subject: Seat Belt Failure And Spinal Cord Injury [print this page] When in proper working order, seat belts are the most important safety feature in an automobile. Unfortunately, there are a large number of vehicles on the road that have defective seat belts.
The point of a seat belt is to prevent a second collision from occurring. The first collision occurs when the vehicle hits another vehicle or object. Milliseconds later, the second collision occurs. A seat belt was invented to keep the drivers and passengers from being ejected from the vehicle or making contact with the windshield, steering wheel or the roof. Seat belt failure accidents happen because of many defects in the seat belt design. The smallest amount of force will allow the seat belt latch to completely become released. This, of course, causes the passenger great injury in the case of an accident.
Another type of defect that is common is torn webbing. This is when the seat belt is torn or ripped in half during a collision. Normally, the material and webbing on the belt is designed to withstand much force without tearing.
The last most common type of seat belt defect is retractor failure. No matter what type of defect occurs, there is always risk for spinal injury or paralysis. For example, the seat on the center of the back seat offers only a lap belt without a shoulder belt. On impact, the passenger may be thrown over the seat belt, which could cause spine or internal injuries. Neck injuries or worst case, decapitation, may occur when there is a shoulder belt involved. Of course, many things can become worse after a spinal or neck injury. Hemiplegia can occur from a spinal cord injury and will paralyze or weaken one side of the body. This occurs after a spinal injury, when there is a complete loss of function in the lower half of your body. Quadriplegia is also a common result of a spinal cord injury.
When any of these types of injuries occur due to a defective seat belt, it is best that you contact a spinal cord injury lawyer. Those that are unfortunate to receive a spinal cord injury are often faced with continued medical care and personal assistance for the rest of their lives. 42% of all spinal injuries occur because in car accidents.
A qualified spinal cord lawyer will get you compensation for your medical expenses and any other expenses that are related to your injury such as spinal cord rehabilitation. If you are thinking about requesting compensation, be sure to keep all receipts of expenses that are related to your spinal injury. It helps your spinal cord lawyer to have these to base your case on.
Two types of spinal cord injury cases can be filed. One is personal injury, which is when the person who has received the injury files the suit. This happens when the injured dies as a result of the accident and a family member files the suit. Compensation for wrongful death will help the family members cover lost wages, hospitalization and funeral expenses.
