Each year, thousands of children in the United States are injured in motor vehicle accidents. Child seats are designed to keep kids safe in the event of an accident, as car seats are built with adult passengers in mind. Unfortunately, sometimes these devices fail when they are needed most, often causing serious injury to the children in them. Because of this potential for serious injury, child seats and booster seats are subject to federal regulations set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). When car seats do not comply with these regulations or have a design or marketing defect that makes them dangerous to use, victims may be able to recover for their losses. Discussing your accident with an experienced Clearwater products liability attorney is often the first step in getting the compensation you or your child deserves after sustaining an injury caused by a child seat.
Child Seat Defects
There are many potential child seat defects that could result in injury to a young occupant. In order to be able to recover after an injury-causing accident, a plaintiff must be to be able to show that the seat was defective in some way, and that defect caused or contributed to his or her injury. Sometimes, car seat manufacturers realize that their product has some sort of defect, and institute a recall in an effort to limit their liability. According to the NHTSA website, since 2002 there have been approximately 8 child seat recalls each year. Some of the more common types of car seat defects that can lead to injury include:
- Problems with buckling mechanisms
- Choking hazards
- Defective latches
- Use of flammable material in construction
- Rotation hazards
- Carrier separation
- Failure to adequately test a product
- Lack of head or neck support
- Ejection hazards
- Improper construction materials
- Defective seat belt systems
- T-shield defects
- Unclear installation instructions
- Failure to meet safety standards
Because evidence of a child seat defect is not always readily apparent, it is important to have the circumstances of any injury-causing accident reviewed by an experienced attorney. A lawyer who is familiar with child seat laws and regulations can often uncover such evidence, allowing victims to get the compensation they deserve.
Contact a Clearwater products liability lawyer today to schedule a free consultation
People who are injured by defective child seats can develop serious and long-term medical complications, some of which may require ongoing medical care and treatment. The lawyers of the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, understand how important it is for victims to recover for their losses. To schedule a free consultation with one of our child seat accident attorneys, call our office today at (727) 451-6900. If you would prefer to send us an email, please fill out our
online contact form available here.