Cases We Accept

• Vehicle Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Child Injury & Abuse
• Birth Injuries
• Wrongful Death Lawsuits
• Defective Products & Liability

Blog

Defective Products & Liability

• Toy Dart Gun Playset Recalled
• Hunting Gear Could Cause Serious Fall

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Latest News

• Toyota Tundra Recall Includes All 2000 to 2003 Models...Posted on 3/12/2010
• California Man Experiences Unexpected Acceleration in Toyota Prius...Posted on 3/11/2010

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Library

Defective Products & Liability

• Recognize the Symptoms of Lead Exposure from Children’s Toys
• Shopping Centers and Premises Liability (Part A)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q:

What is a defective seat belt?

A:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 83% of drivers and occupants wear seat belts and thousands of lives are saved every year due to the devices. However, seat belt recalls are made by car manufacturers on a regular basis due to poor designs or manufacturing defects.

Seat belt recalls in recent years include a:

* 1.3 million vehicle recall by Toyota

* 57,000 vehicle recall by Lexus

* 59,000 vehicle recall by Nissan

*7,918 vehicle recall by Jaguar

Seat belt recalls may be made if consumers or the manufacturer discover malfunctions such as inertial unlatching, false latching or problems with the seat belt's durability.

Inertial unlatching occurs when a seat belt becomes unlatched during an accident from the inertia of a user's body against the belt. This problem commonly occurs on systems that employ buckles without "lock-for-the-latch designs."

If a seat belt appears to be locked in place, but can be pulled free with less than five pounds of pull, it is "falsely latched." A victim may recall putting their seat belt on but the buckle may not have latched properly and the user can be seriously injured or killed during a collision.

A seat belt system's lack of durability can cause the belt to produce too much slack or retract too quickly or slowly. Material on the belt may fray or be damaged by faulty seat belt retractors.

If you were injured in a crash because of a defective seat belt, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney. The Law Office of Thomas M. Kiley, a law firm in Andover, Massachusetts, takes time when speaking with you about your case and works with you on a contingent fee basis so there are NO FEES unless our trained personal injury lawyers wins your case. Call now for a FREE evaluation of your case - 1-800-410-2769.