Seat Belt and Airbag Defects

Restraint systems such as seat belts and airbags were invented to protect people in the event of an accident. However, when they malfunction or are improperly designed, they can cause serious injuries and death.

Seat Belts
Since it is the most insulated from all crash angles, the rear-center seat is often considered the safest place to sit; yet if the seat is not equipped with the proper restraints, it may instead be the deadliest. Automakers have known for decades that 3-point restraints (lap and shoulder belts) are safer than 2-point restraints (lap belt only) - which can sometimes cause more severe injuries than if no seat belt was worn at all. However, 3-point restraints in the rear-center seat were not mandated in the U.S. until 2007. This along with restraint design flaws or malfunctions can be the cause of unnecessary injuries or death.

Air Bags
When airbags work properly, they can prevent injuries and save lives. However, an improperly designed airbag can seriously injure or kill. Faulty airbags can fail in a number of ways:

• Airbag hits occupant before being fully inflated
• Airbag punches out of its storage compartment and strikes occupant forcefully
• Airbag deploys unnecessarily in a minor accident, causing injury where one would not have otherwise occurred
• Explosive charge involved in airbag inflation causes injury
• Airbag fails to deploy
• Automobile does not contain adequate warnings about airbag dangers and precautions vehicle occupants can take to avoid injury
• Incorrectly calibrated airbag sensors resulting in overly aggressive deployment or no deployment at all

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The attorneys at Langdon & Emison have a strong track record of fighting for the rights of people injured as a result of defective seat belts and airbags. If you or a family member has been injured in an accident due to a defective restraint, contact the lawyers at Langdon & Emison for a free initial consultation about your case.