Defective Seat Belts

Seat belts are extremely important for automobile passengers in the event of an accident. They prevent individuals from being thrown from the car as well as from making contact with hard objects within the car. Without seat belts, the chances of injuries in car accidents go up significantly. Unfortunately, seat belts, like all items, are not perfect. They are capable of being defective and are also prone to malfunctioning.

One of the most significant types of defect or malfunctions is when the seat belt is buckled and then comes unbuckled upon impact in an accident. The unbuckling may be because the seatbelt never fastened completely in the first place or because the buckle is designed in such a way that the button to release the seatbelt is easily compressed by other items in the car.

Another way for seatbelts to be defective is if the webbing of the belt portion is not sufficiently strong. If the belt is not strong enough, the belt can snap with enough force applied during impact. Other seat belts may tear if there is the potential for a sharp piece of the seat or other portion of the car to come loose during an accident and tear through the seatbelt.

Once the seat belt fails, either due to tearing or unlatching, all of the benefits of wearing a seat belt in the first place are lost. Once the seatbelt is unlatched or torn, it is unable to prevent a person from making contact with the interior of the car. It is also unable to keep an individual within the confines of the car itself.

Contact a Harrisburg Personal Injury Attorney

If you have been injured in a car accident due to a defective seatbelt, contact a Harrisburg personal injury lawyer of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 610-667-7511.