Are Accidents Due to Defective Seatbelts Common?

Seatbelts are supposed to save lives. However, when a seatbelt is defective, it can actually cause the opposite to happen. When a seatbelt malfunctions, it can have dangerous and sometimes deadly consequences.  Unfortunately, injuries sustained due to defective seatbelts are more common than you might expect, as millions of people a year in the United States are injured because of seatbelt failures. Contact a Florida accident lawyer at Searcy Denney today if you have questions about the injuries you or a loved one sustained due to a seatbelt failure.  Our attorneys can help. We have years of experience investigating and litigating seatbelt failure cases. 

Why do Seatbelts Fail?

According to the National Transportation Safety Administration, seatbelts in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,955 lives in 2017. But, unfortunately, seatbelts sometimes fail. Seatbelt failures can occur for a variety of different reasons, such as: 

• Excessive Seatbelt Feed – This occurs when too much of the seat belt is fed out so that the passenger cannot be properly restrained at the time of an accident.  When this happens, the passenger can be seriously injured, sometimes even being ejected from the vehicle.  
• Latch failure –  This occurs when the belt buckle’s latch malfunctions at the time of an accident and comes undone. This can cause the seatbelt to come unlatched and the passenger to become unrestrained at the moment of an accident, leading to severe injuries. 
• Retractor failure – This occurs where the seatbelt fails to lock up during a sudden stop, failing to protect the passenger by keeping him or her in place. This malfunction may cause severe or even deadly injuries. 

If you were in an accident and have questions about whether your seatbelt may have malfunctioned at the time of the accident, contact a Florida accident lawyer at Searcy Denney today. Sometimes it can be difficult to know whether a seatbelt malfunction occurred. Our attorneys have experience with seatbelt malfunction cases and can help you investigate to determine if your seatbelt malfunctioned at the time of your accident.  Our team of accident attorneys can help you build your case so that you can pursue the compensation you deserve for the injuries you sustained because your seatbelt malfunctioned.  

What are the Signs That a Seatbelt is Defective?

After an accident, it may be difficult to determine whether the seatbelt was defective. However, there are some signs you can look for.  These signs include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Look for signs of damage or tears in a seatbelt
• A passenger suffers severe injuries even though the accident was minor and they were belted in, or they were ejected from the vehicle
• After the accident, the passenger was not belted in even though they were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident 

Speak with a Florida Accident Lawyer at Searcy Denney Today

Seatbelts are supposed to help keep passengers safe.  However, sometimes seatbelt malfunctions occur, creating safety issues for passengers.  If a defective seatbelt injured you,  contact a Florida accident lawyer at Searcy Denney for help.  Our attorneys have decades of experience with product liability cases and can help with your case.  Contact us to schedule your free consultation. We have offices conveniently located in Tampa, West Palm Beach and Tallahassee.  We are here for you.