Defective Car Seats
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a child is treated for injuries in an emergency department every four seconds, and approximately one in five child deaths are caused by injuries. Among the leading causes of child injuries is car accidents.
The greatest defense to child car accident injuries is an appropriately-sized and properly installed car seat. Unfortunately, many defective car seats make their way to the market and they can cause catastrophic child injuries or death. When defective car seats injure a child, product liability lawyers at Foley Law Firm assist injury victims in Scranton, Stroudsburg, and Wilkes-Barre, PA, in pursuing financial compensation for related losses.
Types of Car Seat Defects
When used correctly car seats drastically reduce the risk of infant or child deaths in a car accident. Unfortunately, even if a parent properly installs a car seat, it will not work as intended if it is defective. Some of the most common types of car seat defects include:
- Defective buckles
- Defective chest clips
- Inadequate cushioning or padding
- Defective base units
- Defective carry handles
- Poor or insufficient installation instructions
How Do I Know if My Car Seat Is Defective?
Every new car seat in the United States comes with a registration card. It is vital that parents fill out and return this card to the manufacturer (or complete the registration process online). If a car seat is ever recalled, manufacturers are responsible for notifying all registered car seat owners. Parents can also visit www.recalls.gov to check if their car seat has been recalled.
If a car seat has not been recalled, but a parent suspects it is defective, they should stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer, as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to report the problem. They will advise individuals on what steps should be taken next.
Should I File a Product Liability Claim?
If parents own a defective car seat (or suspect that a car seat is defective) and their child is injured or killed in a car accident, they should contact a knowledgeable attorney, such as those at Foley Law Firm, as soon as possible to determine if there is grounds to file a product liability claim. To substantiate a product liability claim plaintiffs must show that a defective product was the actual and proximate cause of their injury. In other words, if the product manufacturer had not been negligent in producing an unsafe product, the injury would not have occurred.
Damages in a Product Liability Case
Individuals who are injured as the result of a defective product may be due substantial financial compensation for the full extent of injury losses, including those that are economic and those that are not. Potential damages in a product liability case include:
- Medical expenses
- Cost of anticipated future medical care
- Lost wages or loss of wage earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
Request a Consultation
If your child has been injured in a car accident, and you believe that a defective car seat is to blame, you may have grounds to file a product liability claim. To request a legal consultation with the lawyers at Foley Law Firm, contact us online, or call (570) 342-8194.