Laws in different states require varying requirements as to baby or child car seats. In some unfortunate cases, the car seats for babies fail because of a product defect. Some of these seats are called booster seats and they too can fail or just break when needed the most, that being when the vehicle they are riding in is involved in a crash or collision accident.
Another issue for car seats is their installation in the vehicle. Parents are sometimes careless when installing car seats or booster seats in their vehicles for their children. Even with good intentions, car seats can be confusing in design and sometimes parents do not have these car seats and boosters situated properly. The car seat could be loose or unbuckled. This could lead to serious injury to the child.
In a recent tragic case, a 7 year-old boy was paralyzed when his car seat failed during an accident. After a lawsuit was filed by the family of the boy, the case was settled. The lawsuit that was brought by the family sued the manufacturer of the car seat that broke during the accident. The manufacturer acknowledged responsibility for the boy’s injuries because of the defect in the car seat.
Recently, federal regulators moved to address auto safety rules by proposing a new crash test standard to better protect children in car seats and booster seats.
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA) announced that a new rule would require child car seats to be able to withstand a crash of up to 30 mph.
Federal rules have focused on car seats to protect children in front-end crashes, but had not addressed side-impact crashes. The proposal made by the National Highway Safety Administration would include side-impact rules that would prevent many deaths to children involved in all types of motor vehicle and truck crashes.
Should this proposal go through, manufacturers of car seats and boosters would have up to three years to change the way they make the seats to meet the new safety requirements. Parents of small children would be buying the newer models of car seats to replace the old ones. Parents would gladly exchange a car seat for a new one that would provide greater safety for their children in case of an accident.
Car seats are designed to protect children weighing up to 40 lbs. The car seats are designed to protect children from head trauma and other injuries in car and truck accidents.
Although the proposal to make child car seats safer even for side-impact crashes is necessary, some would criticize the government for taking so long to have this proposal made and approved. Hopefully, the initiation and passing of a new rule making car seats safer will come quickly.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a car crash where a child is injured or because of a defective car seat, please call us for an immediate free consultation. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 or complete a contact form online. We are able to give you a free and confidential evaluation of your case. There are no legal fees for this advice.
Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Chicago and Illinois car accident cases and car seat injury cases for more than 40 years.
Kreisman Law Offices has prevailed in trials and settlements in Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas and has successfully resolved cases for severely injured clients over these many years.
With our years of experience in trying and settling car seat accident cases, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients and have achieved unsurpassed results. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online.