Florida Product Liability Lawyers for Accidents Involving Defective Car Seats

A defective car seat can put your child’s safety at risk. As parents, we rely on manufacturers and retailers to sell products that adhere to federal safety standards and meet the expectations set by their advertising materials and packaging. Unfortunately, in many cases – far too many – dangerous and defective car seats result in serious and life-threatening injuries.

If your child was injured or killed while riding in a car seat, our attorneys may be able to help. We have extensive experience in cases involving car accidents and defective products, and we have recovered millions in compensation for individuals and families throughout Florida. We are familiar with the complex factual and legal issues in cases involving defective car seats, and understand the devastating and long-term effects that can result from traumatic childhood injuries.

Common Issues with Defective Car Seats

There are numerous issues that can render a child safety seat defective. By their nature, car seats should protect children from many of the dangers of being involved in a vehicle collision. When they fail to do so, or when they do more harm than good, parents will often be entitled to seek financial compensation for their children’s medical bills, their pain and suffering, and other losses. Some of the most common defects in child car seats include:

• Faulty frame or shell design
• Faulty frame or shell construction
• Inaccurate or inadequate installation instructions
• Inadequate padding
• Inadequate adjustment
• Strap, buckle and stitching failures
• Use of flammable and other inappropriate materials

Many defective car seats are subject to recalls. You can check to see if your child’s safety seat has been recalled using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s online database, safecar.gov. However, even if your child’s car seat is not listed, you should still discuss your case with an attorney.

What to Do if Your Child Has Been Injured in a Car Accident

Here are three important tips to keep in mind if your child was injured while riding in a car seat:

• Seek medical attention. Your first priority after any car accident should always be to seek emergency medical attention. This is especially important for young children who may not be able to express or understand their symptoms.
• Take photos of your vehicle. Take photos of the damage to your vehicle and the location where the car seat was installed. These photos will help establish the nature of the collision and prove that you had the seat installed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Keep the car seat. It is critical that you keep the car seat in which your child was riding. Any damage to the car seat (or lack thereof) could be essential to proving your claim for financial compensation.

For more information about what to do after a car accident in Florida, contact us for a free consultation.

Schedule a Free Consultation at Searcy Denney

To schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys, please call (800) 780-8607 or request an appointment online. You can contact us 24/7, and if we are not available immediately we will be in touch with you as soon as possible. There are no fees or costs unless we recover just compensation.