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Defective Child Restraints Home
The tragic and devastating impacts of defective child restraints have been felt by families throughout the United States. While recent industry studies report that nearly 80% of child restraints produced are without defect, there are still those cases where one small glitch in product construction can have a catastrophic impact on an infant and the lives of their loved ones.
Just one of these heartbreaking events is one too many, but unfortunately, child restraints that are improperly installed, or worse yet, defectively designed or manufactured have caused serious injury and/or death to thousands of children over the last five years. Yet, despite the alarming frequency of these events, there are several manufacturers and distributors still willing to risk the safety and security of our children in order to enhance their bottom line.
Children are our most treasured of gifts, and we take every precaution necessary to insure their safety and well-being. Tragically, there are events that extend beyond our control, and, in some cases, these events can lead to a severe injury or even worse. Injuries caused by ineffective child restraints continue to occur at an alarming rate, and unfortunately, those responsible for their production continue to create and distribute products that can have potentially catastrophic consequences.
The severity of the child restraint injuries range from minor (cuts and abrasions) to life-threatening (head trauma and spinal cord injury). Fatalities are uncommon, but sadly, they too fall within the scope of the damage caused by child restraints that are defective in design.
Car seats are designed to protect children from injuries that may occur in a car accident, and are subject to a wide battery of tests to insure their effectiveness. Unfortunately, not all imperfections are apparent during testing, and as a result, some children involved in car accidents suffer additional injuries to the ones sustained in the actual accident.
It is important that you identify which car seats presently manufactured and distributed within the U.S. have been recalled or termed "defective" by consumer agencies before you purchase one, as they are not likely to actively promote the idea that the seats they produce have any history of improper construction.
Booster seats are recommended by child safety experts and product manufacturers for children who are above 40 pounds, and are less than eight years old. Booster seats are not effective for children under 40 pounds because they offer no harness to restrain the upper torso. It relies only on a pad which crosses the child's abdomen. Therefore, the child is at risk for being tossed from the seat or sustaining head and/or abdomen injuries due to the design of the seat.
Unfortunately, the inadequacy of these seats in protecting children has been well-documented both in crash tests and in real life accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 500 children between the ages of four and eight are killed each year in auto accidents. Preliminary reports suggest that between 10-15% of those fatalities were the result of improper or defective child booster seats.
Consumer Alerts on Child Seats
We as consumers are always interested in getting the most bang for our hard-earned buck. However, when it comes to the safety of our children, money is not the issue; product security and reliability is. Over the past few years, a host of feature articles and editorial pieces of have been written on the topic of child safety seats. Additionally, brochures and informational pamphlets have been made available for the consumer interested in researching
As a result, there are a tremendous amount of resources available for those looking to better educate themselves on the features child seats offer, as well as the history of the manufacturers who design and distribute them.
The trauma brought about by a child restraint injury extends far beyond immediate physical damage. Medical bills, emotional trauma and personal pain and suffering all can incur an exacting toll. Let a qualified, experienced and compassionate attorney help guide you through the process of determining what legal action is to be taken, as you or your loved ones may be entitled to monetary compensation from manufacturers who failed to create a safe, effective and reliable product.
