does not "do its job" and unbuckles due to the accident
• Inadvertent or easy unlatching: the seat belt buckle becomes unbuckled unintentionally
• Misplacement of the seat belt: the seat belt crosses the body at a weaker point, such as the neck
• Low quality belt fabric: the seat belt fabric is not woven correctly and cannot withstand the force of the collision, causing it to break
• Retractor malfunction: the seat belt does not lock when the accident occurs
• Excessive belt slack: the seat belt cannot function properly if there is too much belt.

If you have experienced a seat belt defect and have been injured because of the defect, you can file a personal injury suit against the company that produced, sold, or designed the seat belt, depending on the situation.

Contact a Miami Defective Products Attorney at our firm for a free case evaluation and more information.