Being involved in a car accident is a scary event, whether it’s a minor fender bender or a significant accident. However, when your car doesn’t act in the manner you expect, it can be even worse. There have been instances where seat backs have failed and collapsed back into the rear of the car rather than remaining upright. The seatback failure can magnify the damages involved in the car accident, especially for those passengers in the back. Learning more about seatback failures and when you should speak with a nearby seatback failure lawyer can help protect you if you or a loved one has been involved in an accident where the seatback has failed to remain in an upright position. Contact The Pearce Law Firm Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers P.C. to speak to a Philadelphia seatback failure lawyer today.
Jump to:
- Faulty Seat Back Recalls
- How Does a Car Seat Back Collapse?
- Types of Injuries When Seat Backs Fail
- Potential Damages
- Contact a Seatback Failure Lawyer Near You
Accidents and Seat Back Failure
Accidents involving a seatback collapse have an increased risk of harm for various reasons. The first is that the driver cannot remain upright due to the seat failure and may lose control of the vehicle since they likely won’t be able to see to steer. In addition, the seat being broken can also make it more difficult for passengers to exit the vehicle. It could hinder the ability of first responders to remove injured passengers after an accident safely. Also, seat belts are designed to work in tandem with the seatback, so when the seat fails, the seatbelt can fail, potentially resulting in someone being ejected. Finally, seat backs collapsing into the back seat can harm passengers, especially children, sitting in the back seat as it will wildly hit backward into the person sitting in the back.
Faulty Seat Back Recalls
Recalls show that even large manufacturers can make mistakes in their design that put people at risk. They are intended to protect the public but recalls often start after there has already been a pattern of fails showing that there is a problem. Being in an accident with a faulty part that hasn’t been recalled yet doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. Your product’s failure may be among the first, and a recall should be initiated, thanks to what you’ve experienced.
A number of automakers have had faulty seatback recalls where they were supposed to notify the public regarding defects in their cars on the street. Some of the companies with recalls include Ford, Toyota, Tesla, Audi, Honda, Nissan, and Mercury. After an accident where there was a seatback failure, it can be beneficial not to have your vehicle repaired right after the accident. If it’s suspected that there was a defect in your car seat back, it’s possible that you could have a product liability case.
How Does a Car Seat Back Collapse?
As with most products, car seat back collapse tends to occur either because of a flaw in the design or manufacturing standards or because there is a problem in the installation or assembly of the seat that caused it to fail. Due to one of these errors, during an accident, the car seat back collapse can impact the health of the individuals in the automobile.
Types of Injuries When Seat Backs Fail
Cars are intended to be designed to help protect passengers in a worst-case scenario, but serious accidents can cause serious injuries. When a seatback failure occurs, it’s possible for the damages to be even more severe.
Some injuries that could occur include:
- Brain injuries
- Fractures
- Punctures
- Spinal cord damage
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Back injuries
- Lacerations
Not only are these injuries possible, but it’s also possible that death may occur.
Rear Passengers and Seat Back Failure
According to the experts, one of the safest places in the car for children is the back seat, but what happens when there is a seat back failure? The seat flying backward in a car accident can hurt those in the back. In some accidents, the car seats can create a barrier between flying debris and other dangers that occur, but when the car seat itself because debris can cause additional harm.
Potential Damages
Determining the potential damages or monetary award sought in a personal injury lawsuit can vary based on your case. Typically, some of the damages you can pursue include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, emotional distress, and even damages related to wrongful death, such as funeral costs.
These damages not only include what you’ve incurred so far after the accident but can also take into account future expenses, such as continued medical therapies or being unable to work.
Some of these damages are easier to determine, such as the amount of wages you’ve already lost from being in the accident or your current medical bills. However, when you’re still recovering during your claim, it can be harder to estimate a fair amount.
Liability and Seatback Collapses
In a regular accident, determining liability can be a complex matter. Several parties can be found liable or partially liable. However, when there’s also a part failure involved in the accident, it’s possible if it is proven that the seat back failed due to a design flaw, installation error, or similar circumstances, the manufacturer can also be found liable for damages.
Contact a Seatback Failure Lawyer Near You
It can become complicated when you’ve been involved in an accident where the car seat back collapsed. Determining the liable party or parties and determining the proper damages to seek can be nuanced. It’s often a great idea to speak with a seatback failure lawyer in Pennsylvania to discuss the specifics surrounding your accident. Thanks to their prior experience with these types of accidents, they can help guide you on the best options available.
After an accident, your first instinct can often be to let the insurance company handle it for you, but seeking out an attorney can provide you with the peace of mind that someone is fighting for you. If you’ve been injured because of a seatback failure and need more information from a seatback failure lawyer, contact The Pearce Law Firm online or call 215-557-8686 for a free consultation. Our professional team is ready to discuss your legal remedies with our initial no-obligation consultation. Set up an appointment today, as once an accident occurs, the period for the statute of limitations on bringing a lawsuit starts putting a timer on when you can file a lawsuit.