Defective Seatbelts Information – Defective Products Lawyers in Washington

Safety belts inarguably save lives and prevent serious injury. However, they must be properly manufactured and installed in order to keep passengers safe. Improperly designed seatbelts are regarded as dangerous defective products, and our lawyers are committed to helping citizens of Tacoma, Seattle, and all of Washington gain compensation for injuries due to auto manufacturer negligence.

• Washington Seat Belt Laws
• Common Seat Belt Defects
• Injuries Caused by Defective Seat Belts

Washington Seat Belt Laws

The federal government established the first set of safety belt laws nearly 40 years ago. Since then, states have adopted ever-stricter laws regarding safety belt use. The following are some of the key points to remember regarding Washington's seat belt laws:

• The state of Washington requires all drivers and passengers to wear a safety belt at all times; the driver is responsible for making sure children under the age of 16 are properly buckled up.
• Passengers must wear their seatbelts in both the front and rear seats.
• As of 2002, law enforcement officials are permitted to stop a driver for an observed seat belt violation, even if he or she has not committed a secondary violation.

Impressively, Washington citizens wear their seatbelts at rate of 95 percent, the highest in the nation. Conscientious drivers and passengers shouldn't have to worry about the danger of defective products, and our lawyers help ensure that Tacoma, Seattle, and other Washington citizens obtain appropriate compensation for injuries resulting from faulty seat belts.

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Common Seat Belt Defects

Seat belts can be defective in a number of ways:

• Inertial unlatching occurs when a seatbelt is not properly constructed to withstand being knocked against a passenger or vehicle. It comes unlatched, releasing the passenger and failing to offer him or her protection.
• Similarly, a seatbelt may not be designed to avoid unintentional unlatching, which occurs when a passenger accidentally unbuckles his or her seatbelt during an accident.
• In older vehicles, some passenger seats are equipped with lap-only belts, which fail to protect passengers from injuries to the torso and upper shoulders
• If a seatbelt has too much slack (i.e., it does not tighten enough around the passenger), a person can slip underneath the belt during a crash and be subject to severe injuries.

Our firm can determine if your injuries have resulted from one of these common seat belt defects, and help you obtain appropriate compensation.

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Injuries Caused by Defective Seat Belts

Malfunctioning seat belts and other defective products can cost lives and cause serious personal injury. Two of the most common injuries that can occur when a seat belt fails to protect its wearer are brain injury (including head trauma) and spinal cord injury (including quadriplegia and paraplegia).

Tragically, seatbelt defects can also lead to wrongful death. If you have suffered from injuries, or if a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of one or more defective products, our lawyers can fight to obtain compensation for your financial and emotional burdens.

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Contact Our Defective Products Lawyers in Washington

Good drivers and responsible passengers should never have to suffer as a result of seat belt manufacturer negligence. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in an automobile accident due to defective products, contact our lawyers serving Tacoma, Seattle, and surrounding areas of Washington.

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