Collapsing Seatbacks Can Cause Injury in Auto Accidents

Posted On April 8, 2021

Car Seatback Collapse Can Cause Serious Injury or Death

When a car accident happens, the occupants of the vehicle are counting on the safety components of the vehicle to work. Manufacturers put countless hours into vehicle safety testing to offer a quality product to consumers that meet the expected safety standards.

Unfortunately, components of the vehicle can fail. One product failure that has been reported in car accidents that can lead to serious injury and death is a collapsing seatback. 

How Do Car Seatbacks Fail? 

When a vehicle is struck from behind, a seatback can collapse backward, causing the occupant of the seat to sustain serious injuries. In some cases, they have actually been thrown into the back seat upon impact. 

The source of the issue can be poorly designed seats that meet the minimum requirements of federal regulations that focus on car seat design. Some of these seats may be more likely to snap back in a rear-end collision. 

In addition to design, it is possible that the seats are improperly installed, causing the failure. While the technical cause may be different, the result can be very similar where the occupant can sustain serious injury or even death in an accident. 

Several manufacturers have recalled vehicles due to the issue of collapsing seatbacks. There has been a history of seatback issues that have been reported, but the regulations regarding seatback regulations have remained largely unchanged. 

Collapsing Seatback Common Injuries

When a seatback collapses, it can be catastrophic to the driver or passenger that is in the failed seat. Common injuries associated with a failing seatback include: 

  • Fractures 
  • Brain trauma
  • Neck and back injuries
  • Puncture injuries
  • Amputation
  • Death

What Damages Can Be Collected in a Seatback Failure? 

A personal injury lawsuit involving a collapsing seatback can have many outcomes. Some of the damages that can be recovered in this kind of case include: 

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Funeral and burial expenses
  • Disability 
  • Pain and suffering

Seatback Failure Attorney in Las Vegas 

To increase the chances of a successful outcome in a seatback failure case, get with an attorney that understands the many facets of car accident injury cases. Bighorn Law has experience working with car accidents of many kinds, including seatback failures. Call the professionals at Bighorn at (702) 333-1111.