Find a Local Attorney For

Seatback Failure and Injuries

Seatbacks support the back of the seat in a plane, car, or any other vehicle. A seatback failure is when the seatback collapses backward. A seatback that is defective or broken is one of the most frequent causes of injuries in car and vehicle accidents.

If the seatback malfunctions, it tilts towards the car’s rear, potentially creating a ramp-like structure. This could lead a passenger to be ejected through the back window or an open rear door. Even if the passenger doesn’t leave the vehicle, there’s a risk of being thrown inside, causing severe or even life-threatening injuries.

Defective seatbacks present risks to the driver of the vehicle and any passenger as well – whether seated in the front or back of the automobile. These defects typically cause severe injuries and, in some cases, fatalities due to sudden impacts on an individual’s head or body.

A prevalent scenario involves the front-seat passenger being propelled rearward into the backseat, leading to potential spinal injuries and paralysis.

Children are particularly vulnerable in seatback failures as their lighter weight makes them more susceptible to being ejected from or tossed within the vehicle during a car accident, resulting in injuries.

Determining liability in a seatback failure injury case can be difficult, but with the right team navigating the case it can become more clear.

The car manufacturers may be responsible for a defective product design, like a seatback design, and can face strict liability, a form of civil responsibility not contingent on proving negligence or malicious intent.

A design flaw indicates that the product was made accurately, but there exists a problematic aspect in its design that poses a risk to typical consumers. Since the design flaw is inherent in the product’s design, it typically impacts the entire line of products rather than just a single item.

Manufacturers, distributors, and sellers all bear the potential for strict liability. This arises from the principle aiming to ensure consumers receive compensation for injuries without the need to pinpoint the specific party at fault within the distribution chain for the defective product.

If you suffered an injury caused by seatback failure, you need to contact a skilled personal injury attorney with a focus on product liability.

There are many different paths a legal professional may take when determining if an injury sustained by seatback failure is capable of a personal injury lawsuit.

An example scenario may be, but is not limited to:

• The car manufacturer designed the seatback to spec and as intended
• The design was discovered to be defective and/or dangerous for the intended use cases
• An alternative design exists which would make the original seatback design safer for use
• The cost associated with the alternative seatback design would not be considered unreasonable when compared to the defective and/or dangerous design
• If the safer design had been implemented and deployed the injury would have been prevented

While this is one scenario, a skilled personal injury attorney with a focus on defective product and product liability cases will know how to navigate a complex case, like seatback failure injuries, to help guide their client to victory.

With any type of personal injury case, it’s extremely difficult to tell how much a case may be worth without the proper information as many factors go into determining compensation.

Our team has put together some articles that may help understand the value of a personal injury case and how the legal process works:

• How do I know if I have a legal claim?
• How do I file a lawsuit?
• How long does it take to receive my settlement or compensation after my case?

If you find yourself injured and unsure of the next steps, you should consider contacting a personal injury law firm. Many offer free consultations on your case and can provide guidance and direction on what to do next.