Louisville, KY Seat Belt Injury Lawyer

Since the “Click It or Ticket” campaigns of the early 1980s were first implemented, thousands of motorists’ lives have been saved — and likely millions of injuries prevented or at least lessened — all thanks to the seat belt. But while safety belts can and do prevent damage and injuries, in some cases, they can actually cause or contribute to injuries.

If you or someone you care about suffered injuries due to a defective seat belt, you may feel entitled to collect damages for your suffering and medical care if it is determined the safety restraint was not designed or manufactured properly. With the help of a Louisville, KY seat belt injury lawyer, you may be able to receive the compensation you deserve.

Common Seat Belt Malfunctions

When seat belts malfunction or fail to function, consumers can (and should) seek damages. Here are some examples of what can go wrong:

• A seat belt breaks during an accident;
• A seat belt gets stuck in the “locked” position and fails to release a passenger who needs to escape a burning vehicle;
• A seat belt is poorly engineered and thus “underperforms” in a crash.

So how do you know whether a car accident injury in Louisville might be tied to a seat belt malfunction or underperformance? The answer is you likely don’t. To determine the precise causes of your injuries, you must carefully and meticulously analyze multiple elements involved in the crash – many of which you might not have even considered.

Example — Did a Seat Belt Malfunction Cause a Broken Rib and Lung Injury?

Consider the hypothetical case of a teen driver who slams on her brakes at an intersection to avoid slamming into a school bus that had run a red light. Her seat belt does brace her against some of the force of the stop — she doesn’t get ejected through the windshield, for instance — but the “excess slack” in the seat belt allows her body to careen into the steering wheel. The impact breaks her rib and causes a chronic lung injury.

In this case, the victim may try to show how and why the excess slack in her seat belt caused — or at least exacerbated — her pain and injuries. This may not be easy to do. Accident reconstruction and forensics specialists may need to probe many intricate details of the crash.

Auto manufacturers are responsible for designing, testing, and creating seat belts that are safe and effective. If a seat belt fails due to negligence or oversight on the part of an auto manufacturer, they could be held legally responsible if a defective seat belt causes a person to suffer injury or death.

Building a Strong Case

Tad Thomas, a Louisville, KY seat belt injury lawyer, can help you understand your legal rights and fight for the compensation you need and deserve from the party responsible for your injuries, pain, and frustration. Mr. Thomas has the legal experience and knowledge to build effective cases against major auto manufacturers. To learn more about attorney Thomas’ successes, process, and how Mr. Thomas can help you, call (502) 473-6540.