Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death for children in the U.S., which is why it’s so important for parents to use proper safety equipment like car seats and booster seats when transporting a child. What happens, however, when the seat you thought was supposed to keep your child safe failed to protect him or her? Where can you turn?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), hundreds of thousands of car seats and booster seats are recalled every year. In fact, within the last two years, more than a million car seats and booster seats were recalled due to manufacturing or design defects.
If your child was injured as a result of a defective booster or car seat, don’t wait to contact Adamson Ahdoot LLP. We understand how gut-wrenching it can be to see your child suffer as a result of another person or entity’s actions, and will aggressively pursue those responsible to see justice served.
Types of Booster Seat Defects
When you strap your child into a seat designed to protect him or her, it’s almost unfathomable to think it may not stop an injury from occurring or, in fact, cause your child harm. If a seat is defective, serious consequences can result. Statistics show children are more likely to suffer serious injuries like head injuries and spinal cord injuries in an accident than adults.
What makes a booster seat defective? Booster seats can possess a number of defects, such as:
1. Defective Buckles or Chest Clips
Buckles and chest clips are meant to keep a child in place, especially during a collision. Faulty buckles or malfunctioning chest clips can unlock during a crash, leaving a child with no form of restraint.
2. Insufficient Padding
Booster and car seat padding are there to provide a physical barrier between the child and the car in the event of a collision. Insufficient padding or poor quality padding can reduce the amount of protection offered and therefore, increase the likelihood of an injury happening.
3. Faulty Handles
Many infant car seats have a detachable base with a handled carrier. Although this feature is handy for transporting a baby, it’s been reported the handle can unexpectedly detach from the base, causing the carrier to be thrown forwards, backward, or to the side.
4. Defective Infant Car Seat Base Units
As mentioned above, many infant car seats feature a detachable carrier with a base unit that stays fixed in a car. Defective base units have been known to unlatch during a collision, which allows the carrier to be thrown off the base.
5. Poor Installation or Usage Instructions
Unclear or confusing installation or usage instructions can affect how a seat performs and, ultimately, how well a child is protected in a crash.
6. Flammable Materials
Flammable materials used in the construction of a car or booster seat can cause serious harm if caught on fire in a collision.
Who is Liable for a Los Angeles Defective Booster Seat Injury?
In the event a child is injured as a result of a defective or faulty booster seat, a product liability lawsuit may be brought against the seat’s manufacturer, assembler, wholesaler, or retailer. Although, in some cases, several parties may be liable for compensating the victim and the victim’s family.
In a product liability case (area of law defective products fall under), victims may be able to recover compensation for:
- Medical and hospital bills
- Surgery and doctor visits
- Medicine and medical devices
- Mental anguish
- Physical pain
- Lost wages
- Loss of quality of life
- Shortened life expectancy
- Disfigurement
- Wrongful death
Help Us Foster Change in the Booster Seat Industry
Following the tragic loss of a loved one, turn to a compassionate Los Angeles defective booster seat lawyer. At Adamson Ahdoot LLP, we know taking legal action may not be at the forefront of your mind, but it is oftentimes the only way to make sure the negligent parties are held accountable. Help us make a change in how companies do business and let them know they cannot skimp on safety, especially when it comes to our children. Contact our office today to arrange a private consultation. There is no cost to speak with one of our skilled personal injury attorneys, and you are under no obligation to hire us.
More Than 100 Years of Combined Legal Experience Handling Product Liability Cases
At Adamson Ahdoot LLP, our knowledgeable attorneys have more than 100 years of combined legal experience handling all types of personal injury cases, including claims involving defective products. Products like booster seats, which are designed to provide a benefit, should not pose unnecessary harm to consumers.
If your child suffered avoidable harm because of a defective booster seat, seek our help, so you can see justice served. Large manufacturers of children’s products have a responsibility to make safe products and should be held accountable when they fail to. Our Los Angeles defective booster seat attorneys will take a stand against negligent manufacturers and, if necessary, present your case in front of a judge and jury. Our track record speaks for itself…we have successfully settled many product liability cases, including a $10 million product liability settlement and a $5 million defective product settlement.
Don’t Miss the Deadline to File Your Claim
Every state has a deadline for filing a lawsuit. Although these deadlines vary from state to state, if a claim is not filed by the deadline, victims will be barred from taking legal action against the at-fault party and ultimately, will be barred from collecting financial compensation.
Preserve your legal right to file a claim against the at-fault party. Contact a Los Angeles product liability attorney at Adamson Ahdoot LLP before the deadline to file a claim passes. During a free case review, we will advise you on how much time you have to take legal action and how you can move forward with filing a lawsuit. You can reach a friendly member of our team 24/7 by calling (800) 310-1606 or by submitting a contact form. All cases are taken on a no-win, no-fee basis.
Call us today at (800) 310-1606 to schedule your free consultation today