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Philadelphia Defective Child Seat Lawyers

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    Parents use child car seats because they believe they will keep their most precious cargo safe from harm.  We place our highest trust — and the very lives of our children — into the hands of child car seat designers and manufacturers.  But when those designers and manufacturers fail to deliver a safe and reliable product, it is innocent children and their anguished families who are left to suffer the consequences.

    Child car seats are supposed to prevent injuries — not cause them.  When the worst happens and a child car seat does result in injury or even death, the cause is frequently poor design, faulty construction, or a manufacturing defect.  If your child was hurt by a defective car seat, you may be able to hold the manufacturer liable for the terrible pain and enormous medical expenses you and your family have been forced to cope with.

    philadelphia car seat injury lawyers
    As parents, step-parents, relatives, and family friends, we are emotionally devastated when we watch our precious children struggle to acclimate to their injuries.  Not only are child car seat accidents emotionally wrenching, they often leave their victims with extensive injuries which require costly treatment.  Sometimes, these treatments must continue for years or a lifetime.  In short, car seat accidents do not only hurt the child: they hurt the entire family.

    Fortunately, you have a way to fight back.  At the law offices of The Reiff Law Firm, we are highly experienced personal injury attorneys who are committed to seeing that justice is done.  We have been representing car seat accident victims across Pennsylvania for over 34 years, and have won awards in excess of $1 million for multiple clients.  We are proud members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which admits fewer than 1% of all attorneys in the U.S.

    When your child has been injured, you need an aggressive lawyer dedicated to winning the compensation you deserve.  Call The Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 today for your free consultation.

    philadelphia car seat injury lawyers

    70% of Children at Risk of Death and Injury

    Each year, hundreds of children’s lives are saved thanks to the protection of car safety seats.  But when car seats are defective, they cause far more harm than they prevent.  Common problems with baby seats and child car seats include:

    • Poor Shell Design
    • Faulty Latch/Locking Systems
    • Manufacturing Defects
    • Lack of Warnings/Instructions
    • Misplaced Safety Restraints
    • Insufficient Padding
    • Flammable Fabrics
    • Brittle Materials
    • Insufficient Neck/Head Support

    Any of these factors can cause catastrophic injury.  For example, improperly positioned safety restraints are unable to secure a child in the event of a crash.  If the buckles and latches on a unit are not strong enough, they can come undone in high-impact situations.  If a seat shell is badly designed or made with brittle materials, it can easily crumple, cave in, or break.

    Adding to the potential for danger, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has reported that most child car seats are not installed properly.  Consider these alarming statistics:

    • 7 out of every 10 children are not properly restrained in vehicles.
    • 95% of consumers do not install car safety seats correctly.

    The NHTSA has also stated that confusing, unclear instructions often contribute to improper installation.

    Common Injuries From Defective Child Seats

    Some of the most common injuries caused by faulty baby seats and child car seats include:

    Consumers have the right to believe the products they purchase will work properly, and be free from defects and flaws.  If your child has been seriously injured due to a defective car safety seat, you may be entitled to compensation for your family’s pain and suffering, and for the costs of treatment, rehabilitation, and wages you lost to spend time with your child.

    We all understand that cars can be dangerous.  After all, cars weigh thousands of pounds, are full of flammable chemicals and materials, and cage their passengers with glass windows which can shatter in an accident.  We very seldom consider the dangers of apparently “harmless” car seats. But when seats fail, they can be just as hazardous as any other part of a car.  Seat back failures can lead to debilitating injuries, expensive health care costs, and emotional trauma resulting from an accident.

    The Philadelphia-based personal injury law firm of The Reiff Law Firm represents clients who have suffered serious seat back-related injuries in auto accidents in Pennsylvania.  If you have been injured, our auto accident lawyers have the knowledge, experience, and resources you need.  We have more than 34 years of experience providing aggressive client advocacy for residents of Pennsylvania injured by seat back failures, so call us today at (215) 709-6940

    What Causes Car Seat Failure?

    Seat back failure accidents happen when a motor vehicle with bucket seats is involved in an auto accident, particularly a rear-end collision.

    In simplified terms, the violent forward motion caused by a rear-end collision applies a sudden force of weight against the seat, restricting the occupant’s movement.  If the seat does not stay in place, or if the weight is too great, the seat back can collapse.  A bend or collapse can seriously injure passengers riding in the vehicle’s back seats, as well as occupants in the front.

    Most car seat back failures occur when the front car seats collapse backwards from the impact of a rear-end collision.  Occupants could be ejected from the vehicle, thrown around inside the vehicle, or strike other passengers.  Even low-speed accidents can be extremely dangerous.

    Common injuries resulting from seat back accidents include:

    • Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)
    • Broken Bones
    • Neck Injuries
    • Head Injuries
    • Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
    • Leg Injuries
    • Permanent Disfigurement
    • Scarring

    Children are especially prone to serious injury accidents when riding behind a bucket seat.  Adults should secure children safely behind the seat carrying the smallest passenger, or behind a seat which is unoccupied.

    In 2008, Consumer Affairs reported a seat back recall by Ford due to faulty welding connecting the driver’s front seat back with a crucial bracket.  The recall covers F-250 through F-550 Super Duty trucks.  More than 87,000 of these trucks are owned by people in the United States.

    Our Attorneys Can Help if You or a Loved One was Hurt because of a Defective Car Seat

    If you are ever in an auto accident, exchange information with any other parties involved.  Always keep your insurance information in your glove box.  Call 9-1-1 or the police to report the accident, and never leave the scene of an accident.  Double-check your insurance coverage, and report the accident to the insurance company.

    In the aftermath of auto accident cases, there are three important legal steps:

    1. Determining which parties are liable for the resulting personal injuries and property damage.
    2. Calculating the amount of monetary damages.
    3. Determining where to collect the damages.

    Philadelphia-based personal injury lawyer Jeffrey Reiff and the experienced Philadelphia auto accident lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm will:

    • Closely examine the details of your accident.
    • Evaluate your claim.
    • Determine which parties and insurance companies are responsible.
    • Organize all of the details of preparing and presenting your automobile accident case.

    Our legal team works on a contingent fee basis, charging only a small percentage of the recovery in the cases we handle.  We do not get paid unless there is a successful recovery.  We have handled thousands of automobile accident cases, and have successfully recovered over $150 million for our clients for physical, emotional, and financial damages.

    The Pennsylvania product liability lawyers and Pennsylvania defective car seat attorneys at The Reiff Law Firm will investigate and uncover who is responsible for your physical, emotional, and financial hardships. We are dedicated to justice and will work tirelessly on your behalf. Call our law offices at (215) 709-6940, or contact us online to schedule your free, confidential case evaluation today.

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    1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd #501
    Philadelphia, PA 19102
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