Chicago Seat Back Failure Attorneys
There are many auto defects that can lead to devastating injuries and fatalities. Seat back failure can cause life-threatening injuries in the event of a crash. Many are not aware that seatback collapse can occur even in minor fender-benders and cause major injuries to the vehicle's occupants.
Defective Seats
There are strict regulations regarding many different parts of a motor vehicle. The national safety standard for seat back strength has been set low, so manufacturers often install the cheapest seats they can legally get away with. According to auto safety advocates, the seats in some cars are no better than garden chairs. These defective seats can potentially collapse backwards in the event of a collision. The seat may fail to stay upright in a collision or it may even bend the mounting system attached to the floor.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 207 describes the current minimum seat back strength requirements and test procedures of the federal government. The FMVSS 207 test is a simple quasi-static test carried out by applying a concentrated load at the upper seat back crossmember of the detrimmed seat back. However, this standard is outdated and hardly enough to ensure that the seat backs are safe for vehicle occupants.
Dangers of Seat Back Failure
In a rear-end collision, a vehicle’s occupants will exert force backwards into the back of a seat. A defective seat may fall backwards and result in serious injuries. When a seat fails:
- Occupants may slide under their seatbelt and be ejected from the vehicle.
- The occupants' bodies may be thrown around in the vehicle causing significant blunt force trauma leading to catastrophic injuries or even death.
- The driver may completely lose control of the vehicle because he or she is unable to sit up straight.
- Occupants in the back seat may be crushed or trapped by the collapse of a front seat.
- Occupants may become trapped in the vehicle and unable to exit if there is a fire.
You do not have to be in a high-speed accident to be at risk for injuries from seat back failure. Defective seats can fail in collisions at any speed. A minor rear-end crash could result in a seat back failure that causes the driver's head to collide with the passenger in the back seat. The resulting injuries can be catastrophic or fatal.
If you have suffered serious injuries as a result of seat back failure, the experienced Chicago auto product liability lawyers of The Bradley Law Firm can help you file a claim against the auto maker or defective product manufacturer. In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, long-term care and lost future income or the ability to earn a livelihood. Call us today for a free consultation.