Defective Car Seats
One of parents’ greatest responsibilities is protecting the health and well-being of their child. While many parents worry about issues such as SIDS, illness, or other medical concerns, one of the biggest threats to a child is actually car accidents.
Car seats are meant to protect children from car accident injuries. Unfortunately, defective car seats fail to protect a child as promised. If a child is injured in an accident because of car seat defects, the product liability attorneys at Tawwater Law Firm, PLLC will fight to hold manufacturers responsible so that our Oklahoma City, OK, clients can be justly compensated for any resulting losses.
The Threat of Car Accidents
Car accidents pose a huge threat to children in the United States. The CDC reports that motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in our country. Data shows that, in 2017 alone, 675 children under the age of 12 died as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Nearly 116,000 more suffered injuries stemmed from a car crash.
Preventing Car Accident Injuries
There is no way to guarantee that a child will not be injured in a car accident, but safe driving practices are a good place to start. It is vital that drivers maintain safe driving speeds, follow traffic laws, and adhere to all posted traffic signs and signals. Since other drivers cannot always be expected to do the same, defensive driving tactics are essential.
Parents also need to be vigilant about buckling their children into a car seat or into the vehicle with a seatbelt. Unfortunately, despite the dangers of car accidents, the CDC reports that 35 percent of children killed in car accidents in 2017 were not protected by a safety restraint.
Types of Car Seat Defects
Sadly, even if a parent is consistent with the use of safety restraints, it will not do much good if the device is defective. Defective car seats fail to protect children and may even cause additional harm. There are several defects that can compromise the safety and effectiveness of a car seat. Some of the most common types of car seat defects include:
- Defective buckles
- Defective chest clips
- Defective handles
- Defective base units
- Insufficient padding
- Unclear installation instructions
- Lack of warning labels
Do I Have a Right to Financial Compensation?
If a child is injured due to a car seat defect, the family has the right to seek financial compensation for resulting losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Proving product liability can be tricky, but our attorneys have successfully represented many victims of defective car seats in the Oklahoma City area.
We will gather the evidence that is necessary to show:
- Our client was injured
- The car seat being used was defective
- The defective product caused or contributed to the client’s injury
- The product was being used as intended at the time of injury
Contact Us
If your child has been injured by a potentially defective car seat, you should have a knowledgeable attorney on your side as you fight for financial compensation for damages. To discuss the details of your case with the product liability lawyers at Tawwater Law Firm, PLLC, send us a message at your earliest convenience or call our Oklahoma City office at (405) 673-8021.
