NY Defective Product Attorneys
In the past decade, more than 10 million child safety seats have been recalled for safety reasons. Baby car seats and child car seats (booster seats) can fail, be defective, be recalled, or simply break just when you need these car seats the most – during an accident. Responsible parents just like you provide the best car seats for your baby or child because you trust the car seat brands that advertise safety and reliability. Still, bad things can happen to car seats.
Car seat technology is also complex. Studies show that 82 percent of parents who use car seats for babies and children do not have these car seats installed properly.
There are five major types of child safety seats:
- Infant Seat
- Convertible Seat
- Toddler / Booster Seat
- Belt positioning Booster
- Built-In Seat
Child car seats can be of different types, generally depending on the size and weight of the child they are meant to carry. For a child safety seat to give your child the protection you will need in case of an accident, it’s important to choose a high quality, age appropriate seat. Remember to check the weight guidelines before making a decision to buy a seat. Buy only from reputed manufacturers, and look for any information about defects and recalls associated with the car seat by looking it up on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
The majority of kid’s product and child car seat restraint injury / death cases are the result of the same defects happening time and time again.
A broad range of potential problems with child safety seats can place kids in danger. The following is just a small sample of common product defects that often contribute to child injuries in auto accidents:
- Defective Chest Clips – The chest clip is the part of a child car seat that holds the two shoulder straps together over a child’s chest. Poorly produced and badly designed clips have been found responsible in many cases involving defective child safety seats.
- Insufficient Padding – Padding is a crucial component of any child car seat. It serves the dual purpose of providing comfort as the child is held in place and providing a buffer from injury in case of a car accident. A car seat lacking proper padding can lead to serious personal injury or even death. If your infant has been hurt or killed due to improper padding or any other type of child car seat product defect, you may have the right to pursue a claim against the manufacturer.
- Defective Buckles – A defective buckle is an all too common type of defect in child car seats. While the buckle is intended to keep a child locked in place, one that is poorly assembled can fail at this task. A poorly assembled buckle can open upon impact in an auto accident, or can be easily opened by the child occupying the seat.
- Detachable Carrier Seats – A popular model of child safety seat has two components: a detachable carrier and a base that remains attached to the car. These car seats, often referred to as base carrier models, have proven susceptible to a wide range of product defects. The two components may become separated during the impact of a car crash, leaving an infant unguarded from serious personal injury or death.