If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to a defective seatbelt, talk to the local Dallas attorneys at the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, P.C. We will discuss your rights, the duties of the manufacturing company, and what your case could be worth. If your injuries were caused by a defective seatbelt, you have the right to pursue a legal claim against the seatbelt manufacturing company. Our lawyers can help you with the filing process. Our aggressive litigation could be what you need to secure the highest possible compensation.
Why Do Some Vehicles Have Defective Seat Belts?
Wearing a seatbelt is usually one of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make as one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of injuries and death in a car accident. Unfortunately, seat belts don’t always work according to accepted standards. While a working seatbelt can reduce the risk of accident-related injuries and deaths by about 50%, a defective seatbelt might not protect an occupant at all. Airbags work in conjunction with seat belts. Airbags are not substitutes for seat belts and won’t always safeguard from injury alone.
Ensuring seat belts perform as desired is crucial for the safety of consumers. Seat belt and vehicle manufacturers must take the utmost care to design, create, and install the safest seatbelt systems possible. They must obey national safety standards and safety-test their equipment thoroughly before allowing the product to reach the hands of drivers. If a defective seatbelt does slip through inspections and end up in a consumer’s vehicle, the results in the event of an accident can be devastating.
Over the years, defective seat belts have caused and contributed to thousands of serious injuries and deaths. One of the most severe outcomes that could arise from a seat belt failure is a spinal cord injury. The spine may sustain an injury if a seat belt doesn’t sit right across the body or comes unsnapped in a collision. Other injuries from seatbelt failure can include traumatic brain injury, broken bones, contusions, and internal bleeding. Whether a manufacturing company was negligent or not, it could face liability for injuries that stem from a seatbelt defect or malfunction in Texas.
What to Do About Defective Seat belt Injuries
A defective seatbelt can turn a minor auto accident into a catastrophic collision. In designing vehicles, manufacturers know the importance of adequate safety features. Failure to design and produce vehicles that are crashworthy can result in a product liability lawsuit. In Texas, accident victims have two years to file a claim against a seatbelt or vehicle manufacturer. The statute of repose on these claims is 15 years. The sooner you talk to an attorney about your claim, the better.
Product liability claims that involve manufacturing defects, design flaws, or marketing mistakes typically do not require the victim to prove negligence. This is good news for you, as it could remove the burden of proof from your shoulders. Instead, your attorney will simply have to prove that the seatbelt contained a defect, and that this defect caused or exacerbated your injuries in a car accident. Retain a lawyer to learn all the Texas product liability laws that could work in your favor.
Our Dallas personal injury lawyers don’t believe injured accident victims should suffer in silence. We help clients take a stand against negligent vehicle manufacturers in pursuit of compensation. You don’t have to fight this battle alone. Our lawyers have the skill and experience to go up against major corporations on behalf of their clients.
When you partner with us, you can recover from your injuries with peace of mind knowing that we have everything taken care of. Start with your free consultation with one of our Dallas lawyers. Call (214) 200-4878 to schedule yours.