Seat Belt Injury Attorney in Bakersfield

The Role of Seat Belts in Accidents

According to the United States Department of Transportation, around 91.6% of drivers in the country wore a seatbelt while driving at all times last year. There’s still an alarming rate of around 9% of drivers who fail to wear seat belts. Seat belt usage is supposed to prevent severe accidents and fatalities. For example, 50% of passengers who passed away in a car accident were not wearing their seatbelts. Many estimate that in the event they were wearing a seatbelt, they would have suffered minor injuries instead of passing away.

Buckling up cannot only save your life but others’ lives as well. When you fail to wear a seatbelt, you can get ejected from the vehicle, and thrown onto the ground, which could result in permanent disability or death. Airbags are not enough to secure a driver or passenger in place.

But, the seat belt must be worn properly at all times. For example, wearing the seatbelt below your arm is not proper, and could instead cause more harm than good. Although there are several benefits to wearing a seatbelt, sometimes defective seat belts could cause injuries themselves.  Lawsuits that involve defective products must have a top-rated Bakersfield attorney.

Product liability lawsuits could get very complex, especially because the burden of proof is on the accident victim. This means that the injured party must have to show how the product was defective, and how the defect caused injuries. Although this may seem pretty easy, months of investigation and research are put into each case to determine how a product was defective and hold the product manufacturer responsible.

If you or your loved one has experienced seatbelt injuries from a defective seat belt in Bakersfield, California, contact our top-rated Bakersfield personal injury attorneys to schedule a free case evaluation and to discuss your potential seat belt injury lawsuit. Our attorneys offer complimentary consultations because we want our clients to trust us as much as possible. We know that trust is a very big deal for our clients, and so we want to be as transparent as possible when dealing with lawsuits involving product liability. 

Could I recover damages from a seatbelt injury in Bakersfield?

You could recover financial compensation if you have been involved in a defective seat belt injury accident. Examples of financial compensation you could receive include:

• Medical expenses needed for the future
• Medical expenses for any past treatments
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Property damage to your vehicle
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

What are examples of injuries that could result from a defective seat belt?

Examples of injuries that result from a defective seat belt could include:

• Bruising
• Rib fractures
• Broken bones
• Heart damage
• Lung damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck injuries
• Torn shoulders
• Concussion
• Brain injuries
• Intestinal injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Nerve damage
• Soft tissue injuries
• Burns
• Lacerations 
• Difficulty breathing

If you have suffered any of the above injuries stated, contact our attorneys to get a free case evaluation and determine who the responsible parties may be.

How much is my defective seat belt injury lawsuit worth?

The value of your seatbelt injuries differs depending on the circumstances of your case. Our Bakersfield attorneys are not able to give a single straightforward answer without hearing all the details of your case first. That is why we recommend that you come in to speak with our attorneys to get a better idea of what steps you should take. Examples of factors that could affect your injuries and compensation include:

• The severity of the accident
• The severity of your injuries
• How you wear the seatbelt at the time of the accident
• The speed of the vehicles
• The responsible parties
• How the accident occurred
• What type of seat belt you were wearing
• If you have received any prior seat belt defect recalls

Seat Belt Defect Injuries

Seat belt injuries could result from all different types of accidents, for example, this could include:

• DUI accidents
• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Freeway accidents
• Distracted driving accidents
• Truck accidents
• Train accidents
• Bus accidents
• Hit and run accident
• Parking lot accident
• Rollover accidents
• Speeding accidents
• Pedestrian accidents

What are examples of seat belt defects?

There are three different types of defects in a product liability lawsuit. You must show that the seatbelt had one of the three defects. Examples of the 3 defects include:

Failure To Warn Defect

A seatbelt must be equipped with instructions on how to use the seat belt, and how it should be worn properly. A failure to warn defect is one where the product did not come with simple instructions on its usage.

Manufacturing Defect

A manufacturing defect is essentially a defect found in one of many products, which is generally done during the manufacturing process. Examples of manufacturing defects include internal locking mechanism failures. This mechanism may not lock in the effect of a deceleration or slow down of the vehicle.

Design Defect

A design defect is one where all the products are equipped with the same defective design. Examples of design defects include seat belt material defects, or latches that may release unexpectedly because of the design. 

Above all the different examples of defects that a defect injury victim must have to show. Because there are so many different strategies that your attorney could take, you should discuss all the details with your accident attorney as soon as possible. 

Seat belt recalls

Seat belt recalls occur when a vehicle manufacturer discovers a defect with the seat belt of a vehicle, or several different models of a vehicle. They then issue a statement to all of those vehicle owners they have on file to alert them of the defect and how they should bring it to the nearest retailer to have it fixed. Recalls are required under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Manufacturers must alert all customers and must explain the need for the recall. If a vehicle manufacturer feels to do so and they know about the defect, they could be held responsible. 

Seat Belt Injury Attorneys In Bakersfield

Contact our top-rated seat belt injury attorneys today to see how you could get top-rated legal help. We work tirelessly to make sure that responsible parties are held liable for any injuries that you have suffered as a result of a seatbelt. We recommend that you contact us as soon as possible after being involved in the seat belt accident.

When you wait too long, the evidence might get destroyed, or may not be available in time for your lawsuit. You should file a lawsuit within 2 years from the date of the accident. But, if you wait till the very last minute, it could get very difficult to build a strong case. Contact us as soon as possible if you suspect that you have been injured because of a defect with the seat belt.

Another advantage that our attorneys have is a $0 upfront fee. Our contingency fee attorneys will represent your case without collecting any upfront fees. You don’t pay our attorneys until we win your case.