What is the Value of my Seat Belt Defect Lawsuit?

Car accidents can be very dangerous, especially at high speeds. To prevent as many injuries as possible, automobile manufacturers outfit cars with numerous safety features. The most prevalent is the seat belt, which comes across the chest and waist and keeps passengers from being flung out of the seats or jerked around too heavily. There are also airbags, roll bars, and more. These safety features must be properly fitted and not have any effects or issues. If a seat belt does have a problem, it can result in fatal consequences. If you have been severely injured in a car accident because your seat belt malfunctioned, you could potentially receive ample compensation for your damages. Our team of defective seat belt lawyers at the Downtown LA Law Group will be able to secure you the maximum restitution available for your case.

Car Accidents And Seat Belts

Car accidents are not uncommon. There are millions of incidents per years and equally as many injuries. Damage can happen no matter what speed you are traveling at and no matter what kid of accident you are involved in People have been left severely hurt after getting in accidents at low speeds in parking lots, while others have walked away completely unscathed from high speed crashes on the highway. Seat belts generally protect people from being flung out of their seats or from being ejected from vehicles. In rear-end collisions, a seat belt can help the individual stay seated as opposed to being thrust into the windshield or into the back of a seat. Seatbelts also reduce the chances of whiplash, neck and spinal cord injuries, herniated and slipped discs, and more. There are a few different seat belt designs. The most common is a belt that goes across the shoulder and clicks into buckle, while the bottom fits across the waist. There is also the waist belt by itself to hold you down. Additionally, some belts are almost mobile and are attached to the doors of vehicles, and once the belt is unbuckled, will zip towards the windshield. The basic seat belt design allows people to latch the belts in place and go about their business. Some individuals, though, put the shoulder belt behind them for comfort, which is extremely dangerous and reckless. In the event of an accident, the upper body would be jerked forward while the waist and below remains stationary. In some cases, though, the seat belts are defective or break in some way. A few examples of defects include:

• Ripped or torn fabric, or belts that are not durable enough to survive tension and pulls
• Broken latches that do not allow the seat belts to properly click or stay locked in place, which can cause the entire seat belt system to be rendered useless
• Excess spool, which can be slack and not adequately hold drivers in place; lack of tension and tautness will not prevent injuries in the event of a car crash
• Parts that aren’t affixed, such as latches that aren’t screwed together or buckles that are loose

The various manufacturing errors could lead to injuries if the seat belts fail to work during an accident. You should be sure to contact a skilled defect seat belt attorney who can help you with your lawsuit and ensure that you are paid the amount you deserve if you were injured.

How To File A Claim Against The Automobile Company

If you wish to file a claim for a seat belt defect, you must be able to show the negligence of the automobile company. You will have to file a product liability against the company, which will require you to show at least one of three things:

• There was a design flaw with the product that was not addressed during the screening process
• There was a manufacturing error during the actual creation of the belt or during the installation of the belt in the car
• There were no hazard listings or warnings on the belt or in the car manual

You will likely be able to show that there was a design or manufacturing error with the belt. Your evidence should include the following: The defective belt itself, which should not be repaired or returned to the company for a refund. If you cannot show that the belt had an error, your claim will greatly suffer. You should make sure to take pictures of the belt as well as videos just in case you cannot procure the belt after the accident. You will also need evidence of your injuries and the damages you sustained. You can photograph your physical harms, keep copies of your medical receipts and expenses, hold on to the doctor’s notes, and more. You can include proof of the accident and the responsibility of the other party by procuring any eyewitness testimonies, surveillance footage, police reports, and more. It is very important that you contact a skilled defective seat belt attorney who can help you with your claim. We will walk you through the legal process and get you familiar with what evidence you should gather. We will organize your evidence and write the demand letter to the automobile company. In some cases, you could join a class action lawsuit. This will allow you to join other plaintiffs and victims who have been similarly injured by broken seat belts. Class action claims generally feature much more evidence against the defendant given that there are multiple plaintiffs who can have pictures, broken belts, mechanic remarks and estimates, and more.

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form or call (855) 339-8879 today.

Value Of Your Seat Belt Defect Lawsuit

Your seat belt defect claim may be worth a large sum of money depending on the circumstances and effects of the incident. The insurance agent responsible for handling your claim will use a few different factors to come up with an offer. These factors include:

• The severity of your injuries
• The impact your injuries had on your daily life and career
• Your age
• Your job type
• Your level of negligence in the accident

For example, if you suffered minor injuries and you had initially tried to repair the seatbelt but unknowingly worsened the problem, the offer would probably be very small. However, if you were struck by a car that ran a red light at an intersection and your seat belt came undone by its own accord, and you suffered injuries that required surgery and a lot of time off work, your case value would shoot up. If you join a class action lawsuit and the defendant loses, you and the other plaintiffs in the case would share the settlement and have it divided amongst yourselves. This could result in a greatly diminished payout for you, but there is a higher chance of success. Our team of attorneys will work to negotiate the fairest settlement from the insurance agent. Your claim could be worth over $1,000,000 if the defective seat belt resulted in life-changing injuries or if a loved one passed away because of the lack of safety. Contact our firm today for more help.

Compensation For You Defective Seat Belt Claim

You could receive various types of compensation from your seat belt defect lawsuit. We will work to secure you coverage for the following:

• Medical expenses from surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, medication, and more
• Property damages for mechanic fees or repair costs for your vehicles
• Lost wages from time you spent away from work
• Pain and suffering for emotional anguish, PTSD, fear, anxiety, mental trauma, and more
• Wrongful death expenses if a loved one passed away in the incident, such as funeral expenses, pre-death medical bills, loss of consortium, loss of inheritance, and more

– Toyota FJ Cruiser Recall – Seat Belt Failure Defect

You should not be expected to pay for the various bills that racked up after a car accident if you were injured because your seat belt didn’t properly work. The automobile company should be held accountable for your injuries.

Learn more about your options for compensation by calling (855) 339-8879.

Free Second Opinion

Many times, individuals contact us asking about the potential value of their case because they already have an attorney and want to know if he is adequately representing them. Unfortunately, many attorneys do not dedicate their full attention and capabilities to cases and try to settle as quickly as possible with insurance agencies so they can collect their portions and move on. Insurance agents tend to undervalue claims and are content to not pay out the maximum value. Many attorneys will take advantage of this and try to swiftly settle and pressure you to sign. It is important that you do not give in and pursue the best worth for your case. If you want a free second opinion on your current attorney or if you have questions about how he is performing or representing you with your best interests in mind, feel free to contact our law firm for help. We will gladly tell you if we believe if he is doing all he can or if he is acting selfishly or in bad faith.

– Injured in an Accident While Not Wearing Seat Belt

Find out more about how we can help you. Call (855) 339-8879 to speak with a representative now.

The Best Firm in Town

The Downtown LA Law Group has ample experience handling car accident lawsuits and defective seat belt claims. We know how to win your case and will apply our extensive legal knowledge and lawsuit experience to your situation, and we will negotiate the fairest deal for you. Our attorneys are aggressive and will not give up on your claim – you are our highest priority and we will strive to win you every penny you deserve. Call our offices at (855) 339-8879 for a free legal consultation. We will discuss your claim and help you understand the legal process. You are invited to ask us questions and we will try to give you a fair and accurate estimate for the value of your seat belt defect lawsuit. If you hire us to handle your case, we will also give you our zero fee guarantee. This states that you won’t have to pay any out of pocket expenses throughout the case; we will only get paid if we win, and if we lose, we don’t receive anything from anyone. Your best shot of success is with our defective seat belt attorneys at the Downtown LA Law Group.