• 08
  • February
    2012

If you are under fifty, you've heard the message throughout your life: buckle up for safety. No matter the age of a driver or passenger, the wisdom of using a seat belt is accepted across Texas and throughout the U.S.

But what if that simple act does not provide the protection you or a family member expected before a car accident? The troubling reality: safety restraints are sometimes a tragic example of a defective product that leads to a personal injury or wrongful death for which negligent vehicle manufacturers can be held liable.

Seat belts can fail or malfunction in a variety of ways, jeopardizing the safety of car and truck occupants:

  • Straps made from defective material can tear under the severe stress of a motor vehicle accident
  • Buckles can unlatch due to physical momentum, or come open during a side impact
  • Belts can come loose from the mounting point on an automobile frame or the seat framework
  • Problems with shoulder harness design or installation errors may lead to a fit that doesn't adequately restrain the wearer

One of the primary reasons for working closely with a Texas car or truck accident lawyer is the importance of looking at all potential sources of liability, including auto defects that either cause harm or make an accident much worse. Just last year, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the rights of plaintiffs to sue manufacturers for seat belt defects.

A full examination of vehicle wreckage can help an injury victim or family survivors of a fatal wreck identify all parties that should be held accountable.

Source: Seat Belt Failure