I was injured in a Memphis car wreck. It wasn’t a bad accident, but I suffered a brain injury when my seat belt came undone and I hit my head. Who is responsible for seat belt failure injuries?

A two inch piece of webbing can make a life or death difference in a Tennessee car crash, but that’s what a seat belt does. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts prevent 13,000 deaths and countless injuries each year. An additional 7,000 lives might be saved if everyone buckled up. Sixty-three percent of people killed in accidents are not wearing seat belts. When your seat belt doesn’t work, you not only risk serious injury, you also risk your life.

The NHTSA sets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations for the manufacture and installation of seat belts in cars sold in the United States. While seat belts must meet these strict safety standards, they are mechanical devices. And, like any mechanical device, seat belts can malfunction. They may have defective parts or be improperly installed.

Causes of seat belt failure:

Defective seat belt design
Seat belt does not meet federal safety standards
Seat belt doesn’t tighten correctly
Seat belt stays slack during collisions
Seat belt is made of substandard materials
False latching
Seat belt becomes unlatched because of the force of the accident
In 2012, Subaru recalled 320,000 Foresters because the rear seat belts might not lock with certain child restraints. Around the same time, Hyundai recalled 14,700 vehicles because seat belts did not meet federal safety standards. And, in August 2010, several models of GMC vehicles were recalled because the seat belt didn’t always latch properly.

When a seat belt malfunctions during a Memphis auto accident, the person depending on its protection is put at risk of serious or even fatal injury. Not only is the person likely to hit the steering wheel or dashboard, but he or she may be ejected from the vehicle.

If a defective seat belt contributed to your Tennessee car accident injury, you may be able to hold the car manufacturer responsible. Our Memphis car accident attorneys can help you file a defective consumer product claim against the manufacturer of your car. For more information, contact Greer Injury Lawyers at 888-470-9143.

For more information about Tennessee accident injury claims, request a free copy of our book, Every Step Matters After a Tennessee Auto Accident.